March 1, 2026
Mi Sueño - 2018March 1, 2026
How Branded Entertainment Builds Consumer Loyalty (+ a Free Guide!)Guest post for Outshinery by Tim Smith, founder and creative chief of Wily Knight Productions
It’s been a busy day. You get home, desperate to steal a couple of minutes to yourself and jump on YouTube to escape. But before you can indulge in your guilty pleasure, up pops that trusty old pre-roll ad, as reliable as death and taxes.
Avoid the click-away
Cue the easy-listening violins. The shot slowly pans across a tastefully lit bottle of wine, perched atop an aged oak barrel next to a wedge of artisanal cheese. A smooth, velvety voice swoons… “Our vineyard’s rich history of... ”.
(CLICK!) Your finger hammers down on the skip button faster than a keyed up Jeopardy contestant.
Who made that wine? Who cares!? You’re not here for that. You’re here to watch reruns of Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares, darn it!
Instead, get people talking
Here’s the thing: in today’s media landscape, the explosive growth of “Video On Demand” services, like YouTube, has made choice king.
“If an ad is getting in the way of instant gratification, then it simply must be instantly interesting or it gets skipped lickety-split.”
As younger generations mature into primary consumer demographics and cord-cutting trends continue across all age groups, people are flocking to the web for all their entertainment and information needs. Anything and everything is only a search bar away and if an ad is getting in the way of instant gratification, then it simply must be instantly interesting or it gets skipped lickety-split.
So, what does that mean for a small business trying to grow its wine or beer brand? The good news is you don’t have to pay for expensive TV time anymore! But, if you want consumers to care at all about what you’re trying to sell, then it's time to put on a creativity cap and have a crack at making some cutting edge branded entertainment that will get people talking.
Game of War: Fire Age promoted its mobile game with a short comedic sketch about a mythical gaming figure. “TheLegend27” became a viral meme sensation in gamer culture and earned over 168 Million views.
Branded entertainment is the content that connects viewers to a brand’s ideals and values. It’s the hot new kid on the advertising block and according to studies done by IPG Media Lab & Nielsen — it performs better, elicits more engagement, and generates more brand recall from audiences than any other form of online advertising.
New brands need to learn how to utilize the power of branded entertainment or run the risk of getting left behind in this fast-paced industry.
Entertainment is gold
Online platforms are oversaturated with content. Earn attention by genuinely connecting and giving people a giggle at the same time.
A 30-second spot with a hard sell on “robust flavors and notes of orange peel” is forgettable. A funny sketch about a mom’s desperate need for a tall glass of merlot at the end of a manic child-rearing day…THAT is something that will make a mom snort-laugh and share the clip with her mothers' group chat.
When people are genuinely entertained, they ask, “who made this?” and will search for more. You have just struck branded entertainment gold. These videos will bring audiences to your doorstep as they become your followers, your subscribers, your customers, and your advocates.
Vat19 used a warehouse business full of novelty products to build a marketing content giant with over 6.5 Million Subscribers & 127 Million monthly views.
Is there an impact with influencers?
Making great content isn’t the only hurdle you face — you still need to draw the masses to your awesome content. Luckily, there is a force you can harness to help reach new fans. Tap into the power of The Influencer. Ah yes, Influencer Marketing. Another buzz word that’s thrown around the hallowed halls of Madison Avenue ad agencies. What’s not to love!? Get some social media star with a million followers to take a picture with your bottle of wine in the background with a liberal sprinkling of #livingmybestlife and PRESTO! Sales galore! Right?
Actually, no… not at all.
Influencers build their audiences over time by developing a personal connection to their fans. They have forged a relationship of trust, offering fans their “authentic self” with an unspoken agreement that they won’t steer them wrong.
When a brand injects itself into that dynamic, more often than not, the sponsored content is considered a tolerable annoyance by fans. They don't mind sitting through a 90-second dry copy read because they appreciate that their person is getting paid.
But something tells me, “being tolerated” is not the brand impact you’re looking for.
Get them to tune into the show
Now, consider what a YouTuber could do with a bit of professional production budget and creative support? Those same 90 seconds become an upscale comedy sketch, made possible by an innovative wine sponsor, who understands what the fans want to see.
Creative integration of your brand’s core themes into an entertaining sketch will connect you with fans and more importantly, potential customers.
By doing it in an original way, you are immediately elevating yourself above your competitors.
Take Jordan Winery, for example.
A 47-year-old, family-owned winery from Sonoma, California that had failed to keep up with the times. The current head of marketing, Lisa Matterson, said Jordan Winery was in danger of becoming a “stuffy, faceless brand”. In 2007, Jordan Winery undertook a bold rebranding effort, centered around producing their own video content for YouTube. The goal was to show people the personality behind the brand, so they focused on creating content engaging enough to earn organic attention from online audiences and industry folk alike. They took viewers behind the scenes of their winemaking processes, gave helpful food tips from in-house chefs and delivered laughs with playful parody videos.
CEO John Jordan says that the marketing payoff for this investment was abundantly clear. It resulted in an across-the-board rise in sales, winery visits, social media interactions, earned media, and direct sales. Today, Jordan Winery enjoys the fruits of its labor, having built a strong reputation as a company who is “doing it right” on social media and boasts over 152,000 loyal followers across a variety of platforms.
That’s a stellar example of how it’s done. When capturing people's interest, you motivate them to learn more about the company behind that killer content. How do you bring that engaged audience over to your front door? And how do you keep them coming back for more?
All about consistency
Building brand awareness isn’t a one-stop-shop — it’s a matter of consistency.
By setting up your own Youtube channel with regular content offerings, you’re giving people a reason to come back and see what’s new.
For example, producing a simple, recurring segment around your love of wine or beer will give customers a direct line to the heart of your brand. It’s an ongoing conversation that will consistently strengthen their bond to your brand. It doesn’t have to be flashy, just be honest and fun!
Your own channel allows you to constantly communicate with fans. It may not be very big at first, but when we start making some noise with cutting edge, eye-catching branded entertainment… then, my friends, we’re really cooking with gas.
