How Archer Roose Is Flipping the Wine Industry on Its Head with CMO, Conley Downing

0:00If you look at our Teresa's website, like, yeah, you can find information about tasting notes and things like that, but we don't lead with that. That's not the first touch point that you're gonna get from us, because we find that it can be off-putting. And so we lead with humor, we lead with invitations to join and we're really working on building a community of people that can help carry our brand's story forward. Hi, everyone, and welcome to the Marketing Vanguard podcast. I'm Jenny Rooney with Adweek, and I'm thrilled to be coming to you live from brand week in Atlanta. As you all know, listening in, I usually do this podcast from our home offices in New York City, but we're thrilled to be here in Atlanta this week so that I can do these podcast recordings live. I'm thrilled to be joined by Conley Downing. She's the CMO of Archer Rousse. Conley, welcome. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here. Well, I'm excited to have you, and this is sort of a special series, if you will, a special edition of the Marketing Vanguard podcast. I'm gonna ask you some questions that are specific to this week, and I'm gonna start with why brand week?

1:01We're here in Atlanta. Why was being at brand week important for you and for your brand this year? So for me, this is really exciting. I feel like Adweek has been part of my family for many years now. I actually started my career on the agency side. So I began reading Adweek when I was 21 years old, working at an agency, and then in 2019, I participated in the Adweek Executive Mentorship Program. I was a mentor in the Adweek Rising Program, and I've really enjoyed the community that I felt from Adweek, but this is my first brand week. And it's even more special for us as a brand with Archer Rousse wines, because Elizabeth Banks is being honored with the Adweek Brand Genius Award in no small part due to her work with Archer Rousse wine. So I'm really thrilled about that, and it's really a testament to what we're building on the brand and the role that Elizabeth and our team has played in building relevance for Archer Rousse wines. Well, let's talk about that. So tell me what's happening right now in your business that makes this moment, especially pivotal. Certainly for the brand. Let's start there. We're at a really exciting inflection point

2:02at Archer Rousse wines. If you're at all familiar with the category, you're seeing a lot of doom and gloom in the trades. Wine is taking, nobody's drinking anymore, Gen Z's never gonna enter. It's just not the case. But what has shifted is the way that people are drinking, and so Archer Rousse is for me, I'm a little year and a half in, when I first saw the brand and was introduced to it, it was so clear to me that this is the way forward. I actually myself was a lapsed wine drinker. I had been in spirits for many years prior to this role. And honestly had just kind of fallen out of love with the category, it didn't feel like it had evolved with me, and it wasn't speaking to me in a way that was invitational and approachable. And Archer Rousse really saw of so many of those issues in terms of the way in which we speak to our consumers and the more irreverent lighthearted approach that we're taking to wine overall. So in a category that's declining, we're up 41% this year on the hills of three years of growth. We just won the 2024 Impact Hot Prospects brand award. So just a really exciting time.

3:03And as you can imagine, that comes with a lot of shifts in how we're managing the brand and how we're moving forward. So where are you based? We are based all over. Our team is actually fully remote, our founder, our co-founder, and CEO, Marion is based in Boston, I'm personally in Connecticut, but we've got team members all across the country, and Archer Rousse is actually a globally sourced wine brand. So we actually sourced from six different countries around the world as well. Okay, and when was it launched? It was launched about 10 years ago. We're coming up on a decade of Archer Rousse wines, which is an incredible testament to Marion's tenacity because it's been a wild ride, but I would say the brand has really taken off in the last few years. Obviously with the addition of Elizabeth Banks, bringing such incredible awareness and energy and creativity to the brand, but also some of the incredible placements that Marion and the team have been able to get, like JetBlue and more recently even Princess Cruises and so many incredible places that people are discovering Archer Rousse wines. So it was launched, I mean, it isn't just about the packaging, it is about the product as well, but it's about both, right?

