Why Vins de Provence is targeting millennials over Gen Z

Vins de Provence’s latest marketing campaign seeks to tap into its already strong millennial consumer base by showing the superiority of Southern French rosé.

The new campaign uses photographs from Philippe Jarrigeon depicting real life waiting staff in bright pink outfits holding trays of rosé against postcard-perfect Provençal landscapes. Developed in collaboration with Parisian agency Jésus et Gabrie, the campaign is titled ‘Born Original. Made Distinct.’ and is intended to communicate how though the region’s wines are often imitated, they are not equalled.

The campaign visuals have already been displayed on a billboard along Bethnal Green Road in May, where, according to a press release, it was estimated to reach “half a million trendy young Londoners”.

The UK is the second biggest export market for Vins de Provence by volume, with a 19% share of the 462,000hl shipped abroad in 2022. The US is number one, with a 37% share. The Netherlands is third (7%) and Germany fourth (6%).

During a recent Zoom presentation on Vins de Provence, Caroline Benetti, export communication at Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), said: “The intention was to show our target of millennials that though you can find rosé all over the world – you will only find Provençal rosé in Provence.”

“We want to stand out,” Benetti continued. “To show we are targeting the premium market – if you want real, original, quality rosé, you can pick Provence.”

The popularity of rosé among millennials is a phenomenon that has been noticed for some years now. A number of reasons have been cited for this, including the pink drink’s colour having Instagram appeal, and also because it has a less intimidating reputation than many other wine styles. A 2015 article from The Guardian suggested that one key driving force has been the premiumisation of the category, with millennial consumers appreciating the leap in quality found in higher end expressions.

When asked by db how Vins de Provence plans to market its wines to the younger Generation Z cohort (those born between 1995 and 2021), Benetti admitted that there were difficulties in appealing to this demographic: “We are really targeting millennials as a priority. Gen Z is tricky – we don’t know what they want, or how they consume drinks. Maybe they don’t even know what they want.”

According to a number of recent studies, including the latest Waitrose & Partners Food & Drink Report, members of Generation Z are primarily drinking no- and low-alcohol alternatives and cocktails, rather than wine.

“So for now we will focus on millennials. Maybe in a few more years we will be able to target Gen Z properly,” Benetti concluded.

It has been suggested that the general decline in wine consumption among younger people in France is a failure of their grandparents to inspire a love for the drink within them.