I will be in Syracuse, New York, next week to speak at License to Steal, a national wine marketing conference that is being held in conjunction with the Eastern Winery Exposition.

License to Steal? Well, it is all about wine industry people gathering to talk about their marketing experiences, encouraging each other to “steal” strategies that have worked as a way to grow the total market pie. This would be called “sharing best practices” in consultant-speak. It is a great idea whatever you call it and very important today when the wine industry faces many headwinds.

License to Steal is nearly 20 years old. It started when seven state association directors (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) got together. It is a national conference today, providing an important grassroots forum for wine marketing information.

Donniella Winchell, Executive Director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association and Conference Chair, describes License to Steal as “a place where wineries, growers, and ancillary entities willingly share, collaborate, and contribute to the future strength of the grape and wine communities across the nation. Sessions are lively, interactive, and led by some of the most exciting marketing minds in the business.”

I am looking forward to seeing everyone in Syracuse, learning as much as I can, and contributing a few ideas of my own, Here is the program agenda. Lots to talk about, think about, and plenty to steal, too.

Wednesday, March 13
8:15 – 9:15
Mike Veseth, The Wine Economist
Secrets of the World’s Most Respected Wine Regions
Wine economist Mike Veseth probes the world’s most respected wine regions to uncover the
secrets of their success and reveals how these secrets can be applied to wine regions around the
world.

9:25 – 9:55
Karen Thornton, AVA Program Manager
Avoiding AVA Petition Pitfalls
This presentation will help applicants move through their application with a minimum of
mistakes and resulting subsequent delays in the approval process.

9:55 – 10:10
Jim Trezize, President, WineAmerica
How WineAmerica represents your interests in Washington
Learn how this dynamic organization serves as a sounding board, represents your interests and
helps to protect the industry’s future as we deal with the coming pressures from the neo
prohibitionists, shipping issues, including the coming Farm Bill as is crafted in Congress.

10:10 – 10:25
Michael Kaiser, Vice President, Wine America
Legislative and Regulatory updates from Washington
An update from Washington on issues of concern to the American Wine industry including
Ingredient and Nutrition Labeling, Interstate shipping issues, and music licensing.

10:25 – 10:40 Coffee break

10:45 – 11:25
Ankita Okate, Chief Growth Officer, Beverage Trade Network | USATT
Using AI to take your winery into the techno future PRE-RECORDED
This topic encompasses the current impact of AI on the business, future AI trends, and
opportunities, preparing for the AI revolution, personalized recommendations, predicting market
demand and consumer preferences, quality control, compliance with regulations, enhancing the
sensory experience, sustainability, inventory management, and the future of the industry.

11:25- noon
Steal Session – Identifying New “on-ramps” For Our Industry
As boomers age and the Z generation’s affinity for RTDs and bourbon is ever-growing, we need
to find new ways to build new ‘on ramps’ to maintain the vitality of our industry

Lunch and visit the trade show

2:30 – 3:15
Maureen Ballatori, 29 Design Studio
Algorithms Reward Accounts That Share Videos
As social media moves more and more toward entertainment, algorithms reward accounts that
share videos. Video content tends to receive more impressions and a wider reach. In this session,
we’ll go beyond the basics to look at what truly moves the needle on social media.

3:15 – 3:30
Roger Brooks – Destination International – video PRE-RECORDED
Words that work
As marketing programs are designed, using the ‘correct’ words will provide the foundation for
success.

3:40 – 4:20
Clint Bradley, the Bradley group
New Customer Experiences & Inter-Generational Connections
What’s Old is New will focus on opportunities for the wine industry to capitalize on current
societal and demographic trends. Hint: it’s about creating new customer experiences and
building intergenerational connections by introducing young people to wine in ways that touch all
the 5 senses.

4:20 – 4:40
Steal Session
Refreshing Events: Festivals, Trails, Dinners, Wine & Food Pairings
As wine festivals and events are experiencing diminishing attendance numbers, we will explore
new ideas and approaches to rebuild and re-imagine these marketing tools.

Thursday, March 14
8:20 – 9:20
Chris Puppione, Regional Account Manager for Coravin
Part 1 of a 2-part workshop
What I Talk About When I Talk About Tasting Rooms
Welcome to the modern world of hospitality, where customer loyalty is not good enough; we
must dedicate ourselves to transforming those we serve into passionate advocates. In an era when
the bar for hospitality in tasting rooms is set painfully low and satisfaction will not suffice, we
must redefine the game. We will discuss the power of listening, creating unforgettable moments that elevate experiences, and how to make it effortless for your customers to love your brand

9:30 – 10:30 –
Chris Puppione
Part 2 of a workshop
By mastering the art of influence, rapport-building, and storytelling, learn how to fulfill your
guests’ core needs while fostering a sense of belonging, status, and self-fulfillment. We will
discuss impactful ideas that help keep things fresh in developing exclusive experiences and will
make everyone want to be a part of your tribe. In this session, we will explore our current
hospitality economy and discuss how you can be the answer to building lasting cultures where
teams and customers stay for years, making it stunningly simple to get it right.

10:30 – 10:40 Coffee break

10:45 – 11:45 Bennett Caplan, FIVS and FIVAS Adbridge
What Does “No Safe Level” Or “NSL” View Of Alcohol Mean For The Wine Sector
There are those who are effectively reconceptualizing alcohol in terms of a view that any level of
alcohol consumption is associated with preventable diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
What does this “no safe level” or “NSL” view of alcohol mean for the wine sector?

Lunch and visit the trade show

2:30 – 2:45
Steal Session: The WHO’s Wine as “Carcinogen” & the Neo-Prohibition Movement
Sharing ideas about the pressures from the re-emerging Neos: tactics, and potential action plans
to counter their efforts

2:45 – 3:30
Kathy Kelley, Penn State University, professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business
Management
Using Emotion to Engage and Build a Connection with Your Customers
Learn how to use emotion to enhance your customer relationship and improve your brand
commitment. Attendees will discover ways that positive feelings about a brand can significantly
impact consumer loyalty.

3:40 – 4:40
Roger Brooks
“Sell the Experience, not the Amenities” – video PRE-RECORDED
Research indicates that stories sharing engaging, interactive experiences will sell an attraction to
every generation while pretty, but mundane pictures of wine and tasting rooms will not sell them
effectively.