AUSTRALIA’S wine marketing strategy for the next 18 years will be relaunched tomorrow.

The relaunch of Directions to 2025 in Sydney will build on the industry’s original blueprint drawn up in 1996, which had its 30-year sales target of $4.5 billion overtaken in just four years.

“A lot of people thought (that target) was insanely optimistic because sales were only at $1 billion in 1996,” said Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation corporate affairs manager Eric Wisgard.

“I think they’d say the new plan was ambitious but it’s realistic.”

Increased competition from emerging wine producing countries, a dwindling price per litre for Australian exports, the merger of retail outlets and a strong Australian dollar were now challenges for Australia’s wine marketers.

The 17-member “directions” taskforce led by retired McWilliams Wines chief executive Kevin McLintock, includes winemaker and grower groups and managing directors from Australia’s largest wineries including Orlando’s Stephen Couche, Foster’s Wine Estates’ Jamie Odell and Hardy’s recently-retired David Woods.

Tomorrow’s relaunch will contain 46 strategies built on three key points - anticipating the market, influencing consumer demand and building sustainable success.

Mr Wisgard said the strategy already builds on AWBC’s Wine Australia brand push, rolled out in 2005 to highlight the diversity of Australia’s wine varieties and regions to overseas consumers.

The AWBC has recently talked about Australian wine’s four “personalities” - Brand Champions, or the mainstream brands which sell well overseas such as Jacob’s Creek; Regional Heroes, which display varietal wines; Generation Next which explore innovation; and Landmark Australia, our fine wines and luxury brands such as Penfold’s Grange.

Mr Wisgard expected some pressure on a shrinking export price per litre to ease, as this year’s low vintage and another expected next year will put Australia’s wine oversupply back into balance.

South Australia’s wine industry will have access to the information at a briefing in Adelaide on May 7. source