Nielsen: Celebrity Names Boosting Wine Sales

Celebrity-driven alcohol beverage products - those branded with the name of, or directly associated with a famous individual - are gaining popularity in the U.S. and wine is emerging as the star of the show, according to The Nielsen Company.

Gaining marketing leverage from celebrities as diverse as professional golfer Greg Norman, film director Francis Ford Coppola, former NFL coach Mike Ditka and recent releases from Martha Stewart and Paul Newman, celebrity wines are on the rise. Celebrity wines are up nearly 19 percent in grocery store sales since last year and represent 0.9 percent ($41.8 million) of total wine sales. Celebrity spirits sales show the same growth rate (19 percent) in grocery stores and represent 0.3 percent ($7.5 million) of the total spirits category. In liquor stores, celebrity spirits are growing at an even faster rate, showing a nearly 21 percent increase since last year, compared to celebrity wines' liquor store growth rate of 8 percent.

"Celebrities are increasingly lending their names to wine and spirits, for a variety of reasons," said Richard Hurst, senior vice president, Beverage Alcohol, The Nielsen Company. "While some celebrities have had a long-standing personal affinity for these product categories, others view these products as extensions of their established 'lifestyle brands' and have connected with willing supplier partners to produce and market them. Some suppliers, particularly wine suppliers, do not have the resources to launch big advertising and promotional campaigns and a celebrity can lend a brand instant recognition. Ideally, the celebrity's reputation also helps reinforce the company's image in the marketplace."