How AI Will Change Marketing Drinks to Consumers
AI is moving past hype and into the aisle. It's becoming the silent hand behind freight, shelf decisions, and how price and product stories hit shoppers in real time. That shift will boost efficiency, but it also risks filling shelves with lookalike wines that survive on label and price.
For marketers, this is a fork in the road. You can feed the algorithm and become easy to recommend, or get buried under big-brand spend and generic SKUs.
Back-of-house: From supply chain to SKU selection
Retailers are using AI to forecast demand, trim logistics costs, and optimize assortments. As headcount shrinks, algorithms will influence what gets listed and what gets cut.
The risk: generic wines crowd out the interesting stuff. The move: make your product data clean, complete, and compelling so it wins on both velocity and margin.
- Syndicate structured data: grape, region, vintage, tasting notes, food pairings, certifications, awards, UPCs.
- Model unit economics with retailers: expected velocity, promo lift, and return on shelf space.
- Enable demand sensing: share sell-through and inventory signals where possible.
Front-of-shelf: Digital tags, interactive displays, smart barcodes
Expect dynamic pricing, interactive shelf displays, and QR/"smart barcode" experiences that trigger content on the spot. The pitch is simple: guide the choice in 30 seconds or less.
- Test price bands to find elasticity by store cluster and daypart.
- Pair SKUs with quick-use occasions: weeknight pasta, date-night steak, picnic-ready rosé.
- Build short, silent-friendly videos and one-scan product pages for shoppers who won't talk to staff.
Some shoppers will welcome this. Others won't. In places where e-commerce is still missing (for example, B.C. government stores), analog browsing is part of the appeal. Design for both preferences.
AI assistants and chatbots will be the new aisle guide
With fewer floor staff, shoppers will ask an app, a kiosk, or a chatbot what to buy. If your product isn't in those knowledge bases, it won't be recommended.
- Publish machine-readable product pages: schema.org markup, nutrition/allergens where applicable, ABV, sustainability claims.
- Provide clear tasting notes, pairing rules, and use-occasion tags. Keep language simple and specific.
- Monitor how often your SKUs appear in recommendation carousels and search results on retailer sites.
Producers are already being told to share data with AI systems and consumers alike. Do it, or you'll lose default visibility to brands that do.
Personalization will steer baskets
By analyzing browsing and purchase behavior, retailers will build profiles that steer people toward certain styles, price points, and occasions. It feels custom, but it scales the same few choices.
- Collect zero-party data via short quizzes: preferred sweetness, usual budget, food pairings, and favorite regions.
- Tag SKUs for taste profiles and occasions to improve match quality.
- Run lifecycle flows: welcome, first purchase, seasonal picks, and retention offers with clear opt-ins.
If you want a primer on how this plays out in retail, see The Drinks Business on AI's influence across the sector.
The sameness problem-and how to beat it
Most AI and shelf tech will be used to move middle-of-the-road wines. That's fine for volume. It's bad for discovery.
- Lead with origin, people, and farming. Real places and real makers cut through generic feed posts.
- Capture short stories: harvest moments, cellar decisions, and pairing rituals. Keep clips under 30 seconds.
- Host small tastings and stream them. Use QR codes to bring that story to the shelf edge.
Measurement that matters
- Share of algorithmic recommendation (SOR): how often your SKU is suggested vs. category peers.
- Shelf-edge engagement: CTR on digital tags, QR scans, and dwell time on PDPs.
- Price elasticity under promos and dynamic pricing.
- Basket affinity: which foods or spirits lift your SKU most.
- Repeat rate by taste profile and occasion.
Guardrails: Compliance, privacy, and the human touch
Age gates, responsible-use messaging, and data consent aren't optional. Camera analytics and shopper tracking can backfire without clear notice and value exchange.
AI can sort options. Humans still sell the story. Keep live events, staff training, and community touchpoints in the mix.
Quick playbook for drinks marketers
- Create a single source of truth: complete product data, structured and validated.
- Optimize retailer PDPs with schema markup and short-form video.
- Feed chatbots: FAQs, pairings, taste notes, and brand voice guidelines.
- Pilot digital shelf tags in 2-3 stores; test price and message variants.
- Run a zero-party data quiz; segment by taste, budget, and occasion.
- Launch a "new to varietal" onboarding flow with 3 emails or texts.
- Track SOR, shelf CTR, and repeat rate; review monthly.
- Document provenance content: vineyards, people, methods; reuse at shelf.
- Align trade spend to data: prioritize stores where recommendations convert.
- Set a privacy checklist for every new in-store and online activation.
Weekend Wine Picks
Tormaresca Calafuria 2024, Salento, Puglia, Italy - $29.99 | 89/100
UPC: 8026530000480
Peach-pink Negroamaro Rosato from the Maìme estate near the Adriatic. Fresh, juicy, and vibrant strawberry on the nose; dry and food-friendly on the palate. Creamy texture with citrus-sprayed pear and strawberry fruit. Italian at heart with a hint of Provençal style.
Menade Rueda Verdejo Ecologico 2022, Rueda, Castilla-Leon, Spain - $24.99 | 89/100
UPC: 8437008963075
Balanced white fruit with herbaceous and dried scrub notes. Ripe citrus and lime meet touches of sweet mango. Moderately rich yet never cloying, with a juicy, refreshing finish. Ideal with shellfish.
Monte Antico Toscano 2020, Santa Lucia, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy - $19.99 | 88/100
UPC: 726452006307
Blend of 85/10/5 Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Soft style with bright cherry and plum, plus a light dusting of oak. Weeknight-friendly and a solid value. Great with funghi pizza or pasta.
Moon Curser Tempranillo 2022, Osoyoos, Okanagan Valley - $38.99 | 89/100
UPC: 626990114666
Medium dark indigo hue from sandy and granite sites on the East Bench. Juicy attack with savory black cherry and bright acidity through the finish. Slightly rustic but very pleasant. Pair with grilled lamb or sausages; drink now or hold.
Tightrope Winery Syrah 2022, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley - $40 | 93/100
UPC: 626990244387
95/5 Syrah/Viognier, co-fermented and aged one year in 100% French oak (50% new). West-facing, steep Upper Naramata Bench fruit. Elegant, peppery, and vibrant with violet florals, sweet plum, and desert brush. Silky finish; among the best in B.C.
Upskill your team on AI for marketing
If you want a structured path to apply these tactics, explore AI Certification for Marketing Specialists or browse courses by job function.
Your membership also unlocks:
