Message on a bottle: the use of augmented reality as a form of disruptive rhetoric in wine marketing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Wine, a product steeped in tradition and history, is often challenging for consumers to decipher due to its intricate characteristics. Appealing to non-wine connoisseurs to break into untapped market segments requires both innovation and creative thinking. To accomplish this, three wine brands utilized augmented reality (AR) technology to craft unique brand storytelling experiences that centered around the label, without focusing on physical product attributes, ultimately resonating with new market segments. This article explores the use cases of three wine brands; 19 Crimes, Barefoot, and Enosophia Wines, that employed AR technology as a form of disruptive rhetoric, to supplement their wine label storytelling. The study sheds light on how multisensory technology such as AR can be used to carve out new wine target markets and proposes an AR experience model with accompanying propositions outlining how the experiential realms can be leveraged to achieve key brand objectives.