For Jamison Lim and Jenny Lai, wine isn’t just a delicious way to unwind – the pair have souls with a deep purple hue. And, having arrived in South Australian wine country in 2006, they decided to turn their passion into a profession.
Pairing their appetite for crushed grapes with an appetite to learn, they dived headfirst into Aussie wine culture. Jamison honed his palate and his instincts, winning some big international awards along the way, while Jenny immersed herself in wine marketing studies.
Skills developed and sharpened, Purple Soul Wines was brought into the world.
The pair initially sold small-batch wines to private buyers. But word of their vino soon spread, which presented an opportunity to offer their produce to the masses.
The aim
Unveiling a new label in such an established, world-renowned market is no mean feat. While Jenny had studied wine marketing, she had yet to put her new skills to use. Ultimately, Purple Soul knew that this was a task that demanded specialist marketing expertise.
Initially, they received just that from KWP and Partners, who developed their brand and built their website. But, while this work formed a solid foundation, Purple Soul knew that much was still to be done. The dream marketing specialist would be able to help with a long list of to-dos, including:
- Clarifying brand positioning and unique selling points (USPs).
- Defining target audiences.
- Identifying key channels for brand visibility and sales growth.
- Establishing and managing a social media presence.
In search of assistance, Jamison and Jenni soon found themselves a partner. Initially hired to craft copy for the brand’s website, NINKI was able to tick every other box, too.
The approach
A team led by a self-described oenophile – a wino with class and a fancier glass – NINKI brought a heady mix of knowledge and passion to the project.
Working closely with Jamison and Jenny, we developed a complete marketing strategy for the brand. We identified Purple Soul’s precise target audiences, the USPs that would speak to them, and the channels that would grant us access to them.
We then turned that strategy into action.
It began with a brand photoshoot to capture high-end content that could be used across the website, socials and in PR. Purple Soul wines + a moody forest setting = the perfect pairing.
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We then held a brand launch event at a beachside wine bar – another chance to generate high-end content. But the true opportunity lay in seeing how a carefully curated list of guests responded to both the wine and the brand. We captured these insights through a post-event survey, which we used to develop deeper wine storytelling.
Finally, we launched – and continue to manage – the Purple Soul brand across Instagram and Facebook.
The results
While the brand has only recently become public-facing, now that NINKI has armed it with high-quality content and a smart marketing strategy, the numbers are all glowing green and pointing up.
Over the past 90 days, Purple Soul’s organic Facebook content has crushed it:
- Total views: ↑ 71.4%
- Reach: ↑ 36.6%
- Content interactions: ↑ 81%
The same goes for Instagram:
- Total views: ↑ 52.6%
- Reach: ↑ 26.7%
- Content interactions: ↑ 12.3%
And all this growth has been achieved entirely organically, with $0 spent on ads.
The launch event provided much-need marketing direction, resulting in a brand that speaks more to the provenance of its wines. NINKI is now fuelling the Purple Soul rocketship to take off from this solid launchpad, through carefully curated PR and paid visibility opportunities.
For Jamison and Jenny, the experience has been eye-opening. While Jenny has trained in the marketing space, the pair admit that there was a surprising amount to know, and that they struggled to wrap their heads around everything – at least until NINKI came along.
“Chanelle and her team at NINKI are knowledgeable, honest and proactive,” Jamison says. “Before launching our wine brand, we perhaps didn’t realise the size and complexity of the task. Chanelle has guided us every step of the way, organising shoots, launch events, social media and more. She is a constant source of ideas and energy, and has been a joy to work with!"
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