Mikaila Ulmer’s Post

Making good wine is the easy part- selling it is the hard part! Learn about the latter, and set yourself and your brands up for success at the UCD Continuing and Professional Education Wine Marketing Course.

Let's take a trip back to 2012 when Chipotle made waves during the Grammys with a commercial that was more than just an ad—it was a statement. Chipotle's short animated film, "Back to the Start," set to Willie Nelson's soulful cover of Coldplay's "The Scientist," wasn't just about food. It was a powerful commentary on the modern industrial food chain. This film perfectly captured Chipotle's core values, reflecting a longing for a time when life felt simpler and work more fulfilling. It was born from the passion of Chipotle's founder, Steve Ells, who was committed to sourcing food sustainably and ethically. "Back to the Start" is a brilliant example of how Brand Archetypes can be leveraged in design, communication, and advertising. But why do archetypes resonate so deeply? Because they create shortcuts to meaning, instantly connecting us to shared emotions and values. Grab a coffee, sit back, and enjoy this ad—it's just 2 minutes and 20 seconds of your time. Trust me, it's worth it. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e5sU7KSY #brandingforbusiness #brandvalues #brandarchetypes #connection

📣 Reese’s is Back in the Big Game with a New Spot Get ready for a delicious touchdown! Reese's, the iconic duo of chocolate and peanut butter (and America's #1 candy brand!), is back on the biggest snacking stage of the year with a brand-new Super Bowl commercial. This 30-second masterpiece by Erich and Kallman taps into the electrifying passion fans have for both their teams and their Reese's Cups. It's a celebration of the perfect pairing, on and off the field. For 95 years, Reese's has been fueling America's snacking obsession. With a 9% annual growth rate and a presence in over 80% of US households, it's a true snacking powerhouse. And this year, they're bringing the party to the Super Bowl! The last time Reese's graced the Big Game was in 2020 with the launch of the Reese's Take 5 bar. This year, they're promising even more than just a touchdown-worthy ad. Stay tuned for exciting collaborations and activities with strategic partners leading up to the game. So grab your favorite Reese's Cup, settle in for the Big Game, and prepare to witness the perfect marriage of passion, chocolate, and peanut butter. For further information, including insight from Ryan Riess (The Hershey Company), read more online: https://lnkd.in/e9SHZF4Z 🔔 Follow Ingredients Insight to receive daily ingredients news 🔔   #IngredientsInsight #ReesesBigGame #PerfectPerfection #SnackingChamps #SuperBowlLVIII

Tell me a story. Why do so many QSR’s (Quick Service Restaurants) feel that they must rely on the prerequisite hero shots of their food only to get you to care? Some of the best work that has been done in the category that either put these brands on the radar or helped get needed awareness to continue to stand out, you never see anymore. The most immediate best in class examples that come to mind: 1.) Chipotle Mexican Grill: “Back To The Start” with Willie Nelson’s stellar cover of Coldplay’s “The Scientist” told a story that focused on what made Chipotle and their ingredients (and brand) different from the rest. 2.) Burger King: “The Whopper Detour”, a textbook stunt that drove engagement and sales while having fun with their main competitor 3.) Kentucky Fried Chicken KFC: “The Colonel”, a collection of great work that leveraged their brand icon to tell stories that highlighted the chicken vs. trying to just highlight the chicken only with beauty shots of it on a table. Brand marketing works. And yes, you can create strong brand work while also highlighting the product itself. If you want to get people to buy what you’re cooking in the kitchen, make them care about your brand and the stories you’re telling out in the world. #marketing #branding #culture #qsr #content #storytelling

Have you noticed the changes in berries pricing? 🍓 As a relatively commoditized industry, Driscoll's has changed their pricing strategy via. taste differentiation (i.e., Sweetest Batch). In this way, they are able to use outcome-based pricing to set themselves apart from key competitors. Watch this week's Pricing Weekly episode to learn more about this strategy and the benefits it can bring. https://lnkd.in/gZepMbxf

