What happened
On July 13, luxury winemaker Penfolds held a party in Hong Kong to celebrate the global launch of One by Penfolds. The event also introduced the brand’s first-ever creative partner, Japanese fashion designer and entrepreneur Nigo, who founded lifestyle brand Human Made and was artistic director of Kenzo.
Billed as new and disruptive in the wine world, One by Penfolds is a range of wines celebrating “oneness” — a concept that embraces what makes us unique and different, but also the things that bring us together. Penfolds’ winemakers were inspired by, and have worked from, four renowned winemaking regions around the world — Australia, China, France, and the United States — to create a worldly set of modern wines that capture unique regional nuances.
Fashion visionary Nigo designed the four animal motifs — crocodile, rooster, panda and bear, each representing a winemaking region — featured on the respective wine labels in his signature retro cartoon style. A collection of limited-edition T-shirts and varsity jackets designed by Nigo and crafted by his label Human Made in Japan were specially created for the event.
In conjunction with the launch, Penfolds announced its new “Penfolds Evermore” initiative, which supports future generations by leaving a positive impact on the places, communities and people associated with Penfolds. The winemaker will donate AUD 1 million (680,455) over five years as part of a global grant program. In China, the brand has established the “One by Penfolds Fund” in partnership with China Agricultural University, which aims to contribute to the sustainable future of wine education and culture in China by strengthening community and talent engagement.
The Jing Take
The iconic winemaker has renewed its commitment to its Chinese clientele, having continued to invest in China marketing over the past three years via immersive events, such as Venture Beyond by Penfolds held in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Penfolds’ new range broadens horizons both geographically and creatively to entice young Chinese drinkers back to the wine bottle.
Penfolds’ Grange is often considered to be the epitome of luxury sipping, and the brand helped introduce Australian wines to Chinese drinkers in 1995. One by Penfolds targets a very different generation of drinkers, one that leans towards multicultural connections and fresh avenues of engagement.
To this end, Penfolds invites drinkers on an international journey of exploration that is both inclusive and engaging. The China-sourced wine in the One by Penfolds range is a vital inclusion for nation-proud Chinese consumers.
Penfolds’ multi-year partnership with Nigo goes beyond the wine label to transport One by Penfolds into the fashion, music and lifestyle space.
“Nigo has been at the forefront of culture for over 30 years. His influence on culture, fashion, design, and music globally is something quite extraordinary,” Kristy Keyte, Penfolds Chief Marketing Officer, tells Jing Daily.
“He is the ideal visionary to take the reins of One by Penfolds and work together with us across special Penfolds projects. We look forward to sharing this new Penfolds chapter with lovers of fashion, wine, art, and music all around the world,” she adds.
“Chinese consumers are at the forefront of trends; they are big drivers of both growth and opportunities to explore new ideas and new ways of thinking,” says Keyte. “We increasingly see that in order to successfully connect with a younger generation of luxury consumers, brands need to be willing to be disruptive and re-invent the tried-and-true ways of engagement.”
Penfolds’ innovative spirit has kept it at the forefront of the global wine industry for almost 180 years. Its current pivot to a multi country-of-origin winemaking strategy and integration of technology, art and creativity are not only prudent steps in uncertain times, but should help the brand connect more closely with young consumers both in China and around the world.
The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.