Wines of Chile’s “Wine Bar War” Competition Scoops Best Experiential Marketing Award

Drinks International magazine declared Wines of Chile’s Wine Bar War the crystal clear winner of the ‘Best Experiential Marketing Campaign’ in their first annual Wine Marketing Awards. This award category celebrates live branded events, experiential and field marketing executions that used a big idea to capture the essence of a brand in a way that allowed the audience to enjoy, share and engage in an experience.

Wines of Chile partnered with LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines, members of LATAM Airlines Group, Turismo Chile and the Guild of Sommeliers to inspire up-and-coming sommeliers about premium Chilean wine. The Wine Bar War challenged them to build a Chilean wine bar in a day for a chance to win a-once-in-a lifetime trip to Chile flying LAN Airlines in Premium Business Class to experience Chile’s world class tourism and wine regions. Four teams of sommeliers (each team consisting of 4-5 sommeliers) participated, attending a Master Chilean wine class and building a wine bar with 8 unique wines, including 1 Premium Business Class wine from LAN’s 2014 wine list.  The event culminated with a final event judged by a panel of experts and 400+ consumers. Teams earned a combination of points from 4 judges, attending consumers, and shared social media content.  Drinks International Marketing Award Judge Richard Bampfield, described the campaign as “Ambitious… I love the idea of creating ambassadors with sommeliers.”

Marybeth Bentwood, US Executive Director of Wines of Chile, celebrated the accomplishment stating, “Wine Bar War brought Chile to life through the love of wine, travel and creative self-expression, three hallmarks of the millennial sommelier generation. Our partners LAN Airlines and TAM Airlines, Turismo Chile and the Guild of Sommeliers made this ambitious project possible. We’re thrilled to have won this award, and look forward to hosting the second annual Wine Bar War in Miami, on June 18th and London, on June 29th.”

Chief Operating Officer of The Guild of Sommeliers Geoff Kruth agreed, “It was honestly the coolest event I’d been to in a long time. We see lots of trade organizations host events that will never impact sales or change the image of the country they are promoting. This event was a total contrast and I can see it making a difference for Chile. We’re looking forward to taking this to Miami on June 18th and London on June 29th.”

“We are honored that the innovative Wine Bar War project was awarded ‘Best Experiential Marketing Campaign’ by Drinks International Magazine,” said Pablo Chiozza, Senior Vice President, USA, Canada and the Caribbean for LATAM Airlines Group.  “Beyond educating sommeliers and wine drinkers in New York about the variety and quality of wines that Chile offers, it was a great opportunity to showcase some of the award-winning wines that are served onboard LAN Airlines’ Premium Business Class.”

General Manager for Chile Tourism Board, a promotional association dedicated to increasing awareness of Chile’s world class tourism, Andrea Wolleter concurred, “This event brought Chile to life in a unique way that inspires visits to our wine country and beyond. Chile offers something for everyone – business travelers, adventure seekers, and increasingly food and wine enthusiasts. The more you discover, the more you fall in love with in Chile. We’re thrilled to see the excitement this event generated for Chile.”

The 2nd annual Wine Bar War will take place June 18th in Miami, and June 29th in London. Click to view the 2014 video, or visit winebarwar.com to learn more about this year’s events.

Media Contact:

Marybeth Bentwood Executive Director of Wines of Chile USA

mbentwood@winesofchile.org

212.219.9350

About Wines of Chile

Wines of Chile is an organization committed to promoting the quality and image of Chilean wine throughout the world. It has offices in Santiago, London and New York, as well as representatives in Canada, Ireland and Denmark. Wines of Chile also works closely with ProChile to develop and offer promotional and educational programs in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Wines of Chile’s 86 member wineries belong to Vinos de Chile and represent 88 percent of Chile’s bottled wine exports. More information is available at www.winesofchile.org

About LATAM Airlines Group S.A.

LATAM Airlines Group S.A. is the new name given to LAN Airlines S.A. as a result of its association with TAM S.A. LATAM Airlines Group S.A. now includes LAN Airlines and its affiliates in Peru, Argentina, Colombia and Ecuador, and LAN Cargo and its affiliates, as well as TAM S.A. and its subsidiaries TAM Linhas Aereas S.A., including its business units TAM Transportes Aereos del Mercosur S.A., (TAM Airlines (Paraguay)) and Multiplus S.A. This association creates one of the largest airline groups in the world in terms of network connections, providing passenger transport services to about 135 destinations in 24 countries and cargo services to about 145 destinations in 27 countries, with a fleet of 323 aircraft. In total, LATAM Airlines Group S.A. has approximately 53,000 employees and its shares are traded in Santiago, as well as on the New York Stock Exchange, in the form of ADRs, and Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, in the form of BDRs.

Each airline will continue to operate under their current brands and identities. For any inquiry of LAN or TAM, please visit www.lan.com or www.tam.com.br, respectively. Further information at www.latamairlinesgroup.net

About Turismo Chile

Turismo Chile is an institution responsible for the international promotion of Chile’s tourist attractions.  Chile is a country rich in diversity and contrast. Its continental length from north to south reaches over 4,300 kilometers in a narrow strip of land between the rugged Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.  Such a great expanse gives way to an array of privileged landscapes, beginning with the planet’s most arid desert, transitioning through a fertile central valley, down through a land of lakes and volcanoes and ending in wild Patagonia. Additional information about Chile’s world-class tourism experiences is available at www.chile.travel/en/.

About The Guild of Sommeliers

The Guild of Sommeliers is an international membership organization for sommeliers and wine professionals, which strives to promote wine education, enrichment, collaboration and healthy debate among our members while maintaining the chief values of the sommelier profession: integrity, humility and hospitality. Through an online community and in-person events, the Guild aims to help members broaden their knowledge of the world’s wine regions, enhance their beverage service skills, network with other wine enthusiasts, and stay up-to-date on industry news and trends. More information is available at www.guildsomm.com.

About Wines of Chile USA

Wines of Chile is an organization committed to promoting the quality and image of
Chilean wine throughout the world. It has offices in Santiago, London and New York, as well as representatives in Canada, Ireland and Denmark. Wines of Chile also works closely with ProChile to develop and offer promotional and educational programs in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Wines of Chile’s 86 member wineries belong to Vinos de Chile and represent 88 percent of Chile’s bottled wine exports. More information is available at www.winesofchile.org