TARNOVSKI
TARNOVSKI · Live Brands™ — Wine Brand Engagement

A wine brand
built from bottle
to message.

Three services, 23 deliverables — expert-led brand strategy, a complete visual identity (bottle selection + label system) and a communication strategy grounded in the occasions people actually buy wine for.

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How this engagement works

Founder knowledge over research theatre. Strategy first — then the bottle, the label, the message.

This is a strategy-first engagement for wineries that already hold deep category expertise. We lean on founder and winemaker knowledge and a small set of in-depth interviews — not a heavy research programme — then translate that into a defensible brand platform, a production-ready identity (including the strategic choice of bottle and the label system), and a communication system built on occasions and style.

M01

Expert-led, not research-led

The founders, winemaker and our category knowledge carry the diagnosis. No commissioned quantitative machine — only targeted depth where it changes a decision.

M02

Diagnose before designing

Positioning and platform are locked before any label, bottle or visual work begins — so design expresses strategy, not taste.

M03

Bottle is a brand decision

Shape, weight, glass colour and closure are chosen strategically — to signal tier, fit production and win on shelf — then the label system is designed to match.

M04

Messages on occasions

Communication is built on Category Entry Points (the moments people buy and drink wine) and a clear style, not on adjectives.

Service 01

Brand Strategy

7 deliverables

A sharp brand platform built from founder vision, winemaking expertise and category knowledge — validated by a small set of in-depth consumer interviews rather than a full research programme.

S01 · D01

Founder & winemaker alignment workshop

Turn the owner's vision, winemaking philosophy and commercial ambition into a shared decision-ready brief.

Deliverable details
Description
A structured working session with founders, winemaker and commercial lead to align on goals, priority markets, portfolio logic and the definition of success.
Key outputs
Workshop summary; decision list; agreed priorities, constraints and non-negotiables.
Related
Positioning Platform; Portfolio & Tier Architecture
S01 · D02

Lean brand & category snapshot

Ground the strategy in real category knowledge instead of commissioned research.

Deliverable details
Description
A focused synthesis built from the client's and experts' knowledge — category structure, competitive cues, price tiers, appellation logic, trade dynamics and where this wine can credibly win.
Key outputs
Category snapshot; competitive cue map; price-band and tier reference; opportunity hypotheses.
Related
Positioning Platform; Communication Strategy
S01 · D03

In-depth consumer interviews

Stress-test assumptions with the people who actually buy and pour the wine.

Deliverable details
Description
A small, qualitative set of 6–10 depth interviews with target consumers and/or trade gatekeepers (sommeliers, buyers) to validate occasions, cues, barriers and language. Sized to sharpen, not to statistically prove.
Key outputs
Interview guide; insight synthesis memo; what-to-keep / sharpen / drop implications.
Related
Lean Brand Snapshot; Positioning Platform
S01 · D04

Positioning platform

Define the mental territory the wine should own.

Deliverable details
Description
An evidence-based positioning: who the best-fit customer is, what they compare the wine against, the unique attributes that matter, and the category frame (varietal, appellation, estate, occasion) the wine should be judged within.
Key outputs
Positioning statement; competitive alternatives; unique-attributes register; reasons-to-believe.
Related
Brand Platform; Communication Strategy
S01 · D05

Brand platform

The strategic core everything ladders up to.

Deliverable details
Description
Essence, promise, purpose, values and personality — translated into behaviour the winery can actually operate, not aspirational decoration.
Key outputs
Brand essence; promise; purpose; values; personality; brand–customer relationship model.
Related
Positioning Platform; Visual Identity
S01 · D06

Portfolio & tier architecture

Clarify how bottles, tiers and ranges relate.

Deliverable details
Description
If the portfolio has more than one wine: the role of each tier (entry, signature, reserve / limited), naming logic, price laddering and how the estate story connects across the range.
Key outputs
Portfolio map; tier roles; price-ladder logic; portfolio narrative.
Related
Label System; Bottle Selection
S01 · D07

Brand strategy lock

Close strategy with explicit, agreed decisions.

Deliverable details
Description
A concise lock-down document and review session that confirms positioning, platform and priorities before any visual or communication work begins.
Key outputs
Strategy lock summary; approved decision set; handover into identity.
Related
Visual Identity; Communication Strategy
Service 02

Visual Identity, Bottle & Label System

9 deliverables

A complete, production-ready identity system for wine — including the strategic selection of the bottle shape and the design of the label system across tiers.

S02 · D01

Visual identity exploration & concepts

Translate strategy into 2–3 distinct visual directions.

Deliverable details
Description
Concept routes developed from the brand platform, shown in real wine context (bottle, label, case, digital) so founders can choose on substance, not taste alone.
Key outputs
Mood boards; 2–3 identity concepts; rationale; in-context mockups.
Related
Logo & Wordmark; Distinctive Assets
S02 · D02

Logo, wordmark & monogram

A primary mark that performs from cork to carton.

Deliverable details
Description
The winery wordmark, with variants and a monogram/crest suitable for capsule, wax seal, glass etch and small digital formats.
Key outputs
Primary wordmark; variants; monogram; usage rules; file package.
Related
Visual Identity Concepts; Label System
S02 · D03

Colour, typography & distinctive assets

The recognisable codes that work without the logo.