In 2015 SquattyPotty took a chance on a silly ad concept about pooping unicorns. The gamble paid off to the tune of 36 Million views and a 600% increase in sales.
Why epic tales matter now
For too long, producing film content for marketing purposes has been positioned as something you can only afford once you’re big enough, like Budweiser-Superbowl-Big-Enough. Decades of big, fancy agencies offering mythic creative expertise for quarter-million-dollar starting costs has made the entire enterprise seem unattainable.
I’m here to tell you that that simply is not the case. If an 82 year old grandmother can gain legions of fans fighting dragons on her computer, you can get people excited about beer and wine, which is something people are already happy to get pretty passionate about.
There is now a new wave of professional creative thinkers who are motivated by the opportunity to do something different with a bold brand willing to do things differently.
Find those that will match your passion and push those boundaries.
It is those who are bold that will take the lead in tomorrow’s digital landscape.
So go forth and be bold! Your epic tale is dying to be told!
March 1, 2026
What Is a Bottle Shot?What is a Bottle Shot?
A Bottle Shot is a straightforward image of your wine or beer product on a plain or transparent background. It is the standard picture ID of your product that gets reused over and over again on your website, in wine catalogs, marketing materials, sales brochures, and more.
Raw Vino's Commerce7 'Shop' Page
When utilized correctly, high-quality Bottle Shots can help drive traffic to your online shop and boost ecommerce wine sales in the following ways:
1. Bottle Shots are your online shopper’s first impression of your brand
On average, it only takes a fraction of a second to form an opinion strong enough for a shopper to determine if they’re interested in further browsing your portfolio. 67% of ecommerce shoppers say that product image is “very important” in their purchase decision, even more so than product description (54%) or ratings and reviews (53%). Just like in real life, online first impressions are crucial, and a well put-together appearance enables trust in your brand.
Raw Vino says it best:
“As an online wine retailer, we don’t have the benefit of a tasting room or in-person experience. This makes high-quality imagery as a means of showcasing our products an especially critical component in our website design; something on which we simply weren’t willing to compromise.”— JOSH JACOBSEN, FOUNDER, RAW VINO
In the absence of a staff member to talk up your wine, it's imperative that your Bottle Shot sets a good impression on your website.
2. Bottle Shots acquire new search traffic for your website
Using simple to learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics, Bottle Shots can be used as an acquisitional tool for bringing potential customers to your website. For example, alt tags and title tags are small pieces of text that can be added to the file information of images on the internet to help Google (and other search engines) to sort through them. When your Bottle Shots are correctly tagged with proper descriptions and keywords, you increase your chances of ranking (showing up) highly in search engines.
3. Bottle Shots help move shoppers through your online sales funnel
Did you know that 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive? Bringing a shopper to your website is only the tip of the iceberg. Once you have them through your digital “doors”, you still have to convince them to make a purchase. A good ecommerce platform optimizes for visual appeal. Encourage online shoppers to move through your sales funnel by delighting them with beautiful images and minimal distractions.
“As the next generation of our family business comes into the fold, we felt it was time to invest in a better ecommerce and DtC experience. On our new site, we’ve upgraded our platform to Commerce7 for a better look and feel, and to leverage the awesome images we receive from Outshinery. This approach allows our customers to visualize our story, instead of just reading it, helping them to feel more connected with our brand and the people that make it special.”— MORGAN HOXSEY, NATIONAL SALES MANAGER, GHOST BLOCK WINERY
So, how do I get a great Bottle Shot?
At Outshinery, we’ve devised a method for creating picture-perfect Bottle Shots every time. Using Hollywood-inspired 3D technology and CGI (computer generated imagery) software, we are able to create any product image in a perfectly controlled digital environment, offering you consistency and brilliant results, time and time again. Your bottles need to be visually appealing if your website is to succeed at generating online sales, and Outshinery is here to help. Try us out with a FREE test shot.
For an in-depth guide on how to use Bottle Shots to drive ecommerce sales, check out Volume 2 of our Outshinery Playbook. We explore exactly why it is so difficult to photograph wine and beer bottles and break down the anatomy of a perfect bottle shot. We also offer digital marketing tips and actionable steps on how to merchandise your ecommerce wine or beer store, how to tag your images to increase discoverability by search engines, and suggest more creative visual alternatives to Bottle Shots including Beauty Shots and Lifestyle Images.
March 1, 2026
Holiday Ready-to-Use ImagesThe Silly Season is upon us and while we're quietly in disbelief that it's alreadt November, we're pinning our wish lists just in time for the holidays.
We all know that Holiday time means business. In 2015, according to statista.com¹ in the United States:
- Christmas desktop e-commerce spending amounted to 56.43 billion US dollars
- Approx. 2.3 billion of the above total was spent online during Cyber Monday, making it the biggest spending period during Christmas that year
- Finally, 12.65 billion was spent during the Christmas period via a mobile device
These are some big numbers so if your gut instinct hasn't got you planning ahead we hope those numbers will!
You want to get started on your marketing, but... you found yourself endlessly searching for a local photographer and set designer... you tried to snap some photos from your phone with abysmal results... you even desperately browsed stock photography websites and lamented on the lack of personality...
Meanwhile you have a Holiday newsletter to send, a website to update, a media request for a prominent Christmas shopping guide, postcards to your wine club members to write, a writeup on a well-renown blog, social media to adapt, etc.
The list goes on and on!
We want to help and it so happens we know a thing or two when it comes to stunning visual imagery! The team at Outshinery are thrilled to release our Holidays Collection of 'ready-to-use' Styled Images.
Why waste all your year-long hard efforts by missing the moment to engaging with your customers who want to hear from you and buy your products? You deserve so much more than another stock photo.
Explore our Holidays collection of ready-to-use images and choose your next images for your upcoming email, in-store poster, giveaway promotion, hamper certificate... the possibilities are endless.
The hardest part left for you may be to choose which image you want to see YOUR bottle in!
THINK AHEAD. BE DIFFERENT. YOU GOT IT THIS YEAR!
