IEM's suggestions and proposals for tackling the American market
This fall, IEM – International Exhibition Management will present a selection of exciting Italian companies to the American market at various events, through the established Simply Italian Great Wines format.
In its 25 years of activity, IEM has organized over 600 events in 30 international markets; there have been over 150 Simply Italian Great Wines, and over 200,000 international trade operators have participated.
Founded in Verona in 1999 by Marina Nedic and Giancarlo Voglino, IEM opened International Event & Exhibition Management in Miami in 2007 to provide a dedicated observatory and a commercial bridge to one of the most important global hubs for the Italian wine market.
This extensive experience in the American market allows IEM to create events tailored to the needs of various American states, serving as an important guide for companies that rely on the professionalism of its operators.
According to ICE data, the US population is expected to grow steadily over the coming decades, with Generation Z representing 21.6% of the population, while the Baby Boomer generation, with high spending power and a predilection for fine wines, is statistically losing ground, as it is destined to reduce its consumption and be gradually replaced by subsequent generations.
Demographics have a huge impact on communication and marketing strategies: it's the younger generations we need to target to develop effective medium- to long-term strategies. Young wine connoisseurs clearly show a preference for products that guarantee well-being and sustainability, and they clearly express a sensitivity toward moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages.
In the United States, however, Italian wine maintains a position of absolute prominence: Italy is the leading supplier of white wines and the second of red wines, after France.
There is great scope for our companies, provided that we seriously ask ourselves how to communicate to this evolving market and provided that we consider, in light of the size of our company and our product, what and how to look for.
Marina Nedic, who heads the Miami office, advises Italian companies entering the US market to first and foremost study the market and its players in depth. By market, we mean the individual country targeted by their entry or consolidation strategy.
Small and medium-sized companies, both in terms of production volume and sales force, lack the capacity to effectively communicate with a domestic importer. Moreover, the United States cannot be considered a single market, but rather a collection of very different trading hubs, some highly saturated, others still unexplored. It's not exaggeration to consider the US a collection of many different trading hubs. Scattered investments in the American market are unprofitable, and in any case, difficult to implement in practice.
Conversely, "focus," we might say, is the key: on the country to target your strategy, on the type of operator you want to reach. Finding the right partner, however, is only the first step, as our friends at IEM have repeatedly emphasized: a winning strategy must be developed, over at least a three-year period, with the help of your importer.
The Simply Italian Great Wines format is essentially the same as its predecessor, featuring in-person walk-around tastings and a dedicated desk where each company can welcome its attendees. In each market, the format is adapted to the specific needs of the target country and its characteristics.
The Simply Italian Great Wines campaign's autumn stops in the US are October 7th in New York and October 9th in San Francisco. Outside the US, London will be the country's first stop, followed by Mexico City on October 10th. Mexico City is a newer market for our wine, requiring significant outreach to highlight the characteristics and richness of Italian wine.
