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CASE STUDY: NORTHERN VINEYARDS
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OPPORTUNITY
This small, historic winery and vineyard is one of the oldest in Minnesota and is uniquely owned by Minnesota Winegrowers Cooperative members. They’ve won over 100 national and international awards, but their wine labels had grown stale over the past 28 years. They needed to hit the refresh button.
That’s where we came in.
“Surdyk’s tells us that we are now the best-selling Minnesota wine brand. We’ve always tasted good, we just didn’t look the part.”
Dennis Youngquist | Northern Vinyards Winery, General Manager
Secret to our success?
No secret. A smart, engaging, why-are-we-different DNA.
Yes, they needed new packaging, but we also saw the need for a brand refresh to better tell their story and uncork that competitive edge. So, that’s where we began.
We dove into their brand and the industry. Defining audiences. Gaining consumer insight and understanding by pointing out distinctive differences and perceived responses.
Then, we used the power of design and storytelling to define their brand’s personality — their DNA.
Brining the brand DNA to life
Our logo mark solution represents how this winery truly stands apart. The grape cluster speaks to wine enthusiasts while it pays homage to the North with an arrow and a Northern Pine. The mark sets the stage for all consumer touch points and our three-tiered packaging solution.
“IMAGEHAUS presented a three-tier concept that has proven to be a huge success. We now have tremendous distribution in all Haskell’s, Total Wine Stores, and Kowalski’s Wine Shops.”
Dennis Youngquist | Northern Vinyards Winery, General Manager
Our 3-tier solution creates a cohesive yet lively brand experience with distinctions for the different varieties of wine, seasons and events. The images celebrate the charm of their Stillwater location, giving the brand that local, independent vibe.
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MAIN STREET TIER
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FLORA TIER
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FLORA TIER
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FLORA TIER
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FLORA TIER
41%
Sales at the winery
increased 41% compared
to the year before
3.2
Average bottles per sale
improved to 3.2 from 1.1
the previous year
We’re not ones to brag, but our clients tend to.
Dear Imagehaus,
Since debuting our new labeling program, I’ve almost been too busy to calculate the effect that it’s had. Your three-tier concept has proven to be a huge success. And, working with your incredible team made everything painless and fun.
Using 3rd Quarter sales analysis:
•Bottle sales at the winery were up 41% vs. 2016. New and returning customers raved about the bright and fresh new look.
In 2016, the average sale was 1.1 bottle per transaction. That has improved to 3.2 per sale.
The Main Street wines (we’ve been on Main Street for 40 years), the floral labels and our five-barrel signature wines, all look professional, yet local, real Minnesota wines.
It’s hard to calculate the effect the new labels have had in the retail and restaurant world, but I’ve sold to so many accounts that had never shown any previous interest in our wines.
We now have tremendous distribution in all ten Haskell’s, all seven Total Wine stores and all Kowalski’s Wine Shops. Surdyk’s, the top, single retail store in the Midwest, has told me that we are now the best-selling Minnesota wine brand. We’ve always tasted good – just didn’t look the part!
Northern Vineyards Winery has been poured by the glass at Bachelor Farmer the James Beard award-winning, Best Restaurant in the Midwest. And our signature wine, Rivertown Red, is currently being poured at Young Joni, just named by the Star Tribune as “Restaurant of the Year.”
Most Sincerely,
Dennis Youngquist | General Manager