4:04It is, it's about meeting people where they are in a couple of different ways. So it is, we call it luxury wine and cans, and it truly is, it's an incredible product that happens to be in a format that makes sense for people's lives. And Marion founded this brand because she wanted a better glass of wine, just a glass. So many of us are drinking differently and we're concerned about moderation and thinking about what we're putting in our bodies. So there are many times that you just simply don't wanna open a full bottle of wine. And this is the solution for that, or maybe you're going on the boat, or maybe you're taking a hike and you deserve a reward after that. So we have the solution for all of those things as well as places that wine hasn't been, we often say we win where wine hasn't been. Think about being at a concert, holding a little plastic solo cup of wine is not the vibe. But Archer Rousse has the solution for that with cans. So the can also maintains the integrity of the taste. It does, it's so interesting that you say that. A lot of people have misconceptions about how canned wine is going to taste. And we did this hilarious video with Marion and it was so great because she said,

5:04well, a lot of people ask me, is the aluminum gonna shine through? Am I gonna taste the aluminum? And she said, well, do you taste the aluminum when you have a Coca-Cola? And I thought that's a really great point. There have been, though, I will say, in the past, some issues with canned wine brands not taking the right steps to preserve the integrity of the liquid. So our team has been very intentional about that and has worked with Cornell University and actually published a research paper that won Best Oniology Paper of the Year that talked about how we maintain the integrity of the liquid using the right kind of liners within the cans. So although we make a fun lighthearted brand with great quality liquid, we take it very seriously. We just don't necessarily always present it that way to the end consumer. So it is so interesting because it does enter you or wine into various additional drinking occasion. And honestly, I mean, certainly beer. There's always been beer and there've obviously been cocktails and cans and some of the lighter, celser and vodka-based beverages, malt liquor and vodka-based beverages

6:04that we've seen skyrocket in the canned form. So you're entering into that space, but you're reaching folks who prefer wine even in all of those occasions or you're feeling like you're a different, how do you sort of separate your positioning from some of those other options that are in market? I actually think we do align very nicely with a lot of those occasions. We often call ourselves an RTD. We are ready to drink the top and you've got a drink that's ready to go. And I think it removes some of that sort of pomp around the occasion. You don't have to be having a dinner party. You don't need to be having a formal setting in order to enjoy it. It's a Tuesday night and I've just put my kid to bed, pop open the possibilities. I love that. So now tell me a little bit about you. I would love to know a little bit about your backstory, what got you to this place, some of your early marketing experience. So yeah, bring us back. Happy to. So I started off, like I said, on the agency side. My first client was Pepsi and Frito Lay. I was working on below the line, consumer promotions. And then from there, I went and worked on

7:06over as consumer health. So really sexy stuff, gas, x-x-lags, benefiper. But I learned a lot about actually shop or marketing and how to approach retailers through that experience. We then won turnover cards. So actually my first adult Bev client was the Wine and Champagne portfolio at Pernover Card. And that just really inspired me and really woke me up. I actually started a blog at the time called Wine Exchange. I wanted to learn everything about the industry, about the category. And you know, it's funny because I was like this 22 year old little baby. And I was so interested and captivated by wine. And I think about that in the context of today's younger consumers in terms of Gen Z and how they're so put off by it. And I'm like, what's changed culturally? So that actually, I think about that quite often and it helps inform a lot of the decisions that we actually make is like, what was cool about wine then that isn't now? And how can we actually, as I get into that, I think it's a little bit of the formality around it. And so I actually think in many ways, at least the wines that I was working on at the time weren't as formal.

8:07And we made it approachable through things like easy pairing suggestions or ideas for wine-based cocktails even then we were talking about how to put wine in spritzes and it wasn't so formal. And I feel like somewhere along the way it became a little inaccessible because people started making marketing of wine about education. And now everybody wants to learn everything. If you look at our tourist's website, like, yeah, you can find information about tasting notes and things like that, but we don't lead with that. That's not the first touch point that you're gonna get from us because we find that it can be off-putting. And so we lead with humor, we lead with invitations to join and we're really working on building a community of people that can help carry our brand's story forward. Yeah. No, I love that. I mean, I likened it to golf almost. Like, you know, and I was just actually at a conversation with somebody at Johnny Walker, not too long. Here at Brandweigh, my old stomping grounds, exactly. And, you know, was talking about how they're doing a cultural club, you know, with Devor O'Golf. And like, the fact that golf was always very sort of state. Yeah, historically, but it's really obviously it's just,

