Oregon Wine Industry

Oregon is the third largest viniferous grape growing region in the U.S., with 463 wineries

Five things to do now to get ready for Oregon Wine Month

OWM_logotype_Vertical-216COregon Wine Month is coming – are you ready?

Spring is in the air, budbreak is upon us and that can only mean one thing: Oregon Wine Month is just around the corner!

If you attended this year’s Oregon Wine Symposium, you saw the unveiling of the Oregon Wine Board’s activity plan and campaign that has been created for Oregon Wine Month 2015. This includes:

  • Incentive programs for distributors and buyers, both on- and off-premise;
  • The most expansive media plan yet, encompassing paid, earned and owned media channels;
  • A breakthrough campaign that links our industry’s pioneers to today’s enduring legacy of exceptional winemaking; and
  • A brand-new consumer website, which will be the hub for all Oregon Wine Month activities.

The new website is in the process of being launched and will be the best place for wineries to publicize their Oregon Wine Month programs, including activities at tasting rooms as well as offsite events. Print, digital and radio advertising, along with social media, will drive consumer traffic to the site. In addition, thanks to OWB’s close partnership with Travel Oregon, consumer traffic from their site will be directed to the Oregon Wine Month calendar. You will want everything you have planned at your tasting room, restaurants and retailers posted to this site for maximum exposure.

The elements listed above combine to form a platform upon which wineries are invited to build their own Oregon Wine Month programs to drive sales through their direct-to-consumer and distribution channels.

Everything you should need, including an Oregon Wine Month checklist, sell sheets for your distributor and a form to submit information about your Oregon Wine Month activities, can be found in the Oregon Wine Month Toolkit on the new Oregon Wine Industry site.

Take action now! Here are five things to do to start preparing for May:

  1. Plan a special feature for your tasting room during May, like adding a bonus pour to your flight or offering 2-for-1 tastings.
  2. Schedule at least one event, for example an open house, a winemaker dinner or a free vineyard tour every Saturday.
  3. Talk to your distributor about Oregon Wine Month. Make sure they are aware of the Oregon Wine Month Rep of the Year competition and the program for on-premise buyers. The OWB has already made several Pacific Northwest distributors aware of the comprehensive Oregon Wine Month program.
  4. Upload pictures to the Oregon Wine Month toolkit to ensure your story is part of the Oregon Wine story on social media.
  5. SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS AND SPECIALS for inclusion on the Oregon Wine Month calendar! The first print advertisement directing consumers to the website will be on newsstands on Fri., Mar. 20. Make sure your winery activities are listed on oregonwinemonth.org when people come to find out what’s happening.

If you have any questions about Oregon Wine Month 2015, please contact OWB’s marketing manager, Jess Willey. Thank you for your collaboration in helping to make 2015 our best Oregon Wine Month yet!