- Originally posted on Spotlight
March 1, 2026
Clever Holidays ProductsIT'S BEGINNING TO FEEL A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS WITH "A-BEER-A-DAY" ON ITS WAY.
With six weekends until Christmas we're excited that the rest of the world is taking the time to sit back and enjoy a drink or two. It's the time of year when it doesn't matter what the weather forecast is because it's the best time to grab a drink and catch up with an old friend. If you're on the Australian side of the globe I suspect the warm weather is kicking in and you'll start carrying a bottle opener in your pocket or an eski/cooler in the boot of your car. If you're on the North-America side, you might be joining us with an abundance of bottle openers or twist cap wines to keep warm or dilute political emotions.
IT'S ALSO THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN YOUR ONLINE STORE NEEDS TO BE LOOKING SHARP, CLEAR AND UPDATED.
However standing out from the crowd, especially during the silly season, can always be a challenge. We've spotted three companies who are standing out in a very clever way.
Mikkeller, an Outshinery client and microbrewery based in Copenhagen, have their annual Advent Calendar Julepakkekalender. Their box includes 24 craft beer surprises best for treating a loved one or getting psyched for the lead up to Christmas.
Central City Brewers + Distillers and Parallel 49 Brewing Company have teamed up again this year with their craft beer calendar 'Seasons Greetings 24-Pack'. A mix of year-round and seasonal favourites in a festive box that we're sure will keep your spirits high!
New District, a BC company know for their local and international selection of wines online have curated an exceptional Advent Calendar including 25 bottles of wine. Each wine varies in style, origin and value with some bottles included valued at $100. Unfortunately though you'll have to wait till next year as this product has already sold out. Though you can still see what the lucky early bird buyers got as they reveal each bottle, day by day, on their website.
LET THESE EXAMPLES INSPIRE YOU!
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO SHINE.
We're not saying you should run out and make an Advent Calendar... but it's definitely a good time to start remembering the top shopping moods of your customers!
- Make sure your stock inventory is correct and can handle the demand.
- Start engaging customers online with social media. Nothing better than a little tease that something special is coming!
- As always, use sharp imagery to put your best foot forward... and if you're asking yourself why your bottle shots don't look great, remember that we've got a free first shot on us right here.
- Originally posted on Spotlight
March 1, 2026
Make Your Marketing Content Shine This DecemberBe ahead of the jolly-good-game this holiday season with our (free!) Marketing Calendar for December.
Download the PDF below including our team's expertise marketing summary and your own worksheet to fill out.
Let your content do all the talking but remember that preparation is only the first step! Set aside at least ten minutes every morning to monitor and engage with your customers on social platforms. You can speed up this process by using listening platforms like Hootsuite, Buzzsumo or Cyfe. Replying to questions, comments and tags in a timely manner will assist with sales and improve your brand image.
Hootsuite's listening dashboard displays various feeds like home, messages, mentions, search keywords and scheduled posts
Aside from content (you can give yourself a tap on the back if you can tick this list off already) is our Holiday Check list on the free PDF mentioned above. Displaying this information correctly is key for customers trying to choose a company at check out.
Most importantly on this list is... update your shipping times! For our Canada readers we've included a few Canadian post deadlines but remember to check your local post and communicate clearly with your customers. No one wants to be pleading with the post officer at 4.49pm on Friday the 23rd December... we promise #beentheredonethat!
Struggling for finding the RIGHT images with YOUR products? Click here to find out how we can help!
SO HERE'S A TOAST TO YOU AND YOUR CONTENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. SHARE AND TAG US @OUTSHINERY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SPREADING THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT WITH YOU ONLINE!
March 1, 2026
3 Essential Visuals for the Alcohol IndustryImages play a vital role in driving your business: Here are the three must-have shots you'll want handy!
These images are vital for engaging your customers all the way from social media to check out, but you don't have to break the bank nor wait forever for them! Learn about the 3 essential types of visuals that will drive your business forward.
1. THE PRODUCT SHOT
Here's your first chance to make your bottle shine. You want your bottle to look as enticing online as it does sitting on a shelf. You need this image to be sharp, bright and accurate. Think of it like the photo id of your product. This is by far the most useful image you'll ever need.
Use product shots for: online shopping cart, press features, magazines, distributor portfolios, print catalogues, order forms.
Making your bottle instantly recognizable drives sales.
2. THE BEAUTY SHOT
Add some glam and show off your attention to detail! You wouldn't want your staff photo to show off your double chin, so why would you take uninspired images of your bottle under flat light? Angled closeup images are terrific to add personality to your brand.
Use beauty shots for: secondary product images, print catalogues, social media, banners, emails.
3. THE GROUP IMAGE (OR VIDEO!)
Judy from Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards knows the importance of showcasing her wine portfolio in enticing selection. Taking note of the season (Christmas, Valentine, etc.), Judy regularly updates her homepage, Facebook and other social media with the perfect wines for the special occasion. Showing off a selection of her products highlights the extent of the product range and gathers interest from more one-of-a-kind varietals.
LONG-TERM CONSISTENCY TRUMPS SHORT-TERM INTENSITY.
When your visuals are consistent, you distill a sense of product value and brand interest. If you've managed to hook customers with your Cab Sauv, why wouldn't you want to dazzle them with your soon-to-be released Merlot?
Use group images for: wine club announcement, website banners, magazines, homepage, social media, emails, posters, flyers.
"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything" - George Bernard Shaw
Having these 3 essential types of visuals at your disposal will make your job of selling wine and beer that much easier! After all, you've been hard at work making the liquid gold inside: don't let the last step of introducing it to the world bug you down!
Let our team at Outshinery make you proud. 100% online, 100% consistent, 100% satisfaction: Outshinery takes care of all your image needs from the comfort of your desk. Click here to make your bottles shine!
- This post was originally posted on Spotlight
March 1, 2026
3 Tips for ValentinesThe highly anticipated Hallmark holiday is quickly approaching! Review our marketing checklist and use our handy tips to promote your brand.
Here are 9 action-steps we recommend. Follow the ones that suit you the most and celebrate sweet success next month!
