Maven Wines 

There's no denying that the wine industry still represents one of the most aspirational and appealing investment opportunities in New Zealand.

And while New Zealand's wine exports represent a mere drop in the magnum by international standards, the local industry is becoming increasingly competitive.

The ease of entry for small players sees the number of wineries in the country increasing exponentially. The problem with having so many players in such a relatively small market is that a veritable plethora of wine brands have been developed - and quite possibly every variant on the traditional wine themes, from name to imagery to iconography, has already been used. If you add the fact that success for New Zealand winegrowers lies increasingly offshore, where everything from the old-world authenticity of France, Germany and Italy to the vigorously emergent Argentina, US and South Africa, the cut-through problem is only compounded.

So how does a new entrant mark itself as distinctly different in so cluttered a market?

4i's worked closely with the winery's management team from the start of the process, keeping them tightly focused on the importance of differentiation. Competitive analyses of the company's attributes and strengths, overlaid with business opportunities, enabled the team to agree on building the brand around the notion of 'revelation'.

A streamlined naming process led to the election of Maven - the wordmark executed in a simple yet distinctive style that eschews the usual wine vernacular.

Likewise Maven's label design veers determinedly from the norm.

The theme is 'New (World) rustic' and award-winning photographer John Crawford was engaged to find 'the authentic Marlborough you'll never see on a postcard'.

Eight shots from his plastic-lensed Diana cameras were selected to appear across the Maven range.

Maven Wines are a revelation, and that promise is inherent from the very first sighting of the packaging: each bottle, regardless of varietal, sports one of the eight highly unusual brand images on its label, so that the full range of images is on display in each section of the wine store.

The uniqueness of the brand - both in concept and execution -has helped Maven secure distributors in New Zealand, UK, EU, Australia, US and Canada, all within its first two years of inception.

And the packaging has been recognized by the industry, with a Bronze in UK Wine & Spirit's 2007 Design and Packaging awards.

Back to 4i's