The ‘real thing’: Branding authenticity in the luxury wine trade

Abstract

Authenticity is a cornerstone of contemporary marketing practice yet confusion surrounds the nature and use of authenticity in the brand arena. We identify six attributions of authenticity based on an examination of the strategies of 20 ultra-premium wineries and interviews with 30 wine consumers. These six attributes are: heritage and pedigree, stylistic consistency, quality commitments, relationship to place, method of production, and downplaying commercial motives. These attributes of authenticity resonated with consumers. The attributes of authenticity were both real and stylized versions of the truth.