1- USE SEASONAL IMAGES
Seeing is believing: set the scene for romance, place your product in your customers' minds. If you've got an eye for styling, a set, camera and tripod on hand you'll want to make a shot that says "be my Valentine". Use props like flowers, candy, table decor or wine glasses amongst your product to make the customer want to replicate the scene...
Sounds like a ton of work AND expensive? You would be right and we hear you! That's why at Outshinery we opted for a different execution entirely: welcome to the boundless possibilities of digital imagery, explore perfectly curated collection of images in which you can place your bottles.
Nobody would even realize that the images were created entirely online and that you never had to leave your desk to achieve such dramatic results. Browse our Romance Collection and choose your Valentine decor.
Outshinery's peonies shot from the Romance Collection
Place the evocative images onto your website.
Just like a Valentines themed store window, your homepage should have a banner image or headline post that let your customers know you are ready for Valentines. Hiring Outshinery for the occasion, Hard Row to Hoe Vineyards proudly displays the perfect gifts for that special someone.
2 - APPEAL TO YOUR CUSTOMER'S INDIVIDUALITY
Target customer segments with your newsletter.
Did you know that your email marketing provider (like Mailchimp, Campaign Monitor or Constant Contact) let you easily segment your mailing list into specific categories? Separate your subscribers depending on location, orders= history or gender for starters.
With men spending an average of $104 in 2015 for Valentines¹, why wouldn't you take advantage and let them know what their loved one really wants for Valentines! ;)
Pair your product with chocolate to set the scene. Image from Outshinery's Romance Collection
Create a themed shopping guide.
Take the frustration out of the gift selection and make your product the right choice for the occasion. Here are some examples we can think of:
- His and hers
- Perfect together
- Say it with bubbles
- For the sweet tooth lover
Target readers with specific blog posts.
Keeping in mind the customers segments you created for your mailing list, write content with the same people in mind and see it drive traffic to your site. Why not try "Top Valentines gifts for your man" or "If she loves light red wines".
Show off your product range.
Utilize your product images and group shots to show your customers your entire range. Chances are if they love your red they'll be inclined to purchase your white too!
Promote "last-minute gifts" to your locals
When time is of the essence customers will do whatever it takes to make their significant other happy. Even if it means spending an extra $50 on a wine that can be delivered on time! Engage via email and social media to tell your delivery times and top wines for this Valentines for the consumer in the area.
Consider an online promotion
For your price sensitive customers you might want to offer a monetary discount or Valentines Package that adds value to their gift!
3- BE SOCIAL! DON'T JUST POST... ENGAGE!
So now that you've followed all the steps above (HUGE hi-five by the way!), it's time to engage on social media. Check out your top followers accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to discover the trending hashtags. Pay close attention to the comments not just on your social feeds, but also on your established "competition". Individually respond to all the people that commented on your post, and suggest then your product as much as you can.
We'll leave you with some wise words from one gorgeous Canadian:
— Ryan Renolds, actor“I don’t expect success. I prepare for it”
March 1, 2026
Free Webinar Video: Seasonal Marketing for Family WineriesMarketing your wine doesn’t have to feel overwhelming! In this free, on-demand video webinar, VingDirect x Outshinery present a guide about seasonal marketing for family wineries.
Get actionable tips on how to plan ahead and execute your most successful seasonal marketing campaign to date.
Click to watch our free webinar
Watch and discover…
-
How to leverage data already available to you
-
The best tips for planning ahead
-
How to create and gather your visual assets
Ready to try Outshinery for yourself? Get your first image FREE! Mention the webinar and we'll even give you some extra love. 😠See below for some of our Lifestyle Images to support your upcoming summer marketing campaigns.
March 1, 2026
High-Quality Bottle Shots: An Investment That Pays OffThe wine industry is a unique playing field: Farming is married to fickle weather. Selling to multiple generations requires multiple approaches. Wine has a fine margin. There’s little room to catch up if any element in the chain crashes.
This is a reality that Simon Solis-Cohen understands as the founder of Tasting Merchants, an e-commerce site that offers consumers handcrafted, naturally farmed, small-batch wines. He also runs a creative agency, Highway 29 Creative, where his team provides wineries with a boost to enter the digital landscape to acquire customers and engage their loyal fans. He’s got some perspective on what it means to sell wine online. In this two-part series, he opens up about his investment in Outshinery visual content, both for Bottle Shots and Lifestyle Images. Every Tasting Merchants partner winery is vetted by experts. Every wine sold on the Tasting Merchants website is captured with Outshinery imagery. Solis-Cohen sees this as a must: “With e-commerce, you have to look pro. Consistency is the barrier to entry.”
Elevate products in a digital environment
Selling wine online is the way forward for wineries in 2019 and beyond. It’s awesome to make customers happy in the tasting room and, no doubt, wine club members are gold, but without a robust and appealing e-commerce channel, wineries are sorely missing out on revenue.
“In an increasingly digital world, what industry would insist that its consumers first come to its place of business to buy its wares?”
— SILICON VALLEY BANK STATE OF THE WINE INDUSTRY REPORT 2019
Solis-Cohen advises clients and Tasting Merchants partners that super high-quality visuals are an investment that pays off because they remove the pressure to simply compete on price. Consistent and appealing images bump products to the top in a digital purchase environment, particularly for Google Shopping which pops products in front of customers that are likely ready to buy.
Tasting Merchants got “more click-throughs and better relevance because of visuals, not price,” says Solis-Cohen. “We had a very tiny budget, on average only $0.20 - $0.30 cents per click. With all of this against us, we quickly rose to #2 on Google Shopping with our ads,” recalls Solis-Cohen after just a week or two of entering this marketplace with their new images. “We were right behind Wine.com, but ahead of massive companies such as Total Wine and Wine Library.”
Google Ad display performance for Tasting Merchants
Simon-Colis verifies that quality visuals are about more than looking good, they help the customer see the value in wines depicted with Outshinery images.
“It’s clear that our Bottle Shots are unique and stand apart from the typical photographed white background shots. Consumers are seeing our images and clicking through.”
