Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Jelena Mihelčić
Ivica Kovačević is the director of the Brač winery Jako Vino, whose “smallest label in the world” took gold at the Golden Drum festival. This winery has become known primarily for its brand Stina, “a wine of inspiration”, that in addition to medals for quality is adorned by some of the most prestigious awards for design communication, such as those from the London Design Week, D&AD and the Art Directors Club of New York. For both these brands, winery hired the agencies Brandoctor and Bruketa&Žinić OM.
Mr. Ivica, you’ve won how many awards so far?
Honestly, there were so many that I truly don’t know anymore. I think this one could be the ninth or even tenth.
Stina achieved remarkable international success. It’s exported to numerous foreign markets, it’s poured in Michelin star restaurants. Where did the idea for a new brand “Vina Brač” come from? What kind of wines are these?
When you have great production of grapes of your own, you always have to have two lines of wine so you could save the highest quality for the first line. The same way we decided to produce one line of wine in the spirit of Stina, but somewhat cheaper so it could be accessible to a wider circle of consumers.
Sales channels of the two lines are also different. This is a common international practice at all the best-known wine brands, and many of them simply place underneath the producers name a line “second wine of…”. We decided for the name Vina Brač 1903, showing thus the link with the brand Stina.
Photo: Ivica Kovačević
What kind of reactions did you get to the “smallest” label?
I think we have to wait a little longer for the final verdict on reactions. Right now reactions are quite varied, from enthusiasm to rejection. But we must not forget that it was the same at the beginning with Stina. Let time show the real state.
How successful are wines Bogondon, Godiment and Noda from Vina Brač series in the market?
We started with more serious selling in Croatia in late summer this year, so we are at the very beginning and are satisfied with the results so far, particularly in view of the fact that our prices are again a bit higher than those of competitors in that category of wine in supermarkets. When we talk about foreign markets, we are already very pleased with the sales results, particularly in the US, Canada and Germany.
How big is the role of the label in today’s world of digital communication?
I think that the label is always important, especially in conquering new markets and the emergence of new brands. The label, or the story of the label and brand, is the one that needs to draw attention to a product and it is still irreplaceable in this sense. It’s clear that after that we have to offer a good quality product in the packaging, in order to retain the consumer.
How big of a role does the label as a communication means plays in reaching consumers? What are your experiences?
Our experiences so far have been based on the label Stina. With the label alone we have opened many markets, and attracted a large number of wine lovers all over the world. We were particularly satisfied with the success of this label among young consumers. For them, the label and the whole story about Stina was exactly what attracted them to our wine. In the same way, our quality is what’s keeping them to continue to tell our story.
What’s necessary for a wine brand to become successful?
As with anything, it takes a lot of work and communication with everyone in the chain, from sales to final consumers. Not one brand can bring success on its own. For every success a brand is only a starting point, but further work on its implementation, through all media and channels of promotion is crucial. Once again, what is most important for us is the quality of what we offer in the bottle. Without it, there can be no success for a brand, regardless how nicely it was put together.
In short, a good brand, good quality, and a lot of work gives results.