It was bound to happen. There was of course the much-publicized attempt last year by Lakeridge Health in Oshawa to recruit doctors and nurses from Québec by claiming it doesn't care what's on your head but what's in it. This was an opportunistic tactical ad published in McGill University’s student newspaper aimed at generating free publicity through earned media. Which it did quite successfully.
This is different. This is a campaign for a brand of locally bottled imported bulk wines sold at Costco and Couche Tard.
The company, Julia Wine, is a disruptor in Québec's wine business. It's the kind of David and Goliath story the media loves because it’s about how C-store owners in Québec have “declared war against theSAQ” - Québec’s liquor board.
We won’t get into specifics but suffice to say it has been a very public and bitter battle that’s made front page news and caused much chatter in social media.
Provocative marketing
Julia Wine is also known for its marketing approach. It does not shy away from controversy. It feeds on it.
It introduced itself with this YouTube video announcing the ‘End of prohibition’ featuring Québec sommelier Patrick Saint-Vincent. It won’t win awards for the quality of its production values but it effectively told the story of how Julia Wine is challenging the status quo.
Its most recent advertising effort for the holidays went further. Julia Wine created three videos inspired no doubt by the PQ’s proposed values charter. They were rejected by the RACJQ (the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux) on the basis that one of the characters is wearing a Santa Claus costume which, it said, goes against the rule preventing the use of fictitious or real characters associated with minors. This ruling and the media coverage it generated again provided Julia Wine with much free publicity.
You can view the 'censored' videos via this link.
The folks at Julia Wine are claiming that their Julia Cellier wine is “100% laïque” (100% secular). And they don’t shy away from depicting various religious dress and symbols.
This poster spotted at a Couche Tard in Montréal this week promotes the brand with the line “Ceci n’est pas du vin de messe”. (This is not sacramental wine.)
Julia Wine is clearly getting the attention it is seeking. What it says about the quality of its wines is debatable. The public hearings on Québec’s charter of values, Bill 60, began yesterday. The proposed charter meant to defend “secularism” has become very divisive in Québec where identity politics can get messy. In its attempt to stir the pot to get visibility, Julia Wine may be tempting faith.
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