Versatile collateral with a long lifespan
Google Shopping is just one avenue that pays off for Tasting Merchants’ visuals. “There’s so much you can do with these images,” says Solis-Cohen. “Even a single photo is evergreen for multi-channel marketing.” Use visuals in print ads, newsletters, postcards, wine club collateral, social media, tasting room materials...what may start as an e-commerce advantage can be utilized at every turn in the sales and communication process.
Yesterday is today...move quickly
In today’s mobile environment speed is king and, according to Solis-Cohen, “yesterday is today.” With Outshinery’s delivery model, clients can actually have images before the product is bottled (or canned). “The speed of return is impressive as heck,” says Solis-Cohen, recalling the ability to set up visuals for a product in time for on-demand email blasts or product releases. This is particularly helpful for custom crush wines (those that don’t have their own winery) and virtual wineries that don’t have a tasting room.
The ability to produce images digitally steadies marketing goals and preserves them from disruption due to production lags. Digital images also remove the cost and coordination with photographers, consolidating your talent spend and shrinking delivery timelines.
The ideal look
An ideal Bottle Shot is “more about what it doesn’t have” according to Solis-Cohen “A bad photo is full of glare, shadows, and uneven light” which distracts customers with unappealing details. “Computer-generated imagery is a sandbox, you can do whatever you want with it,” says Solis-Cohen. “That just can’t be done with traditional photography.” This is especially apparent in bottles that have intricate or deluxe details. Outshinery technology can capture the texture of the paper, the capsule, the embossing. “Even a basic bottle looks great with Outshinery, but if a bottle has a special finish, it’s a no-brainer,” says Solis-Cohen.
Get your free test shot with Outshinery by clicking HERE.
100% computer-generated bottle shots by Outshinery for Tasting Merchants. Simon never even had to ship physical samples to Outshinery to get all of those!
Bottle Shots are the first step, used on their own or as the starring element in a Lifestyle Image. “Lifestyle Images totally change the game,” says Solis-Cohen. When a client starts using Lifestyle Images, they are “waking up to what’s possible.”
Check out Part Two of this series to learn how Tasting Merchants uses visuals to truly connect to current and potential customers to “wake up to what’s possible”.
March 1, 2026
5 Ways to Use Lifestyle Images to Amp Your Wine BrandWith a myriad of other wine brands vying to captivate a similar audience, it’s important that the images you use are high-quality, engaging, and available when you need them.
We asked Amy Shamblen, featured artist behind our “Make it Pop!” collection for her experienced advice — as a creative director and photographer — on how brands can super optimize Lifestyle Images .Lifestyle Images save time and money and create consistency throughout various platforms to build brand awareness—AKA long term success for your brand. Here are Amy’s must-do tips for successful Lifestyle Image use (and reuse!).
1. Blog posts
High-quality Lifestyle Images are perfect for adding visual texture to your blog.
And this is important: did you know that we’re more capable of recalling information if there’s a picture along with it?
Sprinkle Lifestyle Images throughout your blog help to break up the text and make it easier to digest. Use loads of on-brand visuals throughout your blog that people can share or re-pin.
Hot tip: align with seasonal moments throughout the year and help your audience visualize your wine in their lives with recipes, tips, and how-to’s.
2. Hero images on your website
Find the right photo to fit your style and the seasonal vibe, and it will feel super cohesive (consistent) and work perfectly for brand promotion or e-commerce. Welcome users to your site with flawless visuals that let them know you are all about quality and customer-friendliness. Flat-lay images are great for this because they can create an ideal space for layering messages for your website header. You can also piece images next to each other to create a collage of wines side by side — the possibilities are endless!
3. Social media posts
It’s hard keeping up with social media since it moves so quickly. Instead of constantly trying to produce new content (and take away from your other precious business time), use eye-catching Lifestyle Images to start a conversation with your audience. Remember, not all of your social media posts should be self-promotional. Tell the story of your brand and create excitement by engaging your audience through stories and questions. Do you have cause your brand supports? Tell your customers about it and spread the love by tagging them. Have a case of wanderlust? Chat about places that inspire or where members of your team plan to go next! Engage your audience and show them you’re not here to sell to them, but to connect and inspire them—that’s what social media is all about.
4. Events
Hosting a tasting room event or wine club member party? Perhaps it’s time to launch a new product? Create some buzz around your event and a lil’ mystery to keep people coming back to see the big reveal! Try adding text or a countdown number to Lifestyle Images to hint at your future release. Get people excited to check back by choosing visuals that hint at what’s to come. Maybe it’s a new fall wine that will pair well with harvest veggies? Show a photo of your wine in this setting. Maybe it’s a bottle with a certain gift-giving appeal? Show off the pizzaz of opening a package containing this bottle.
5. Instagram Stories
Instagram stories can be a wine marketer’s best friend. Maybe Mondays are your motivational days—create a reusable template and overlay a new, inspiring quote each week. A lot of people are drawn to quotes and will often repost them, which can drive your brand awareness and loyalty. Don’t be afraid to mix and match photos too! Carousel images are perfect for that. Lifestyle Images are also a great option if you want to run a story ad campaign. First impressions are crucial—especially when we’re quickly tapping through stories—so make sure your images stand out right away.
March 1, 2026
9 Ways to Elevate Your Business (Listings) and Improve Local SEOChances are, even if you do nothing, your business will likely appear on search engines and review sites.
So you might be asking yourself:
“Why should I care about business listings?”
That’s a great question. Say you just learned that your town has a new eatery called Juno’s Delicatessen. You don’t know much about it, other than the general location, and you decide to look for more information online. What do you do?
I can tell you what I’d do. I’d go straight to Google, type in ‘Juno’s Delicatessen Santa Barbara’, and see what popped up.
Even when the website is known, it’s not uncommon for users to search by keyword or business name instead of going direct. That’s because search engines make it so easy to find the local businesses we are looking for!
This is why you should care about business listings.
Think about how users are finding your business. If they use Bing or Google to search your business name, does a business listing appear next to the search results?
