National Prosecco Week
Client: National Prosecco Wekk
Category: Strategic Communications | Marketing/Promotion Campaign | 104c. Integrated Marketing
About Project
Between 2011 and 2017, Prosecco DOC importation into the US experienced significant and consistent growth, with exports to the US increasing by 248% during that period. In 2011, over 16 million bottles of Prosecco DOC were sold in the US, representing 16% of global sales. By 2017, sales in the US reached 61 million bottles, making it the second-largest market for Prosecco DOC globally. A study commissioned by the Prosecco DOC Consortium reported that Italian sparkling wines, particularly Prosecco, had gained momentum in the US, outperforming French sparkling wines.
To promote Prosecco DOC in the US, the National Prosecco Week (NPW) campaign was launched in 2018 organized by the Prosecco Consortium together with Colangelo & Partners. It encompassed a wide range of activations from Media Relations, Social Media and Influencer Marketing, Event Marketing, Advertising, Restaurant, Retail and Ecommerce Promotion. NPW aimed to highlight the versatility of Prosecco wines, educate consumers about authentic Prosecco DOC, and showcase the growing Prosecco DOC Rosé category.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, NPW adapted by shifting its events to digital formats, such as virtual seminars and influencer marketing. Retailers were encouraged to promote Prosecco DOC brands online, host virtual tastings, and offer discounts. In 2022, NPW returned to a mix of in-person and digital activations.
Since its inception, NPW has seen significant growth, with over 1,000 retail stores and restaurants participating in 2022. Successful partnerships were formed with e-commerce platforms, and influencer marketing efforts generated a substantial amount of content. Media relations efforts reached an average audience of around 300 million, with over 400 media placements annually.
Market research in 2022 showed that the value of Italian sparkling wine imports in the US increased by 19.1% compared to 2019, with Prosecco being a standout performer. Prosecco PDO exports to the US in 2021 saw a 44.3% increase over the previous year, making up 17.4% of the total Prosecco production.
The Prosecco Denomination was particularly preeminent in the US market as exports in 2021 greatly exceeded previous volume and value records. The study revealed that 966,544 hectoliters 25,533,391 gallons of Prosecco PDO were exported to the US in 2021 - an increase of 44.3 % over the previous year and of 40.30 % over 2019 - and today the country absorbs 17.4 % of the total production of Prosecco.
This is a remarkable result considering that the total volume of Prosecco’s exports amounted to 17,664,973 gallons in 2019 and decreased by 2.72 percent in 2020. Italy was the second largest exporter of sparkling wines with a total export value of over 1.8 billion dollars, with Prosecco performing best within the category. Prosecco accounted for over 1.3 billion dollars with a growth in value of 26 percent compared to 2019.
These achievements are attributed to the efforts of National Prosecco Week as well as the broader efforts of the Prosecco DOC Consortium.
