Part science, part magic and a lot of hard work, our wine marketers are being celebrated this year! This award recognises an outstanding wine marketing professional, whose marketing success is based on the application of professional marketing principles to generate real measurable success in the market place.
This award is proudly sponsored by
Ebony Tinkler, Usher Tinkler Wines
As a student I worked at Tempus Two cellar door and, after completing my bachelor of science degree majoring in Biotechnology at the University of Newcastle, worked for over 6 years as the laboratory technician at Pooles Rock Winery. I began to work for our family business, Tinklers Wines, covering everything from vineyard work to Cellar Door management. As I learnt more about running a small business, I also completed a post graduate diploma in Marketing, with the ultimate goal to one day create my own brand.
I always saw that there was difficulty in attracting new/younger audiences to the Hunter Valley. I wanted to move more towards a lifestyle based product, something that emulated, within the Hunter, a feeling consumers could take home, share and replicate. From this, I wanted to create a unique wine tourism experience that put a face and personality to my own wine brand. I wanted consumers to be able to explore wines in a social setting, intertwined with food and conversation to heighten the whole experience. From this, Usher Tinkler Wines was born. My husband Usher and I purchased the original Pokolbin Church and renovated it into a cellar door, and salumi and cheese bar. I manage the cellar door and our small team of staff, with a strong focus on reaching out to a younger target market.
The tagline for our business ‘Usher Tinkler Wines – Born for Sociability’ was my focus from day one for marketing a new style of wine experience via my brand, in the Hunter Valley. The labelling, wine packaging and cellar door settings all emulate a unique innovative experience and I strive to use our business to increase the depth of the Hunter Valley’s products and experiences.
Imogen Hayes, Handpicked Wines
Imogen Hayes is a wine marketer who is passionate about great branding, storytelling and making wine accessible for all. Imogen cut her teeth working for Asia’s first Master of Wine, Jeannie Cho Lee in Hong Kong.This combined with lifelong studies in Mandarin helped her specialise in understanding the Chinese market.
Imogen has been the Marketing Manager at Handpicked Wines for four years and in that time she has worked on repositioning Handpicked as a contemporary, lifestyle focused brand in Australia and export markets. Last year she launched Handpicked’s first urban cellar door in Sydney CBD.
Trish Barry, Mastermind Consulting
Trish Barry lives and breathes the world of wine marketing. She escaped the world of Financial Services and digital agencies, and for the last 12 years has worked tirelessly to connect wine brands with consumers, telling their brand and product stories through a range of marketing strategies. In 2008 Trish launched her business Mastermind Consulting to help wineries with their marketing, focusing on digital, direct, social media and content marketing. She’s proud of the fact that many of the groundbreaking digital and social media wine initiatives that took flight in Australia have had the Mastermind touch; Tweet ups, Instameets, the Rosé Revolution.
Trish has a Bachelor of Business (First Class Hons) from UTS, Sydney, and a Graduate Certificate of Wine Marketing from the University of South Australia. Trish is a Member of Wine Communicators of Australia and a Member of the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI). In 2012, Trish was a participant in WFA Future Leaders Program and has twice been named by WBM Magazine as one of its 50 Stars of the Year (2010/12).