If not, proactively creating your business listing will help your audience find you when they search for your name and location! Did you know that 50% of Google searches are from people looking for local businesses? And get this: 50% of those searches result in a call to a business that same day.
If so, is your URL included so they can get to your branded website? Are the photos listed for your business accurate and appealing? Are your hours and contact information correct?
What if they aren’t familiar with your business specifically, but instead are using search terms like ‘wine tasting’, ‘vineyard’, or ‘cabernet sauvignon’ in your neighborhood? Will they find you in the top results?
Here’s the reality:
The search provider wants to meet the user’s needs, so they are going to prioritize the results based on information accuracy — collected from multiple data points — and the frequency with which similar searches provided relevant results for similar seekers.
The more information you provide to these platforms, the more likely your customer is to find you when using them.
Simply existing on the platform isn’t enough. Here’s how to elevate your listing.
The basics: Verification, contact info & hours
If you’ve been in business for a while now, crawlers have probably already indexed your business information and designed a listing for you. It may just need to be verified, or is waiting for you to optimize it.
If you are a brand new business, you can kick-start your marketing by initiating business listings yourself. This way web crawlers start searching for you sooner, and customers can find you faster!
The first step is verification.
This is how you can unlock full access to the listing.
Verification is done. Now what?
Next stop: accurate contact information. Start with a NAPU: your Business Name, Address (with the pin on the visual map in the correct place), Phone Number and URL.
Be sure you use your exact business name and not a variant of it. This could hurt search engine discovery and should be consistent across the web. Look at the detail in this example.
-
Correct: Appa’s Vineyard & Winery.
-
Incorrect: Appa’s Tasting Room OR Appa’s Vineyard OR Appa’s Winery OR Appa’s Wine Tasting.
Given the rise of ‘Near Me’ searches, best practices suggest using your local number instead of toll-free. Whichever you use, make it consistent across your website and various business profiles on the web.
Don’t have a website? Use the link to the social media platform your brand is active on and can be reached through!
Don’t forget your business hours!
They are an important part of your business profile. If your office closes midday for a lunch break, you can account for that in your business hours online.
This is important because if a potential customer is looking up your business and the hours aren’t listed, they may go to the next recommendation on the list. By comparison, if hours are listed but the customer goes to your business and you are closed, they could report your closure to the referral site and impact your business information moving forward.
Bonus:
Some services will even send you texts and email reminders to add or update holiday hours automatically, making it easy to communicate upcoming changes to your schedule.
Elevate your listing: Going beyond the basics
Once you’ve got your foundation built, consider the following “Extra Credit” opportunities to further enhance your list and attract new guests!
A detailed business description
-
A messaging option (either by email or SMS)
-
Add labels, keywords and/or tags (each platform calls these something different, but they help customers find you when they use general search terms)
-
Add photos of your exterior, interior, products and people
-
List products (if applicable/available)
-
Incorporate news and special offers
Consider photos, which are a huge part of consumer perception. As a verified profile manager, you can flag irrelevant photos for removal from your business, but you can’t really control unflattering photos.
There are certain criteria from which you can request a photo to be removed from your profile: content that is not relevant, poor quality photo, privacy concerns, sexually explicit, profane, regulated goods, copyright, illegal, hate speech, and harassment.
So if it’s a photo of your dirty bathroom, your request to remove it will likely be declined. The best thing to do is to upload your own relevant and appealing photos to the various profiles, and keep new content coming so the less desirable images aren’t prominently displayed.
Top of the class: Engagement & analytics
Finally, let's talk about how to take your listing beyond basic communications and out to your potential audience. Discover how it’s the perfect tool to collect information.
Reviews & Engagement
Most listing sites have a review program or the ability to ask questions about the business. By verifying your listing you can streamline the management of these engagements by setting up email alerts to notify you when new customer comments or questions get added to your profile. If a review is posted, respond and let them know you received it. Thank them for coming in, and welcome them back.
Some profiles also have a questions section where anyone can respond — not just the verified owner. It’s important to monitor these and interject if misinformation is being spread or to thank the users who answer correctly on your behalf. A little bit of appreciation for a brand advocate goes a long way, and will hopefully encourage deeper advocacy and business support!
Analytics
Each platform will have its own version of available analytics, but it’s a good idea to review your listing performance and identify any key takeaways that can better support your marketing efforts.
Google My Business will tell you how and where visitors found you and what actions they tool. It will also tell you what keywords were searched when users found your listing. Facebook Business Page will provide follower demographics, optimal times of day to post and on-page actions taken by visitors.
And if all else fails, just remember…
“The best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
Whether you want it to be or not, your brand exists in places beyond your social media accounts and company website. It’s a big, big world out there, and as a small business, you want to do everything you can to stay in touch with it.
March 1, 2026
Why the digital economy is failing wine brandsProducers of many consumer products are comfortable selling online. Why not wine? Troly CEO Sebastien Tremblay shares perspective.
The global wine market is now facing the nightmare scenario many commentators have been warning about for well over a decade. Smaller producers must stop relying on tasting room visitors to find and convert customers. This treat became existential for a significant number of wineries with COVID forcing an abrupt end to the ongoing reliance on restaurant sales.
Low production volume prevents distribution
First, it’s important to understand that economies of scale are outstandingly difficult to achieve in the world of wine. Neither land nor capital are easily available to producers ― most of them around the world are small businesses. As a result, low volumes produced mean higher production costs per bottle, which in turn means broad retail distribution is economically out of reach. This leaves the most obvious approach on the table: direct sales.
Sadly with most producers being small, consumers must find their way through thousands of Argentinian Malbecs, Californian Pinot Noirs, Australian Shiraz, or French Bordeaux. But your brand is special, so compete on your own story, your own personality, your own portfolio.
Diverse offering hinders conversion to sale
Yes, the internet allows consumers to research products and connect with producers more easily. But merely having a website or a club is not enough for producers to improve online sales. The reality is such that consumers have plenty of choices. Getting a visitor to place a future purchase may be within reach, however convincing new customers to place their first purchase for a product they have never experienced before seems impossible.
