Four Winds Vineyard

Creative Agency: Denomination
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Packaging Content: Wine
Location: Australia

Denomination wins Gold at the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards for Four Winds Vineyard
Leading drinks design agency Denomination has won Gold in the DBA Design Effectiveness Awards in the Beverages Category for its redesign of Four Winds Vineyard’s wine range which resulted in an increase in sales of almost 50 per cent over 18 months.

The awards recognise projects which demonstrate design’s tangible effect on business, from increased gross margin to job creation.

Positive impact
Four Winds Vineyard, a small family-owned winery just outside Canberra, Australia, tasked Denomination with redesigning its branding and packaging to boost the chances of securing a distributor for the competitive Sydney market.

For small wineries trying to compete against bigger well-funded players, the label is their only voice and because the majority of consumers pick a wine based on the label, design is crucial.

Rising star
The redesign achieved the brief’s objective to secure a Sydney distributor and 18 months later, the winery experienced significant growth and a greater profile within the industry and with consumers.

Wholesale listings rose by 246 per cent, cellar door visitors increased by 245 per cent and wine production was boosted by 170 per cent. In addition, the business was able to take on 11 new members of staff.

Margaret Nolan, Global Creative Director, Denomination, says: “Winning Gold at the DBAs for our work on Four Winds Vineyard will be a wonderful boost for the team who worked so hard on this. It’s been a joy to watch Four Winds Vineyard take off following the redesign. It’s been especially pleasing to see owner, Sarah named the Australian Women in Wine Awards 2017 Owner/Operator of the Year and to be chosen as a 2017 Future Leader by the Australian Wine Industry.”

Sarah Collingwood, Business Manager, Four Winds Vineyard, says: “We have been overwhelmed by the response to the new label design. The business has been able to list its wines with a high profile on premise distributor which was a key objective of the project. The success of the vineyard following our work with Denomination really illustrates the power of design.”

Low key charm
Four Winds Vineyard packaging needed to better reflect the ethos and personality of both the family and the winery. Denomination found feedback from visitors to the cellar door was overwhelmingly positive about the down to earth, friendly and authentic nature of the winery. It observed that the business’s Instagram account, showing evocative photographs of daily life on the vineyard, embodied the essence of the brand.

So, Denomination asked Collingwood to capture windy days on the vineyard, with each wine featuring a different windswept scene, bringing the brand name to life. Digital printing reduced the cost and an upgraded paper stock gave the label a more premium and tactile feel. The brand identity was also updated to a more recognisable and contemporary icon whilst still retaining the spiral of the original logo.

Nolan adds: “The resulting images were delightful, with a low-key charm which perfectly expressed the small boutique family nature of the vineyard. They are also designed to appeal to the adventurous wine connoisseurs we are targeting.”