9:10it's on fire now and there's so much about it that's so culturally relevant and exciting. There's almost like, just literally listening to you, I almost see a little bit of a metaphor where things, you have an opportunity to make the category more exciting and enticing to the next generation where, historically, to your point, it had been much more formal and much more about education. So, you know, how much are you thinking about, we have to grow the category versus, we have to grow ourselves to win in the category. Do you know what I mean? I do. And I mean, canned wine is, in some ways, a subcategory within wine. It's obviously emerging, but that's what's so exciting about it is that we have an opportunity to help define what that is. And we often talk about wanting to own a consumer's first taste of canned wine. Because if they have that great experience, then they're gonna stay in the category. And honestly, for us, we're not really thinking about other competitors in the canned wine space. And we see Archer Rousse wines is a great way for people to approach and enter the category. And honestly, if they see Archer Rousse is the first rung

10:12in a ladder that gets them, Marion talks about this, our co-founder, that gets them to a higher craisteer or a different type of wine, great. We've renewed the category, and that's a win for everyone. So, that's kind of the way that we're looking at it. And I'll also say, you know, going back to kind of my background, having worked in spirits for most of my career being at Diagio and working at 21 seeds, and Lobo 1707, one of the things that, in particular, vodka and tequila do so well, is that they engage emotionally with consumers. And so, I'm just really excited about the opportunity to bring that to wine, because you just don't, you don't see that as much as I think that you should. And it's been a lot of fun to make wine fun again. So, tell me about the name, Archer Rousse. Archer Rousse, so Marion came up with the name, mainly end the character. So, if you look at our can, you'll see a woman, very stately, Victorian woman, riding a mousse, which is just so whimsical and hysterical. And the reason that she'd bet A is because it's funny and fun. B, because the mousse is a North American animal, but it represents travel and exploration,

11:14and we are a globally sourced wine brand. So, you know, it's kind of fun to think of this explore out in the world on her trusting mousse, you know, discovering all these different regions. So, Archer Rousse is the playful name that she gave to the character that rides on the mousse. Got it, love that. So, now let's go to the Elizabeth Banks collab, because my mind, of course, goes to the only way to, especially if you want to reach Shenzhe. Well, Shenzhe, are they drinking A's yet? They are, yes, yes, yes, your money at them are. Yeah, the oldest Shenzhe is like 28, 29. There you go. Oh, yeah. You got my daughter, who's 17. Yes, not yet. But you have to just happen to all the social media and all the new channels to build relevance with them. And, frankly, the sizzle factor and make it cool. So, Elizabeth is helping you in that respect, absolutely. So, talk a little bit about that, and then we'll go into media strategy. Yeah, in the world of celebrity partnerships, they are not all created equally. And I feel like we have won the lottery with Elizabeth. She's truly such an incredible partner. She's obviously hysterically funny

12:14and an incredible actress and producer and director. But she also understands the commercial side of the business as much as the creative side of the business. So, you know, when we're engaging with an account and we're like, hey, could you maybe make a little video? Or could, you know, she understands all of that. But I think the thing that Elizabeth does so well is she has this sort of signature style and this humor that transcends age groups, truly. I mean, she's just so funny and there's just something about her that is really universally appealing. You know, she's not fussy about things. So, she really, she understands. And I'm with the brand. Yeah, exactly. And, you know, she picks up on trends. We were on set actually filming something for Jeff Blue. And she's like, guys, I want to film a video because there's this trend of wine milkshakes. And so, you know, she grabs the crew and she gets everybody out there. And she does this really cute video that's up on social and got great engagement. And it was just like, I saw this thing. So, we're going to do it. And we're going to do it in a great way. And so, she's always thinking and innovating and helping bring new ideas to the table.

13:14So, we're very appreciative. So, I love the partnerships you've done with like a Jeff Blue because that's going to help with distribution, awareness, awareness and distribution. What about other cultural moments are you thinking about, you know, do you do anything with concerts, do you do anything with, you know, any other sort of events, activations, et cetera? Yeah, definitely. It's a huge part of the brand. Last year and the year before my time, frankly, there was a big investment in sponsorships venues. And that was a great driver of awareness for us, certainly. Venues like Forest Hills, stadium in New York, your local to the New York area have been incredible for us. And obviously, it's making sure that we're aligning with the right shows where our demographic, which we call her Melissa Lovingly. And, you know, she's a millennial, female, wine drinker is there, but we've actually found that even at LAFC, you know, LA Football Club, which, you know, you wouldn't think might be. There are so many venues and opportunities for us to engage with all different types of folks who maybe have never considered wine at a place like that that really help us take it to another level. But like those travel placements like you mentioned,

