Thesis: Marketing wine to Generation X (2005)

Why is the wine industry ignoring young consumers?

(abstract)

The French wine industry is facing difficult challenges with over production, shrinking home market and increasing competition in export markets. One of the reasons for this drop in consumption is young consumers' disaffection for wine.

This paper looks at wine consumption and wine marketing from a generational perspective and attempts to understand why young consumers are not consuming wine as their elders have done in the past. An attention is given to the marketing approach of the industry and its appeal to young consumers. The paper makes a case for young adults being the future vector for growth in the wine industry and stresses the need to address them now, while they are forming their consumption habits for life. In other case, they risk being lost forever as wine consumers.

The paper puts a focus on the Generation X, born from 1961 – 1980, and its followers the Generation Y, born from 1981-2000. These two groups make up the young adult market today. A discussion to cast a light on the main influencers that have formed the general characteristics of the Generation X, allow a better understanding of their behaviour as consumers, and the young consumer market in general. Based on this understanding of needs and wants of young consumers, the paper attempts to give guidelines to create a coherent marketing strategy targeted at young adults.


















Ragnar Fridriksson
Champagne, France
www.passionfood.fr
http://passionfood.canalblog.com/