Larger producers and also non-wine brands have understood this. They have carefully crafted an experience for their target consumers to identify with their brand, and efficiently use decade-old digital channels to access new consumers. Yes, Google and Facebook have been with us for well over a decade!
Yet consumers are increasingly demanding smaller productions, more handmade, and sustainable techniques. This is a great opportunity for smaller producers to appreciate how an outstanding experience is baked in with their product, and selling wine to visitors of a tasting room—or online and strictly based on price alone—is simply not the strength of their business model.
COVID amplifies an existing challenge
Many industry players in California, Australia, and around the world suggest the pandemic is now and will continue to destroy wine businesses. In my opinion, the various shelter-in-place orders, restaurant closures, and the consumer rush towards online “physically-distanced” deliveries have only amplified the need for the industry to better use technologies.
I would also suggest that technology offerings need to be better adapted to the global industry instead of localized, and better suited for smaller wine producers to adopt as they now understand how ecommerce and online sales are just fine to most consumers.
Technology is not a cost center
E-commerce has been a part of our daily lives for over two decades. Many businesses still consider software as an expense to their business. Much like you cannot make wine without growing or buying grapes, online sales cannot take place without technology. Business owners must now change their thinking. Software is a cost of doing business, and essential to driving and increasing sales, in an industry where it’s nearly impossible to differentiate a business on product alone.
As a wine producer, keep in mind that while technology may seem daunting at times, like most things “new,” don’t hesitate to ask questions. Set aside weekly “learning time” ― the internet is full of resources, so run a quick search, and you’ll find plenty of people, products, and software to help.
Commit to an outcome and watch your brand thrive online!
**This story first appeared on Troly. Shared here with permission + commentary by Outshinery.
===
About the Author
Sebastien Tremblay is the chief executive officer at Troly, a software solution for the management and distribution of wine sales. He has a passion for working with producers to better understand their business, increase their margins, and shine the spotlight on their wines.
In this guest post, Sebastien carves out the barriers separating wineries from experiencing success in the digital economy and how to get over them.
March 1, 2026
Transform your winery marketing strategy beyond your websiteFrom marketplaces to AI: a multi-channel playbook for small wineries
Expanding your winery’s marketing footprint beyond a static website and tasting room is no longer a luxury: it’s essential. In an era where consumers discover and purchase wine across diverse digital and physical touchpoints, adopting a multi‐channel approach can drive sales, build brand loyalty, and unlock new markets.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to elevate your winery marketing and maximize impact.
March 1, 2026
How to promote your wine as the season’s top gift🎄 🎠Here's a list of marketing plans to put your bottles under the tree this year.
It can be intimidating to find the right gift for a wine lover, even if you work in the wine industry. “Now, imagine how your next door neighbor, your aunt, and your recently-of-drinking age nephew feel?”
It’s hard to know what the recipient will like and even more challenging to add a meaningful touch to the idea of a bottle of wine. The holidays are the time of year when shoppers make an educated guess about what their loved ones might consider tasty or desirable.
Nevertheless, you want people to consider your product THE gift of the season. For anyone and everyone. Help them out by artfully promoting curated options from your portfolio. Keep it simple by stealing these themes and visual hints to guide your tribe through their full gifting list.
Impressive.
Your reserve or premium tiers are the ace in the hole for impressing any recipient.
Best for: top clients, bosses, in-laws, romantic interests…
Succulent.
The height of elegance and taste, dessert and port-style wines are draped in the essence of special occasions.
Best for: friends (especially if they share), host gifts, parents, siblings…
On point.
Our sources tell us that wine shoppers are searching out wine gifts for the holiday season. Offer a direct-to-gift-receiver solution so people can shop and ship right from your website. Be sure to provide a customized message option.
Best for: clients, neighbors, Millennials, childhood and college friends…
Pop!
A new year is coming! Celebrations abound! This is the ultimate time for the bubbly to flow. Double down: promote these wines as gifts and entertaining absolute must-haves. Bottles to keep, bottles to give.
Best for: host gifts, coworkers, neighbors, best friends…
Go pro.
How cool would it be to have a customer order several cases to use as corporate gifts? Make it crystal clear that you have the ideal bottles. Let them choose three from various price ranges, to make budgets happy.
Best for: clients, employees, vendors, partners…
Box it.
Any wine appears elevated when presented in a stunning gift box. Outshinery has visuals to make this suggestion come alive.
Best for: coworkers, bosses, nannies, spouses…
Mix it.
There are, in fact, some lovely holiday cocktails based on wine. Position one of your red wine bottles as a treat for Glögg or your bubbly as part of a killer rosemary pomegranate spritzer.
Best for: romantic interests, aunts and uncles, siblings, parents…
Move it.
Let’s be honest. There is probably a release or two that you’d like to move from your stock. Perhaps there’s a lot of it, or you need to free up space for the next vintage. In this case, you choose what you want to sell and highlight it.
Best for: wild card, teachers, last-minute presents, hairdressers and the like…
Easier than shopping online, browse our Ivy & Sparkles Lifestyle Image collection to see many more holiday visuals.
Curious what your product would look like in these scapes?
Click HERE to try Outshinery now, get your first Lifestyle Image for free.
March 1, 2026
New Lifestyle Images: The “wine from home” seriesYou may be separated physically from your customers now, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want your wine.
In fact, wine sales in some segments are up, particularly online*. It’s the perfect time to promote home delivery and wine club options from your winery.
New Lifestyle Images: The “wine from home” series
Highlight people enjoying door-to-door delivery of bottles to satisfy days and evenings at home. You will also find the perfect WFH (work from home or wine from home?) scenes for people on their screens now more than ever. Also available: incredibly soothing tablescapes and domestic scenes to increase the cozy factor of your wines. And as a bonus, you’ll also find Spring delights to announce the new season. Feature your bottles in these backdrops with flawless results, better than anything else available. No physical samples are needed, and the process is all online, backed by a friendly team of artists and professionals. Best of all, get ready-to-go visuals in as little as 48 hours.
Get your first Bottle Shot + Lifestyle Image for FREE from Outshinery
These Lifestyle Images can feature any bottle shape (we match yours perfectly, even custom details and finishes).
