Leopard’s Leap WinesBrand Evolution

Hein KoegelenbergCo-owner & CEO

Started in 1999 by myself and my late father-in-law, Dr Anton Rupert

Initial markets primarily overseas

Leopard’s Leap wines performed well in volume growth. However UK sales largely driven by price promotion translating into reduced margins and limited profitability.

Looked to expand in South Africa, Europe and Asia

In 2006 and 2007 commissioned research by Synovate to assess South African wine market and perceptions of Leopard’s Leap

Key findings about the Leopard’s Leap brand

Limited awareness and understanding of the brand

Disconnect between the marketing campaign and packaging

The wine was perceived as being more expensive than it was

Once tasted there was generally a high propensity to purchase

Key findings about the consumer market

There was limited wine knowledge but a willingness to learnConsumers are aware of and influenced by social connotationsPeople liked wine to have a story and placePurchases influenced by prior tasting, recommendations & priceMore women buying wine and more purchases from retail stores

Responses to the Findings

Needed to redefine the brand positioning and marketing

Needed to establish a sense of belonging for the wine

Needed to expand the Leopard’s Leap wine portfolio

Needed to expand and broaden the sales channels

We started with redefining the

brand positioning

“Leopard’s Leap is an affordable, good quality wine that is a excellent choice for

everyday use and social occasions”

Building awareness and understanding, refining the product portfolio and expanding into retail where

activities that happened more or less simultaneously

Started with growing awareness and

understanding of Leopard’s Leap Wines.

depth and breadth of brand awareness

how likely and easy it is for a brand element to come to mind. a brand that we easily recall (remember) has greater depth of

awareness then one we recognize it when we see it

this measures the range of purchase and usage situations in which the brand

element comes to mind

build awareness and understanding through association

long association with the Cape Leopard Trust

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Supporting SA literature

Sponsor book launches, literary festivals and events

Also extended that sponsorship internationally

Leopard’s Leap has a strong and positive association with literature

Also got people to taste the wine which is key to future purchases

PR

The packaging of the Leopard’s Leap Wine was also updated to give a cleaner and more modern feel

Research found that

The new label retained a classic feel to it

Made the wine look more expensive than it was

Portrayed a sense of quality about the product

Was interesting in that it provided a story to the wine

Still without a physical home, we created the RK

Portfolio to provide a collective home for the Leopard’s Leap Wines

The portfolio range of wines was also adapted over a five-year period as the brand portfolio was established in different national and international market segments

The sales strategy has been to emphasize the Classic range and to move into retail stores

0

125 000

250 000

375 000

500 000

2007 - 2008 2008 - 2009 2009 - 2010 2010 - 2011

Lookout Classic

Shift in volume towards the Classic range

Growth in volume

Globally we have grown through a careful assessment of markets and selection of the

right partners and distribution networks

The total number of wine importers to China is up 200% in the last five years according to a

new research report by Rabobank International which said the supply of grape wine has risen 14% year-on-year to roughly 1.4 billion litres in 2011: of which 17% (or 241 million litres) was

foreign bottle wine, a 65% increase year-on-year

France, 47%

Australia,15%

Chile,7%

Italy, 8%

US, 6%

Spain, 7%

Other, 4%Argentina, South Africa and Germany all 2%

Wine Imports by Volume in 2010

0

275

550

825

1100

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

1089

960

698665

497434

367343288

250201

China Wine Production

Volume in millions of litres

Source: Wine China online & Wines-info.com

In October 2011 we shipped the largest single wine order shipment from SA. We will ship 2.8 million

bottles in the first 12 months

Redefine brand positioning for Leopard’s Leap WineCreate awareness and understanding for the brand

Redo brand architecture and portfolio

Expand into new markets and sales channelsNeed to create a place of belonging for Leopard’s Leap Wines

It allows us to bring together our love of wine, conservation and literature

and add to that our love of food

thank youhfk.cellar@la-motte.co.za