Pulling the cork on wine?

Rachel Litner of Rachel Litner Associates graciously submitted this observation to be explored by TrendLine: Some folks in Japan are pushing for wider distribution of wine, packaged in cans. Rachel came across the story at CScout/Japan… and the movement is actually the idea of Japan Rail. It seems that public consumption of alcohol is taboo; a notion they’d like to change. (Wine is purely for refined drinkers, right?)

Now, while the idea of wine in cans might be new to some, it has been done before (at least once, that we know of). Several years ago, the Niebaum-Coppola winery in California began marketing a sparkling wine called Sophia (named for the daughter of Francis Ford Coppola). See a 2004 MSNBC story on the product here.)

Implications: Granted, wine in cans isn't exactly commonplace. But the first several airplanes invented didn’t fly all that well, either.

If the packaging is proven to preserve the characteristics and flavor of the product inside, then why shouldn’t wine be offered in boxes, cans or cartons… if they meet the convenience and cost requirements of the consumer. Beer is sold in plastic bottles now, after all. Some wine snobs might think of the can as sacrilege, but if the masses embrace the beverage, who cares?

If you’d have told people in the 1920’s that someday, people would be served their dinner from a window in a driveway… they’d have scoffed. Has your company historically set-aside packaging options… whose time might now be right? Just because a package design (or marketing strategy) has not succeeded the first time out doesn’t mean the concept should be totally discarded. Perhaps it’s just that the consumer will accept no package design… before its’ time.

Mike Anderson