Deliverable details
Description
Palette, type system, motifs and distinctive assets tuned for a wine shelf — high legibility at distance, strong differentiation within a tiered range.
Key outputs
Colour palette; typography system; motif/asset set; codification rules.
Related
Label System; Brand Book
S02 · D04

Bottle selection & specification

Choose the bottle as a strategic brand decision.

Deliverable details
Description
Strategic guidance on bottle shape, weight, glass colour and finish — selected to signal the right tier and price, fit the production line, and work on shelf and in case. Includes supplier-ready specification and a comparison of formats against positioning and cost.
Key outputs
Bottle strategy; recommended shape/weight/glass-colour; format comparison; supplier specification; cap/closure type.
Related
Label System; Closure & Capsule
S02 · D05

Label design system

Design the label system across tiers, not a single label.

Deliverable details
Description
A coherent label architecture: front/back hierarchy, mandatory legal elements, tier logic, varietal/appellation treatment and a scalable grid so future releases stay consistent without reinvention.
Key outputs
Label system; tier architecture; front/back hierarchy; grid and layout rules; variant logic.
Related
Bottle Selection; Brand Book
S02 · D06

Closure, capsule & secondary packaging

Complete the physical brand object.

Deliverable details
Description
Direction on closure type, capsule/foil, wax seal and secondary packaging (gift boxes, cases, shippers) so every physical touchpoint reinforces tier and intention.
Key outputs
Closure & capsule direction; secondary packaging brief; gift/case logic.
Related
Bottle Selection; Carton & Case Logic
S02 · D07

Carton & case logic

Make the case a brand surface, not an afterthought.

Deliverable details
Description
Case and shipper design logic — structure, print area and information hierarchy — so the trade experience matches the shelf experience.
Key outputs
Case layout; print hierarchy; trade-facing logic.
Related
Label System; Production Guidance
S02 · D08

Wine-focused brand book

One source of truth for the wine brand.

Deliverable details
Description
A practical brand book covering strategy summary, visual identity, label system, bottle spec and application rules — usable by the winery, distributors and printers.
Key outputs
Brand book (PDF); application rules; governance principles.
Related
Label System; Production Guidance
S02 · D09

Production files & print supervision

Take approved design to a flawless printed result.

Deliverable details
Description
Prepress-ready files and strategic supervision through proofing, materials, finishes (embossing, foil, paper) and printer coordination to protect quality at scale.
Key outputs
Print-ready files; material/finish guidance; proof review; print supervision.
Related
Label System; Carton & Case Logic
Service 03

Communication Strategy

7 deliverables

A communication system built on Category Entry Points (the occasions people buy and drink wine for) and a clear style — translated into a practical matrix the team can brief against.

S03 · D01

Category entry point & occasion map

Anchor messaging in the moments people buy wine.

Deliverable details
Description
A map of the occasions and entry points that matter for this wine — gifting, dining, celebration, cellar-stocking, discovery, trade listing — prioritised by fit and value.
Key outputs
Occasion map; prioritised CEP set; occasion-to-product routing.
Related
Messaging Pillars; Communication Matrix
S03 · D02

Messaging pillars

The few ideas everything must ladder up to.

Deliverable details
Description
A small hierarchy of message pillars derived from the positioning — each with a clear role, a proof point and an audience.
Key outputs
Messaging pillars; pillar roles; primary/secondary message hierarchy.
Related
Occasion Map; Tone of Voice
S03 · D03

Tone of voice & brand style

Define how the wine sounds across every channel.

Deliverable details
Description
Verbal identity, tone of voice principles and copy style — calibrated for trade, consumer, digital and cellar-door contexts.
Key outputs
Tone-of-voice guide; do/don't examples; channel style notes.
Related
Messaging Pillars; Communication Matrix
S03 · D04

Communication matrix

The operating tool for consistent messaging.

Deliverable details
Description
A matrix mapping occasion (CEP) × audience × channel × message × proof — so every post, listing, pitch and page reinforces the right idea for the right moment.
Key outputs
Communication matrix; CEP-by-channel message set; proof-point assignments.
Related
Occasion Map; Messaging Pillars
S03 · D05

Core messages & value propositions

Sharp, reusable articulations of value.

Deliverable details
Description
Core messages and value propositions for priority segments and occasions — ready to drop into web, trade decks, listings and PR.
Key outputs
Core message set; value propositions; elevator narrative.
Related
Messaging Pillars; Proof Points
S03 · D06

Proof points & reasons-to-believe

Back every claim with credible evidence.

Deliverable details
Description
The proof that makes positioning believable — terroir, method, awards, heritage, winemaker credentials, ratings — classified by strength and mapped to claims.
Key outputs
Proof-point register; claim-to-proof mapping; proof-strength classification.
Related
Core Messages; Communication Matrix
S03 · D07

Communication examples

See the system working in the wild.

Deliverable details
Description
Illustrative applications of the communication system: a trade one-pager, a digital/social post set and a PR/press angle — so the team has a reference standard.
Key outputs
Trade one-pager example; social post set; PR angle; engagement guidance.
Related
Communication Matrix; Tone of Voice

Scope at a glance

This engagement is intentionally focused. It covers brand strategy, visual identity (with bottle and label) and communication strategy. The following sit outside this scope unless added separately:

  • Full quantitative market research or formal pricing/conjoint studies
  • Sales-enablement programmes, GTM roadmaps or campaign media production
  • International market entry and export-market localisation
  • Legal/regulatory label review for specific export jurisdictions