They can accommodate “single bottle” or “multiple bottles” setups. (Demo bottles shown are simply suggestions, so you can get a sense of what the final result looks like.)
And NEW: Some options can accommodate shippers, can be six- or twelve-packs.
In other words, what you see is a model, but you can make it your own, to suit your needs NOW.
These images are ideal to:
Promote your virtual tasting
Remind customers to buy wine online
Announce free or reduced shipping
Suggest your wine as gifts for isolated friends
Accelerate your brand’s digital transformation
Get your brand in front of new customers fast
ORDER NOW BEFORE THEY ARE GONE
Things to keep in mind: Images are available in a limited quantity, to prevent overlap among neighbors. Secure yours now to get exactly what you want.
Times are strange... and Outshinery understands you’ll be needing an on-going flexible source for imagery as we all navigate the next weeks. Because of this, we’ll roll out new visuals weekly as we work with our photographers for additional timely Lifestyle Images.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FIRST BOTTLE SHOT + LIFESTYLE IMAGE FOR FREE
March 1, 2026
5 marketing mistakes that severely impact your winery’s growth5 marketing mistakes that severely impact your winery’s growth
Don’t do a disservice to your brand and business + Free video.
One of these five mistakes could be the difference between having a social media marketing strategy that does a disservice to your business and one that legitimately earns a return on your investments.
Strong strategies will get your wine services and products in front of the right people. They will have the world talking about your brand and help nurture your business success, whereas thoughtless marketing can do the complete opposite. Your team could be making one (or more) of these errors without realizing it.
Here’s how to pinpoint common mistakes and correct them for improved results.
- Focusing on quality over quantity. Yep, read that again. Are you or your team spending too much time making things look pretty and not enough time getting things out there? Ultimately, your audience is going to decide what is good or not, not the personal preferences of your team.
- Trying to be on all the platforms instead of going deep on one. Have you really, truly, tried going deep on your Instagram strategy? Are you spending quality time connecting intentionally on LinkedIn? Stop cross-posting content onto every platform and start curating intentional content that speaks the language and culture of just one.
- Not using email marketing. An email subscriber is a future customer who just needs further nurturing. Your email address is the only true marketing property you own and the majority of sales happen in this channel. Use email marketing and employ a solid strategy with a commitment.
- Overlooking new platforms like TikTok. Can you still have success on older platforms like Instagram? Absolutely, but with a lot more work involved. If I told you that you could double your efforts in half (or a tenth) of the time, would you finally take the plunge? You won’t regret it. I promise.
- Not treating Social Media as a full-time job. Those who are taking it seriously are seeing the results. Full stop. Some businesses have a team, some a single employee, but do not have your tasting room manager juggling two important company positions. Then you’ll be sacrificing not one arm, but both.
You will always be pivoting and changing with your marketing efforts, however staying in a mistake for too long can cost your business quite a big loss in revenue, slow your growth, and hinder your success. Fortunately, there is always time to turn things around, and if the efforts are not generating the results you want, take some time to reflect where the gaps might be starting with these five mistakes above.
Download a free 2021 Social Media Strategy For the Wine Industry, by Chloe Cristallini.
March 1, 2026
5 marketing mistakes that severely impact your winery’s growth5 marketing mistakes that severely impact your winery’s growth
Don’t do a disservice to your brand and business + Free video.
One of these five mistakes could be the difference between having a social media marketing strategy that does a disservice to your business and one that legitimately earns a return on your investments.
Strong strategies will get your wine services and products in front of the right people. They will have the world talking about your brand and help nurture your business success, whereas thoughtless marketing can do the complete opposite. Your team could be making one (or more) of these errors without realizing it.
Here’s how to pinpoint common mistakes and correct them for improved results.
- Focusing on quality over quantity. Yep, read that again. Are you or your team spending too much time making things look pretty and not enough time getting things out there? Ultimately, your audience is going to decide what is good or not, not the personal preferences of your team.
- Trying to be on all the platforms instead of going deep on one. Have you really, truly, tried going deep on your Instagram strategy? Are you spending quality time connecting intentionally on LinkedIn? Stop cross-posting content onto every platform and start curating intentional content that speaks the language and culture of just one.
- Not using email marketing. An email subscriber is a future customer who just needs further nurturing. Your email address is the only true marketing property you own and the majority of sales happen in this channel. Use email marketing and employ a solid strategy with a commitment.
- Overlooking new platforms like TikTok. Can you still have success on older platforms like Instagram? Absolutely, but with a lot more work involved. If I told you that you could double your efforts in half (or a tenth) of the time, would you finally take the plunge? You won’t regret it. I promise.
- Not treating Social Media as a full-time job. Those who are taking it seriously are seeing the results. Full stop. Some businesses have a team, some a single employee, but do not have your tasting room manager juggling two important company positions. Then you’ll be sacrificing not one arm, but both.
You will always be pivoting and changing with your marketing efforts, however staying in a mistake for too long can cost your business quite a big loss in revenue, slow your growth, and hinder your success. Fortunately, there is always time to turn things around, and if the efforts are not generating the results you want, take some time to reflect where the gaps might be starting with these five mistakes above.
March 1, 2026
Wineries, here’s your free Outshinery marketing calendar for April, May, June 2022
Plan your wine launches, tasting events, social media posts, wine club communication, and more with this free marketing calendar for wineries.
It’s one of our most requested resources and it’s out now! The fresh edition of our calendar for wineries includes reminders of upcoming marketing opportunities to help you position your products as must-haves for seasonal celebrations.
March 1, 2026
Behind the scenes with EAT Creative, Outshinery’s partner for food styling and pairing photographyThe wine always comes first. That’s the easy part. Here’s the complex creativity behind Outshinery's recipe collection.
In a photo studio in British Columbia, a food stylist places a pomegranate seed on a flank steak salad before drizzling poppy seed dressing over fresh greens. This may sound like a day at Bon Appétit Magazine, but this is actually a behind the scenes peek at an Outshinery photo shoot with the team from EAT Creative.