Feedback Form

Lesson #1: Make a Commitment to Your Brand

  Articles
Lesson #1: Make a Commitment to Your Brand

Many before him had tried, but Gallo was able to do something that no one else had ever successfully done before: he introduced wine to a country that was only used to drinking liquor and beer. How did he do it? By building a brand that would stick, and by refusing to abandon that brand in the face of market pressure.

For decades, the name Gallo was the last one that would ever come to mind when one was thinking of sophisticated and upscale wines. His was associated with cheap California wine – good for those who were not wine connoisseurs and who never claimed to be. And, initially, that was alright with Gallo. After all, he wanted to bring wine to those who had not been used to drinking it before. “I know Texans aren’t drinking table wine,” he once said. “If they won’t buy it, I’ll give it away to them.” And so he did, using deep discounts to lure Texans in.

In the company’s early years, Gallo saw the most potential for growth in the cheap end of the industry. But, as time went on and the company matured, Gallo saw new opportunities at the other end of the scale. He decided to move into producing new upscale varieties, but it was not an easy process.

Gallo insisted that all of his new upscale wines also be labeled with the brand “Gallo.” Of course, this decision went against the advice of marketing experts both in-house and out outside of the company. They believed that if Gallo used another name to market his premium wines, he would be able to sell more. After all, true wine connoisseurs would not be inclined to buy expensive wines with the Gallo label.

But Gallo insisted his move was less about his ego and more about building a stronger brand. “Using a different brand would not be any fun,” he said. “Where’s the challenge?” Whereas his competitors were establishing higher-end labels first, and then lettings their reputations sell their future lower-priced brands, Gallo said, “They’re depreciating their image. We’re increasing ours.”

A cartoon in the “New Yorker” captured the dilemma Gallo was imposing on wine drinkers. It read: “Surprisingly good, isn’t it? It’s Gallo. Mort and I simply got tired of being snobs.”

Gallo was not about to abandon his brand just because he was moving into a new direction. He bought up many wineries with more exclusive labels than his own, including Mirassou and Louis M. Martini, but he always brought them back to the Gallo name. No matter what his product – and no matter what popular tastes dictated – Gallo continued to use his own brand.

Today, Gallo’s son continues in that vein. Joseph Gallo insists that in no matter what direction his father’s company heads, its brand will remain the same. “How long do you think it will take consumers to see us a premium wine brand name?” he once asked a reporter. “Ten to twenty years,” he was told. “Fine, we are not going anywhere.”





Lesson 1 Make a Commitment to Your Brand

Like this article? Share it with your friends

Related Forum Posts Article Feedback
Article Feedback No article feedback found.
Leave Your Feedback

Related Articles Related Articles
The Power of a Brand Name and how to make your own brand powerful
  There are certain characteristics that a good brand name has. This article goes through the importance of a brand name and steps that you can do to ensure that your brand follows these guidelines.
Let Me Tell You About A Truly Great Brand
  This brand is driven by an outstanding team that believes deeply in the brand at all levels of the corporation.
Faith in Marketing?
  Having faith to continue your marketing through a down economy.
Hiring Former Fortune 1000 Employees
  If you are considering a salesperson, sales manager or VP of Sales from a big, name brand company, there is a crucial point that executives from smaller companies usually miss. You probably don't run a large, name ...
Strategic Branding Questions
  There’s a heightened interest in branding these days. For small businesses, it can be one of the most important marketing programs of all. As you launch (or relaunch) a branding campaign, take a look through these...

Related Forum Posts Related Forum Posts
Re: John Willard Marriott - New Profile Re: John Willard Marriott - New Profile
Top 19 Copywriting books Top 19 Copywriting books
Re: Anyone good with CPA affiliate here? Re: Anyone good with CPA affiliate here?
Re: Kevin's Forum Mastermind Group Re: Kevin's Forum Mastermind Group
Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods Dan Kennedy Marketing Methods
Re: Women entrepreneur millionaires Re: Women entrepreneur millionaires
Viral Web Marketing Viral Web Marketing
Re: 10 Tips to Start an Online Business Re: 10 Tips to Start an Online Business

Related Forum Posts Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors
Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website

Michel Neray
Michel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website

George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website


To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us.

Famous Entrepreneur Video
Ernest Gallo Video - Tribute to Ernest Gallo, famous wine maker of E.&J. Gallo Winery, who recently died at age 97.
Famous Entrepreneur Video

Ernest Gallo Picture Ernest Gallo Newsletter
Get our free newsletter to learn more about Ernest Gallo and other famous entrepreneurs!

Email:
Name:






Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

Featured Ebook


ebook Famous Entrepreneurs - Modern Empire Builders


Featured Ebook

More Evan Carmichael
Have A Suggestion?


Sales Lessons From Starbucks And Dell