Meet the Finalists: Marketer of the Year 2020
You can make the best wine in the world, but how do you sell it? That’s the question that drives our marketers. This award recognises excellence in implementing an initiative, campaign or strategy.
This award is proudly sponsored by
Watch the AWIWA 2020 ceremony streamed LIVE from the Langton's TV Studios in Sydney
Tuesday 24 November 7:30pm AEDST
Congratulations to this year’s Marketing finalists! #winechicksrule
Trish Barry, Mastermind Consulting
For over 20 years Trish Barry has helped drive growth and reposition wine brands across many different consumer touch points and categories. She has a particular passion for direct to consumer marketing though. Having worked at one of Australia’s first digital agencies when banner ads were all the rage and social media did not even exist, she’s seen a lot in her time. Her business, Mastermind Consulting was born in 2008, the first type of wine marketing business to evolve exclusively to specialize in digital, social, direct and content marketing.
Mastermind has pioneered many of the ground-breaking digital and social media initiatives that took flight in Australia. Tweet ups, Instameets, the Rosé Revolution, consumer online tasting panels were our innovations along with utilizing other tools in the digital toolbox.
Trish has a Bachelor of Business (First Class Hons) from University of Technology, Sydney, and a Graduate Certificate of Wine Marketing from the University of South Australia. Trish is an active member of Wine Communicators of Australia and an Alumni in the Wine Industry Future Leaders Program but her greatest achievement is being mum to two amazing children aged thirteen and ten. A role that changes more than the world of digital!
Emily Hay, Barossa Grape and Wine Association
Emily Hay is a Marketing and Communications professional, working with Barossa Grape & Wine Association (BGWA). Her unique perspective on communication is drawn from a background in hospitality, tourism, visual art, design and love of the written word. A 7th generation Barossan (and the first in her family to work in wine!) Emily thrives on building collaborative marketing campaigns to benefit the wider Barossa grape and wine community. She lives in Barossa with her husband (a winemaker) their two sons and cheeky Border Collie, Mac.
Kristen Zerk, [Z Wine]
Kristen believes that being the managing director and wine marketer for [Z WINE] has been a life-long calling. She is a sixth generation Barossan that grew up on a vineyard in Lyndoch (Barossa Valley) that has been in the Zerk family for over 175 years. After completing her Wine Marketing degree at Adelaide University, she went on to work for many well known South Australian wineries in the Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.
Her most notable achievement has been building the [Z WINE] brand with her sister, business partner and winemaker, Janelle Zerk. Nothing excites her more than introducing [Z WINE] to new people and markets where she has made a tribe of life-long friends and customers. She understands the importance of good quality wine as well embracing our cultural difference as descendants of original German pioneers that settled in the Barossa. The cellar Door and Wine bar exudes all that is important to her and her family – a smorgasbord of wine (five different labels from ten different grape growers), local produce platters from the local butchers, bakers, preservers and cheesemakers. She always offers a holistic experience for customers to experience the Barossa. This is also reflected in the long hours of operation including live music program every weekend utilising outstanding local talent.
In 2020 she managed to steer the company though COVID-19 global pandemic with a new baby (number 4) in tow while developing and testing the market with a new variety – Bonvedro. She doubled down and concentrated on growing domestic markets, online sales and export sales due to the sudden halt of direct to customer sales. It is no surprise that the boutique batches of [Z WINE] continue sell out exceptionally fast! Kristen heads up a fantastic sales team employing dedicated and diverse workers that all love wine. This ensures that her goal of sharing her life-long passion and lifestyle is shared. Happy customers are her real reward and through her marketing style the market growth is just a bonus.