This is the number one Super Bowl ad according to System 1. Everything in my bones tells me that it's not the best Super Bowl advert. When people look back on this Super Bowl I don't think they will say "It was the one with the Messi ad". It's the same with their joint highest rated UK Christmas ad. Everything in my bones tells me that it wasn't nearly the best Christmas advert this year. Here's a link. See what you think: https://lnkd.in/eMpeU9Qf That advert got the maximum possible score. It literally CANNOT be improved according to System1. 5.9 stars out of 5.9 stars. Surely people are just feeling good because it's got happy kids opening Christmas presents. Will people in the future ever remember that ad? Why is there such a big disconnect between me and System1? Am I wrong? As a creative, it's really hard to challenge data. It makes me look arrogant. Or naive. Or ignorant. I'm arguing against numbers using emotions. It's like turning up to a sword fight with a cucumber. Is there a solution? God knows. I'm not a numbers person. But there is something I have noticed: I believe System1 prioritises warm fuzzy feelings. It's why all their top adverts seem to have happy songs, smiling people, pets, kids, celebrities, puppets. It's also why it's so hard to try and get anything edgy, darker or funny through pre-testing. I believe that System1 link long term effectiveness to LIKABILITY because that's what their technology is best at capturing. I know they will have data to prove me wrong on that. I believe that MEMORABILITY is just as effective at brand building as likability. In fact there are some very successful brands whose advertising infuriates people. I don't have data for ANY of this. So I'm preparing to be shot down in flames. I'm not even sure why I'm being drawn into this. It's a Saturday. And I'm on LinkedIn arguing with a research company instead of walking my dog. OK. Thank you. Bye.

#TBT Remembering working with client Constellation Brands in San Francisco, where I had the privilege of being involved in the influential Project Genome customer study. Working with the amazing Jen Marples, we promoted this comprehensive research that delved into the evolving motivations and behaviours of wine consumers. The study, done in phases over several years, identified six distinct customer segments, each with their own preferences and wine-buying habits: Engaged Newcomers, Everyday Loyals, Price Driven consumers, Image Seekers, Enthusiasts, and Overwhelmed. Understanding these segments gave wine brands and retailers valuable insights into how to to more effectively connect with consumers across all palates and price points. It was a fun and interesting project that taught me a lot about understanding customers — insights I continue to use with clients today. #clientwork #publicrelations #foodandwine

Super Bowl ad time is in overdrive and this post from Andrew Tindall at System1 got me thinking. The Messi Michelob ad has been the highest scoring 2024 Super Bowl ad in System1 testing. Mr Tindall explains why below. However, like in football, the real life eye test tells me that, despite the stats, the ad is a bit flat. Not bad, not great just fine. Nothing we haven’t seen before. Now, this is 100% my subjective POV and I have a lot of respect for what the team at System1 are doing so I’m not discounting the validity of their findings, but in a world where Super Bowl spots are created to be shown live once, but designed to blow-up socials in an intense period of time is “fine”good enough? Does this kind of work need more creativity and impact to cut through or have System1 cracked the code and its simpler more familiar ideas which make this type of work pop? Let me know your thoughts.

Expose Yourself! Do not be afraid to be yourself and revel in your flaws and imperfections (dead pixels) as these elements can be spun around to endearing qualities, originality, and memorable ad campaigns. See the below example of brilliance!!! Cheers!

Right now, four of our core spirits are on sale at PA Fine Wine and Good Spirits stores, online for DTC shipping within PA, in our four tasting rooms in the Philadelphia area, and at area farmer’s markets where we sell. Our Summer Spirits Sale is a true cross-channel event, but still…larger brands’ sales across these retail channels dwarf our own. The difficulties of finding and keeping our best people, handling costs that somehow both fluctuate and stay high, and distinguishing between fads and legitimately new things add to stiff competition and tight regulations. It’s an uphill battle for us and other craft brands to break into our markets, find our fans, and stay fresh. But someone must do it to help expand ideas of what spirits can be. Are you a smaller player facing similar big challenges in your industry, or are yours different? https://lnkd.in/exsgyw7E