Washington State Wine Commission Seeks Marketing Firm

The Washington State Wine Commission (WSWC), the marketing and promotional agency of the Washington State wine industry, initiates this request for proposals (RFP) to solicit applications from firms interested in developing integrated marketing, communications & brand strategies including:

• Creative Concept Development and Implementation
• Design of advertising & POS materials
• Advertising negotiation and placement
• Brand management
• Strategic planning
• Communications strategies
• Social media strategy and management
• Public relations

Background:

The Washington State Wine Commission is a state agency within the Department of Agriculture. The WSWC is engaged in programs locally, nationally and internationally. All bonded wineries and all wine grape growers are members that fund the WSWC through annual assessments on gallons of wine production and tons of grapes harvested. The WSWC is governed by an appointed board of 13 commissioners comprised of wineries, wine grape growers, a wholesaler and the Department of Agriculture.

MISSION STATEMENT:

On behalf of the State of Washington and its wineries and grape growers, the mission of the Washington State Wine Commission is to raise awareness and demand for Washington State Wine through marketing and education while supporting viticulture and enology research to drive industry growth.

VISION:

To be recognized as the world’s most exciting wine region, and inspire the world to experience Washington State Wine.

CORE BELIEFS:

We believe the culture of the Pacific Northwest is unrivaled in the world, with an energy that is palpable. Our wine industry stands proudly beside global icons that define and embody quality, innovation and generosity.

We believe the camaraderie of the Washington wine community creates a force that is greater than any of us could accomplish alone. Together, we embrace our youthful underdog status and share our wines and our message with a common vision.

We believe this land, with its abundant natural beauty and rich geological history, create the perfect climate for wine that can’t be replicated anywhere else. We believe in pushing boundaries, experimenting, and continuously learning. We aren’t bound by convention.

Scope of Work:

As outlined in our mission statement, the goal of the WSWC is to increase awareness and demand for Washington Wine. We execute a variety of programs and events designed to appeal to all the target audiences and provide the industry with opportunities to achieve success regardless of size or location of their business operations.

Success of each program is tracked and measured in a variety of ways, including:

• Trade awareness and perceptions of Washington State Wine
• Market share of Washington State Wine, locally and nationally
• Increased traffic to WSWC web properties
• Increase in wine related tourism throughout Washington State
• Constituent (wineries and growers) approval ratings
• Industry engagement in WSWC programs
• Increase in wholesale distribution of Washington State wine in key national markets leading to wider availability for trade, media and consumers
• Increase of Washington wine placements on restaurant wine lists
• Consumer awareness and demand for Washington wine
• Editorial coverage of Washington wine in print and on-line publications (wine and lifestyle publications)
• Social media activity and engagement

Due Date:

March 15, 2018

Address:

Washington State Wine Commission

Attn: Chris Stone

1201 Western Ave Suite 450

Seattle, WA 98101

Strong food and beverage PR firms include Hunter PR and 5WPR.