Another year has rushed to its end. Browsing through my weekly blogs, it is clear that it has been a year of highs and lows, of opportunity and challenge.
We talked about wine – from crime to craft, tourism – the real challenges and the amazing opportunity, the brand – from its existential angst to its vulnerability and all things topical, trendy and technological.
Here are a list of the year’s blogs, with the most popular reads in red.
Wine
- Making wine work – Industry & Harvest Insights from #VinproDay With challenging conditions and uncertain policies, can we still make wine work?
- Confidence – what SA wine needs Confidence – economic stimulus and likely liberator of SA wine.
- Embracing Riesling Is categorising Riesling keeping us from enjoying it?
- The Golden Age of Old Vines Old Vines – a question of passion, palate and profitability.
- Where is more than there What we learn from where we drink our wine!
- Winter cold – what the vine wants The relationship between the cold and the vine – it is all about timing.
- Trade & Travel Everyone loves some duty free shopping, but is the wine industry making the most of this opportunity?
- Wine – Big in Japan? China is the powerhouse, but what are the opportunities for wine in Japan?
- Craft – also a trend for SA wine Inspired by the idea of craft, is South Africa the most exciting wine country in the world?
- Competition & Crime in Wine Is the competitive environment of wine the reason for recent vineyard crime?
- Exclude, remove and reduce Is alcohol free the new way to be?
- Women – making a difference in the world of wine From supertasters to superstars – celebrating women in wine!
- The Beauty of Balance Harmony and balance – a pie in the sky?
Tourism
- Assessing Agritourism Is Agritourism the silver bullet for SA’s agriculture challenges?
- Culinary tourism – alive and well in Brussels! Belgium on your bucket list? It should be if you love food!
- The New Heritage Heritage cuisine, heritage tourism… why is heritage suddenly on everyone’s lips?
- Tourism – a demand for innovation Innovation in Tourism – it’s not only about new experiences
- Local should be lekker! More than supporting the economy and creating jobs, travelling locally can bring us closer.
- Tourism – make it easy! With tourism’s undeniable economic importance, why not make it easier for travellers?
- A new way to wine Creative – and legal – ways to deal with drinking and driving
- Two Truths for Tourism Consumers and Collaboration – two simple truths for Tourism.
- Domestic Tourism & Unemployment – the face of SA’s economy The plans are grand, but what is really possible for tourism and employment in the struggling SA economy?
Trends & Topical
- Classics vs Crazes – Culinary Predictions for 2019 From marijuana to motherless meat – what are the culinary predictions for 2019?
- Time for Trends Want to be a Trendsetter? It is all in the timing.
- The 3 P’s of Social Media in 2018 – Paid, personal and even less private Social Media trends for the New Year
- Paying for our sins Sin Tax – does it keep us from sinning?
- Loyalty – a new definition for brand and business It’s the Chinese year of the Dog, but does loyalty still have a place in 2018?
- Making the most of mobile
- Finding Freedom
- Agriculture in Question Calling the Wise to taken on the blurred line between Agriculture and land ownership
- Mixing Business and Family Are dreams of degrees and titles getting into the way of finding a job?
- Lessons from the Michelin ratings Learnings from the Michelin star ratings – coveted, but uncompromising.
- Mallorca – more than Spanish wine and Sobrasada Exploring Mallorca
- Employment vs Technology Industry needs technology to be successful, but what is the effect on employment?
- Diversity – a challenge with charisma Diversity in wine – embracing the variety or sticking to the classics?
- Brics – the right building blocks Can Brics do better than other global partnerships? Can it really make a difference to the people?
- To be a leader, first show up “Show up, even when you’re not invited to the table!”
- Social commentary from the British Pubs Are the problems of the struggling UK Pub trade more about community than industry?
- Control! Being in control – are we creating a monster?
- The Heart of Heritage For heritage to unite us, we have to get to the heart of it!
- Consolidation and Competition Consolidation and working together surely have their benefits, but they come with a big responsibility – both in society and business.
Marketing & Brands
- The Customer – your new partner in business The role of the customer is changing rapidly. Are you keeping up?
- Brand awareness – the driver of brand growth When it comes to brand success, consider accountability, availability and above all, awareness.
- A stand-off: Experience vs Product Is experience marketing negating the importance of product quality?
- Three A’s of Brand Success in China Apps, accessibility and authenticity – driving wine sales in China.
- Entertain, but above all, educate We all focus on The Experience, but are we making the most of it?
- Protecting your Brand Copycats not only steal from your sales volumes, they destroy your hard-earned brand integrity
- The Existential Angst of the Wine Brand Can wine be more than a commodity? Can it be a brand?