14:16and we just launched on Princess Cruises, I mean, it's awareness with millions of travelers annually. And it's just such incredible awareness. I often go out and do samplings. And eight times out of 10, somebody will come up to, oh my gosh, I tried you on JetBlue. I loved it. I had bubbly on the way back from my trip. And I'll never forget it. It was part of a moment in their life as a sampling opportunity for 100%. Back to the media piece. So TikTok, Instagram, all the things. Like how do you think about where do you sort of rank order the media opportunities that are available to you? You know, are you thinking about placement in streaming shows in movies? I mean, like there's sort of a never ending. Obviously budgets certainly dictate where and when you can put the brand, but how expansive are you right now with some of that stuff? Yeah, I joined the brand last year and we started investing pretty heavily in paid social, which has actually worked really well for us. Our DTC business is up 91% versus last year, which is pretty major. And that creates a funnel though. So once you kind of own that data and that consumer, then it's great to be able to redirect them

15:16to our retail partners, to our on-premise partners that are nearby them. It's all a game, especially in Bevelk of distribution and scale before you can take some of those next steps. 2026, it's definitely on our horizon to invest in some additional forms of media. So I'm excited about that, but it's in close partnership with our sales team and our ops team to make sure that we're kind of at that right equipping point. Yeah, for sure. How would you define your leadership philosophy? What would people on your team say about you? Yeah, there's the kind of leader you are within the organization. So we have a very small lean, but incredible marketing team. But I think the biggest thing for me has always been clarity of mission and vision. I think that's so important. I thrive in a very direct, clear environment. I always try to pass that on, but I think once you have that, it's a couple of things. It's about making sure that we're empowering people. I do not want to micromanage anybody and I find that people's best work always comes when they're empowered versus having a lot of oversight.

16:17So that's really important to me. And I would also say, so that's the kind of the internal team. Externally, our partners serve as true extensions of our team. We have an incredible ecosystem of subject matter experts that we engage with in various things, whether that be PR or paid media, content creation, organic social, all those kind of things. And one of the things that I think I have a better sense of maybe being that I spent so many years on the agency side is when you would give the full big picture to those partners and you really treat them like they are a member of your team and give them, inside their full signed NDAs, like give them the full story so that they can really be bought into where you need to go, what your business objectives are, and how they fit into getting you there. And I found that's actually been one of the greatest unlocks for getting the best that we can out of our partners, but the most important thing is joy. We are selling wine. We are in the business of popping open possibilities. This is an incredibly fun category.

17:18Let's face it, it's a start up and we're all wearing a lot of hats and that can be taxing. So if we're not having fun, if we're not infusing joy into everything that we're doing, we're gonna burn out. So we have to find those exciting opportunities and those things that inspire us and make us wanna start work each day. And for each team member, that can be a little bit different. So it's about figuring out what's that thing that's gonna make Prima so excited. What does Izzy need to just absolutely be bursting to start work tomorrow? And I say that for myself as well. So your Farlet startup, are you an acquisition target? Yes. Okay, so how do you handle it? What are you thinking about? So we're rapidly scaling high growth brand. It's an interesting time for the Bevelk business and a lot of other businesses as well. Certainly we are outperforming the category dramatically. I think we represent a beacon of hope for wine. I think we represent the future where this category is going. And I think that that's attracted a lot of attention already. We're very fortunate to have had constellation invest in us in 2020.

18:19And so that was an incredible, I think, vote of confidence from within the industry. And we continue to be excited to have those conversations moving forward. We're at brand week as I started this conversation by saying, any news you're gonna break here today? Is there anything wanna tease right now with me as far as what we can expect to see from you moving forward this year or next? Yeah, I mean, continued innovation in both product and creativity. So our portfolio will continue to expand. We have an exciting launch coming in 2026. And, you know, there's gonna be a lot more creative things that I look forward to sharing with you with the next few months. Well, yeah, I'm dad week first. And let us know. Of course. And we'll report that out. So Conley, thank you so much for joining me. This has been a pleasure. Thank you for having me. Thank you for listening to Marketing Vanguard, part of the Ad Week Podcast Network and Acast Creator Network. You can listen and subscribe to all of Ad Week's podcasts by visiting adweek.com slash podcasts. Stay updated on all things adweek podcast network by following us on Twitter at adweek podcast. And if you have a question or suggestion for the show,

19:21send us an email at podcastatadweek.com. Thanks for listening.