La Prova, Case Study
Our long-term collaboration with La Prova began with an invitation to get involved at every level of the business. More than 18 months later, we’ve developed the company and the brand while also building a mutual trust.
Sam Scott makes wine in the Adelaide Hills under the La Prova label. With a focus on Italian varieties that can grow really well and sustainably in Australia’s changing climate, he creates wines that are savoury, textural and delicious.
Sam asked us to begin consulting for La Prova in 2019. Very quickly, we became deeply invested in the business’ future. These are the four key things we’ve worked on with Sam.
Purpose
When we began working together, Sam asked us to take a high-level look at the business. We spent time talking and thinking about ideas, his ethos and ambitions, and how the brand was operating. Our broad-ranging previous experience was very useful at this stage – we were able to use insights about things like sales channels and market trends to help Sam ask himself new questions about the business and find helpful answers.
As a result of these conversations, we clearly identified La Prova’s purpose and market niche. The new clarity has helped focus La Prova’s business operations in many ways. It’s influenced what wines Sam decides to make, what elements of operation he invests in most heavily and how he tells his story.
Storytelling
As we found focus in the business, that helped us decide how and what to say to customers. We began working on communicating La Prova’s purpose effectively with the brand’s customers.
Updates to La Prova’s website - including its flow, copy and photography, changes to electronic direct mail (edm) communication, and changes in how certain wine products were packaged and marketed have resulted in more visitors at the cellar door and an uptick in direct-to-consumer sales.
Value
Independent winemakers work in a crowded market. Direct competitors often have more of everything - including staff, budget and time. An essential part of our ongoing work with La Prova is consultation on what investments will result in the most return and advice on how to make sure money spent is used to its full potential.
From seemingly straightforward tasks like hiring the right photographer and providing them with a thorough brief, through to more complex decisions about processes like distribution, we have been working to maximise the efficiency and efficacy of the investments La Prova makes.
Adaptability
Our enthusiasm for La Prova’s future is born of a genuine belief in its excellence, but it also relates to our semi-obsessive passion for the wine industry more broadly. Our tracking of changes and trends in the market and industry has allowed us to make sure La Prova’s growth and development is always relevant. We’ve aligned the label’s communication calendar to fit in with recurrent cyclical changes and shape each message to industry and consumers around the current conversation.