Case Study: Who Said 6-Packs Are Just For Beer? The Whispering Angel Gets Innovative to Help Customers Increase Sales

By Dean Schwartz (SWAG Master): Due to the stress that COVID-19 applied to the economy, NY state law temporarily allowed for the hospitality industry to sell alcohol to-go. As a result, SOBO was asked to create an item that allowed for The Whispering Angel wine to be packaged and sold to guests and local Hampton’s residents at The Surf Lodge.

In this case study, we’ll review how we were able to work within a mutually beneficial partnership between The Whispering Angel, their marketing consultant Melissa Katz, and The Surf Lodge to create something totally unique: a six-pack for 350ml (about half-sized) wine bottles.

The Challenge

• The law extends to all bars and restaurants across the state, and since everyone within the industry was looking for a source of revenue as a lifeline during this turbulent time, the team at Whispering Angel and Surf Lodge wanted to create something different to stand out from the crowd. 
• A six-pack of half-sized wine bottles (350ml) is a totally new item and had to be created from scratch.
• Wine bottles are heavier than beer bottles, so any packaging must be created from strong material.
• Whispering Angel’s custom color must match perfectly when applied to the material. 
• We had to work to ensure both Whispering Angel and Surf Lodge were happy with the final design.

The Solution

• After a couple of attempts to get the sizing right, to have it support the weight of the bottles and to find a way to prevent the 6-pack from breaking due to the bottles sweating (going from refrigerator to outside summer humidity), we settled on the design shown below.
• The material we used was 28pt SBS C1S paper, and to add an additional protective layer we added laminated strips that created a barrier between the bottles and the bottom of the 6-pack.
• We matched the color of the six-pack to match The Whispering Angel’s custom colors perfectly.

The Result

• The unique packaging helped increase the sale of The Whispering Angel wine at The Surf Lodge, Scarpetta restaurants, and other locations during a time when hotels and restaurants were allowed to sell beer and wine to go.
• This initiative was covered in Women’s Wear Daily and Daily Mail, among others, for this innovative approach to helping their customers increase sales of their products during the pandemic. (Read excerpts of their review below or click the link to view it yourself)
• The SWAG was a hit on social media, as their instagram post quickly garnered over 4,000 likes from excited customers. Click the link to check it out or view the post below.
• The six-pack offered another source of revenue to both companies as guests flocked to purchase their own and experience something new.

WWD: The Surf Lodge teamed with Chateau d’Esclans’ Whispering Angel — if the Hamptons had a spirit animal, this would be it — to create an exclusive mini six-pack. All Surf Lodge guests will be greeted with two complimentary packs of the Côtes de Provence rosé in their rooms, and additional rosés from the label are also on offer at the Surf Lodge’s Concept Playa pop-up shop.

Daily Mail: Located in the heart of Provence, France, Chateau d’Esclans is a prestigious estate and winery producing the industry’s leading rosé wines, including Garrus, The Palm, Rock Angel and Whispering Angel. 

Château d’Esclans is offering a curated selection of socially distanced events, special bottlings, takeaway kits and more delightful rosé surprises throughout the Hamptons all summer long.

Exclusive to the Surf Lodge in the Hamptons, a chic grab-and-go 6-pack of Whispering Angel is available. Enjoy two (2) complimentary 6-packs of Whispering Angel rosé with your room as a guest of the trendy hotel.   

‘As we began planning for Summer 2020, we wanted to figure out a way to safely satisfy the thirst of our consumers whom have helped shape (our now) iconic brand,’ said winemaker Paul Chevalier of Château d’Esclans.

‘While rosé finally is consumed all year long and is enjoyed by those who don’t just live in seaside locations, the Hamptons and the Summer season remain two key components of our annual activities plan. 

‘We wanted to be innovative and thoughtful about how to still bring the #roséallday lifestyle to our loyal customers this Season. 

The ultimate success in any industry is increased revenue, and that’s what SOBO aims to create during every SWAG order or any other marketing service we provide our customers. Needless to say, we were ecstatic to receive such a positive response to our #SWAGwithStyle.

Want to “WOW” your guests or employees with something new and exciting? Give SOBO a call at 888.752.0432 or email info@soboconcepts.com and we’ll get started on your project today. Or click here for more barware and beverage SWAG. And remember to always #SWAGwithStyle!