This is Penfolds marketing doing what they do best: finding more silly ways to promote their overpriced wines. Hot on the heels of the hottest month ever recorded, and with ‘boiling’ seas in many parts of the world, Grange and its siblings are taking to the oceans.
One the last day of July, an email from Penfolds floated into my inbox announcing the ONE BY PENFOLDS GLOBAL LAUNCH.
‘We recently celebrated the global launch of One by Penfolds,’ it said. ‘The launch coincided with the announcement that NIGO, the Founder of Human Made and Artistic Director of KENZO, has been named Penfolds first-ever Creative Partner.’
What will his first job be? Bringing those expensive bottles back to the surface and put them somewhere cool? Fire the creative marketing team? Blow up the tacky stand they built for the launch in Hong Kong?
‘One by Penfolds is a collection of wines that celebrates what makes us all different and unique,’ the media release says, ‘but also the things that bring us together – as represented by the winemaking regions from where the One by Penfolds range is made around the world.
Using his signature style, Human Made founder NIGO designed three animal motifs which feature on the wine labels – a crocodile, rooster and bear. The designs represent the winemaking regions where One by Penfolds wines are sourced – Australia, France and America.
The Aussie wines get the croc – I reckon that’ll bring more tourists down under than ‘where the bloody hell are you?’
That leads us to another question: ‘where the bloody hell are you going, Penfolds?
Sadly I missed this event in May: Citrique’s Exquisite Penfolds Degustation at the JW Marriott Gold Coast – Unleash Your Inner Foodie. ‘Food enthusiasts and wine connoisseurs alike are invited to indulge in a gastronomic extravaganza featuring a delightful degustation dinner in collaboration with the prestigious Penfolds Wines. Priced at $189 per person, this exclusive event promises an unforgettable evening of culinary bliss.
We can only wonder how the prestigious Penfolds wines collaborate – do they unscrew their Stelvin caps and poor some wine into the glasses of the assembled punters? Do they amuse them with tasting notes or jokes? Do they have a message attached to their labels, with wise words on life like fortune cookies? Do they dance on the table, or sing for your supper?
One more thing: the price of Grange has hit 1000 dollars. And Penfolds offer a 6-pack for $6000. Now that’s marketing.
And here’s a video on the serious reds
And finally, here’s Grange – right up there with Beethoven’s 5th
Kim