Great wine from the great white north? Producer’s product positioning and marketing mix for Canadian icewine

Abstract

Icewine is a sizable niche in the Canadian wine industry that has attracted little attention from marketing and branding researchers. A first step in understanding the marketing mix and brand positioning strategies was to develop a modified Aesthetics and Ontology (AO) framework to classify consumers of luxury wines and spirits specifically focused on icewine. This paper examines where Canadian icewine producers place their brand and consumers within this AO typology. The authors applied a thematic analysis approach to categorize five semi-structured interviews with representatives of Canadian icewine producers. The modified AO framework was applied to the findings to assess the positioning of the respective icewine brands. The analysis uncovered decidedly homogenous approaches to the positioning and marketing of Canadian icewine. Most purchasers were regarded as novices, with the largest portion of purchases occurring at duty free retail locations; on-site winery experiences comprise a secondary channel. Applying the modified AO framework, the predominant customer group was identified as the ‘carouser’. Product variances, pricing strategies, and product packaging were comparatively minor. This homogenous approach to branding and marketing mix should be further explored to understand the potential for alternative and distinct positioning methodologies for Canadian icewine producers.