A few years ago, I did some contract work at Virgin Wines, just as CEO Rowan Gormley was about to sign the deal that transferred a majority share of his business to Direct Wines.
The deal no doubt made him a wealthy man but the relationship with Direct Wines eventually went sour and he was “removed” from his post in June this year and is currently involved in legal action, “That’s the subject of a High Court writ, so I can’t say much about it” he told Times Online.
It hasn’t taken him long to stage a comeback. His new venture is called Naked Wines and I’ll wager that his sales pitch for this new business is a broadside at the immovable object that is his former employer. Direct Wines (Laithwaites, Sunday Times Wine Club, Virgin, Averys and a dozen other white labelled clubs) is a classic collection of legacy labels that are struggling to get to grips with how the web is changing the way consumers are interacting with brands. Direct Wines continue to act as a patriarch – telling you what you should buy under the illusionary concept of “exclusive wines”.
Rowan wants Naked Wines to do things differently. His recent PR blitz has successfully communicated the concept of a hybrid wine store and a social network. But, obliging journo’s aside, what’s the deal?
Well, Naked Wines is leaning heavy on the concept of a “farmers market approach” – you’re buying wines from the people that are making them. I really like the idea of the winemaker as the hero, rather than the product, it’s exactly how I feel about wine and is a simpler route to entry than the complexities of taste and smell. As a brand construct, I can buy into that.
They’ve also introduced the idea of “wine angels” a panel of 100 wine tasters who rate the wines, a conceit that is less appealing. There seems to be a lack of transparency as to the identity of these “angels” and there’s a whiff of emperors new clothes about this notion of endorsement. The current content in the user review sections is also pretty woeful as well – if the following exchange wasn’t written by the staff I’ll eat my cork -
by Sally Gray (2008-12-04 15:31:21.875)
Why do you think the ‘Rammed Earth’ winery produces such good wine?
Ross Gower Rose is a must for Lovers of easy drinking wine it goes down disturbingly easily Really fresh fruity taste, I love this wine maybe a little bit more than i should.
Hmmm. I’ll let the humble reader decide on this one.
Presently, Naked Wines is neither the great leap forward or a real point of difference for UK wine online as it’s aspiring to be (you can’t go to market claiming that you’re a social media wine shop on the back of an rss feed and some bookmarking links) but I’m presuming that they have launched this early version of the site in December to grab some share of the Christmas market.
Here’s hoping that the New Year will bring the big concepts that are promised.
I signed up to Naked Wines and originally thought it was a good idea. I liked the set up and website, especially the social feel to it.
Unfortunately I have now cancelled my account, a process that isn’t easy to do!
Poor customer service, late deliveries and a system that simply doesn’t work!
Look carefully at the whole system and you will soon realise you will end up paying a-lot for mostly average wine.