Company: J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
Nomination Submitted by: Colangelo & Partners
Company Description: Founded forty-nine years ago by Jerry Lohr and still family owned and operated today, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines grows, produces, and bottles a full line of internationally recognized wines from its more than 4,000 acres of Certified California Sustainable estate vineyards in Monterey County’s Arroyo Seco and Santa Lucia Highlands appellations, Paso Robles, and St. Helena in Napa Valley.
Nomination Category: Communications & Marketing Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Marketing Campaign of the Year - Beverages - Alcohol
 Nomination Title: #JLohrWomen: Join the Conversation Integrated Marketing & Sales Campaign
- Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
This campaign was launched on January 24, 2023, and was creatively and logistically overseen by Rhonda Motil, Vice President of Marketing at J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines.
- Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
In the wine industry, sales and marketing campaigns destined for the wholesale marketplace typically require 1+ years of planning. This process includes: ideation; concept approval from key stakeholders; brainstorming concrete themes and assets; initial artwork, taglines, Point of Sales designs; physical/digital creation of campaign materials; campaign training webinar for nationwide Sales team; creation of campaign website pages, physical and virtual events, social media, e-newsletters, print and digital advertising, etc.; POS orders printing, fulfillment, shipping; and finally – campaign launch.
Thus, the 2023 Q1 #JlohrWomen: Join the Conversation campaign began mid-2022 with the approval of the theme and concept. From there, Rhonda and the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Marketing team were constantly working on one program aspect or another, leading up to the January 2023 launch and then through to the campaign’s ostensible end date of April 2023 (note that elements of the #JlohrWomen campaign were designed to be “evergreen” in nature, carrying on after the program’s visual replacement in stores).
Additional JLV&W organizational time and investment required specifically for #JlohrWomen included:
- Company-wide call for team participation as “faces” of the campaign
- Dedicated on-location photo shoots to capture POS and social media images of participating team members
- Planning, publicizing, and execution of live webinar series on wine industry careers
- Judging of essay entries resulting from live webinar series solicitation
- Scheduling of principals and leadership to participate in awarded “Shadow Days”
- Strategically seeding components of the campaign to coincide with March’s Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day on March 8th
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 175 words used.
Attached for reference are multiple links to articles showcasing the various campaign touchpoints, as well as Rhonda Motil’s role in logistically executing this multi-month, purpose-driven campaign aimed at elevating the voices of women in the alcohol beverage industry.
Further recognition was seen in The Swirl Suite industry podcast, where Rhonda is interviewed about the #JLohrWomen campaign. Additional links highlighting the progress created by J. Lohr’s campaign can be seen in publications that span from regional outlets, to lifestyle publications, to industry and trade publications, highlighting the breadth of the campaign and resonance its message had with a variety of audiences.
Also referenced are three links to owned, high-performance social posts from J. Lohr’s Instagram account in support of the larger #JLohrWomen campaign. The March 18th Instagram post generated 1,986 engagements and reached 11,904 people.
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the nominated campaign or program - its genesis,development, planning, commission, and performance to date - OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
N/A
- Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
The #JLohrWomen: Join the Conversation integrated sales and marketing campaign was conceived to elevate attention around, and programs for, gender equity in the alcohol beverage industry by creating new opportunities for professional entry into wine businesses.
As of 2018, only 4% of C‑suite positions in the alcohol beverage industry were held by women (compared to 22% of C‑suite roles across all industries in 2018). Additionally, out of over 4,200 wineries in California, only 14% reported having a woman as their lead winemaker in 2020.
With Rhonda Motil at its helm, the J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines marketing team set out to execute a campaign that aligned with the winery’s 50-year tradition of sustainability leadership – of which, social equity is a primary tenant. By helping to fill the alcohol beverage industry’s gender gap, J. Lohr aimed to support the continued progress of a more robust wine industry.
Rhonda’s team did this through the facilitation of meaningful industry conversations and by creating tangible involvement avenues for anyone interested in growing their knowledge or advancing their career path in wine, including students and professionals already in the alcohol beverage industry.
The campaign included POS displays for in-store sales support of key accounts and the winery’s wholesale network, editorial and advertorial features on leadership and diversity in the wine industry, a LinkedIn Virtual Event series, multiple in-person and virtual Shadow Day opportunities focused on wine industry career paths and mobility, and other promotion opportunities via social media and in-person industry event participation.
- Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of July 2021. Even if your initiative started before July 2021, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of July 2021 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
Rhonda and her team facilitated three LinkedIn Live sessions hosted by female J. Lohr managers, focusing on Sales, Marketing, and Wine Science (Viticulture/Enology). Each session discussed best practices for advancing in their specific industry disciplines. Following, attendees applied for 1:1 Shadow Days with J. Lohr executives across these three career fields. One chosen applicant from each discipline secured a sponsored visit to one of J. Lohr’s Central Coast locations. Three additional applicants were selected for virtual “Shadow Days.”
Additional campaign fulfillments included:
- Nationwide off-premise retail POS and displays.
- A J. Lohr Valentine’s Day “Love What You Do” Instagram giveaway encouraging fans to comment about why they love what they do for the chance to win a $250 Visa gift card, to be used towards anything that uplifts career advancement (4 winners selected). Additional social promotion included videos of J. Lohr team members sharing why they love what they do.
- Industry and International Women’s Day partnerships: the launch of the Diverse Powered Brands™ database at Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, the Women of the Vine & Spirits Global Symposium, Republic National Distributing Company’s “31 Days of Women” campaign, and HEB’s Women’s History Month events.
As a result, earned and paid campaign media placements, including a campaign press release, garnered 192.6M impressions. Total paid and earned impressions across Facebook and Instagram in Q1 2023 totaled 19,908,608, engagement equaled 403,708, and the brand saw a total follower growth of 2,939 across both social platforms.
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