Who are the Influencers of consumer behaviour in today’s wine business?

Influencers can shape—both positively and negatively—the opinions of others regarding a product, brand, or trend. They can also drive consumer actions such as making a purchase, joining a wine club or course, or attending an event. Influencer marketing is a branch of marketing in which a brand, in collaboration with professionals (or not), develops targeted strategies aimed at a specific audience segment. These strategies can be implemented through various channels—offline, online, or a combination of both.

In marketing, influencers are typically categorised as: Social Broadcasters (including well‑known TV or radio personalities, journalists, critics, etc.); Mass Influencers (industry experts with high visibility); and Potential Influencers (or micro‑influencers with a highly engaged audience). In recent years, the focus has largely been on digital influencers in the wine sector. However, the offline channel remains equally important, encompassing journalists and writers, retailers, sommeliers, educators, enthusiasts, and many others.

Consumer Behaviour
Consumption has long evolved from being merely an economic act to a fundamentally social one. The overwhelming abundance of choice — especially online — often leaves consumers feeling dissatisfied due to regret over the options they rejected, a phenomenon known as the paradox of choice. To simplify decision-making, consumers, particularly those with low involvement, tend to conform to mass preferences; knowing that others have chosen the same product provides reassurance.

Influencers leverage this tendency by communicating directly to well-defined consumer segments. This is especially true in the wine sector, where the vast array of options can create significant confusion. Many consumers place their trust in those who have already experienced purchasing or consuming a product, often overlooking subjective variables. This dynamic is exemplified by the popularity and high trust ratings of wine review platforms like Vivino, which enjoys widespread use and credibility for product reviews in various markets, and Trustpilot, renowned for service reviews. These platforms help reduce uncertainty and guide purchasing decisions by aggregating collective experiences and ratings.

Another rapidly growing phenomenon is when the consumer becomes the testimonial — and thus the influencer — of the products they purchase, a behaviour commonly referred to as “follow the crowd”. Moreover, consumption has become increasingly unpredictable and decentralised. New dynamics in purchasing behaviour have emerged, such as TOPO (Try Offline, Buy Online) and ROPO (Research Online, Purchase Offline), which blur the lines between digital and physical shopping journeys.

Influencer marketing is therefore a complex field, closely intertwined with disciplines such as consumer behaviour analysis and neuromarketing — the latter providing valuable tools to influence the decision‑making process.

Target
In general, target audiences are divided into categories based on factors such as geolocation, demographic data, income, interests, and behavioural habits, each with its own distinctive characteristics. For example, members of Generation Z (the Net Generation) are particularly focused on the environmental challenges they will face and therefore tend to be more eco‑friendly than other segments. Communication campaigns must take these traits into careful consideration to ensure resonance and relevance.

Millennials, on the other hand, are generally more educated, sceptical, and detached from ideologies or religious beliefs. They can be more self‑focused, seek instant gratification and peer approval, yet remain conscious of environmental issues. They are in search of unique products and experiences, having grown up with luxury brands to the point that these are no longer perceived as unusual or inherently desirable. They also have a strong appreciation for compelling storytelling. For these reasons, every campaign or channel must be tailored to the broad characteristics of the intended target, creating bespoke communication strategies. Naturally, these remain generalisations—real‑world segmentation is rarely homogenous.

Influencers play a crucial role in the wine industry, especially in markets where traditional advertising faces strict regulations. In less free wine markets such as Monopoly states in the US, where the State controls distribution channels, or under regulatory frameworks like the US “Three-Tier” system, as well as in countries like Russia where alcohol advertising is prohibited, influencer marketing becomes particularly effective. Here, influencers can communicate and promote organically—without paid campaigns—using social media and other channels to reach large or niche audiences despite advertising bans.

Wine educators are among the most persuasive influencers in this context, as they address highly targeted audiences with expertise and authority. For example, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses have significantly contributed to increasing interest in fortified wines, which have been undervalued in many countries. Similarly, group promotional bodies such as Consortia and various Wine Associations enhance their impact through extensive online and offline training programs, influencing the purchasing decisions of both professionals and enthusiasts.

The leading influencers in the wine business include journalists, writers, educators, communicators, and bloggers. Among these, bloggers and content creators who optimise their material for search engines (SEO) play an important role in driving an increasing number of visitors through videos, articles, and other forms of content. Today, the wine sector benefits from highly specialised influencers on multiple platforms—such as bloggers, vloggers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, and TikTokers—each connecting with different audience segments and shaping consumer choices through engaging and well-targeted content. This multi-channel influencer ecosystem is vital for navigating complex and regulated wine markets successfully.

Trends.

Trends play a crucial role in shaping effective influencer marketing strategies for wine brands. Understanding evolving consumption patterns is essential to staying relevant and connecting authentically with consumers. Current trends such as the shift “from the economy with to the economy without”—including products that are low or no alcohol, free from added sulphites, sugar-free, and aligned with health-conscious criteria—serve as powerful themes for influencer campaigns. Additionally, growing attention to sustainability is influencing consumer expectations and brand messaging, with factors like lighter bottles, recyclable packaging, and responsible waste and water management becoming central to communication strategies.

Beyond these specific wine-related trends, broader megatrends continue to impact influencer marketing approaches across industries, including wine. These include behavioural anarchy, which reflects increasingly unpredictable consumer choices; the equation of quality, price, and profitability driving purchase decisions; cultural contamination, where diverse influences blend in consumption habits; ecologism, highlighting environmental consciousness; ethnocentrism of consumption, such as the pride in products’ country of origin (for example, the “Made in Italy” effect); and the animosity of consumption, reflecting tensions and polarisation in consumer preferences.

For wine brands, weaving these trends into influencer marketing not only enhances relevance but also enables authentic storytelling that resonates with target audiences in a complex, changing market landscape. Influencers who understand and embody these trends can effectively communicate brand values and motivate consumer engagement and loyalty.

How Influencers’ performance can be measured?

Measuring influencers’ performance can be challenging, especially when the focus is on Brand Awareness, which is inherently intangible. In digital marketing, a variety of tools and software exist to provide detailed measurement and analytics. Examples include Klout, Kred, Peer Index, and Net Promoter Score for influencer scoring and reputation; platforms like Social Mention, Keyhole, Google Alerts, HowSociable, Socialbakers, and Hootsuite for tracking social media presence, mentions, engagement, and sentiment.

For sponsored digital campaigns with influencers, effectiveness can be measured in detail through metrics such as engagement rates, reach, impressions, click-through rates, conversions, and ROI. These provide concrete data on how well the campaign performs in real-time. On the other hand, offline campaigns, which may involve in-person tastings, events, or retail pushes, are typically measured through sales uplift or by tracking positive feedback via social mentions and word-of-mouth indicators.

In the wine sector, influencers may come from within or outside the industry, depending on the strategy. However, it is important to recognise the complexity and strategic importance of influencer marketing here—it is a sophisticated discipline where no influence should be underestimated. Effectively leveraging and measuring influencer impact requires thoughtful planning, adapted tools, and continuous evaluation to maximise value and build authentic connections with target audiences.