CAMPAIGN GOALS

The Ahrweiler region in Rhineland-Palatinate is the largest red wine-growing region in Germany, and is known among connoisseurs for its hospitality. Wine culture is the heart of the Ahr valley, and provides living for many family businesses.

On 14.07.2021, heavy and persistent rainfall caused the highest water level, up to 700 cm. The flood destroyed entire villages, bussiness, and even lives. People lost everything and faced the ruins of their existence.

In addition to rebuild the region's infrastructure, the main task was to help the family businesses in vinoculture, gastronomy and tourism to alive again, thus helping the economic survival of the Ahr Valley.

Our primary goal was giving financial help for the affected local people, by raising at least 1 M Euros fund. Secondary goal: to create awareness about the catastrophy, and increase the awareness of the Ahr Valley as a wine region in the whole Germany.

MARKETING CONTEXT

The extent of the flood disaster and the damage it caused was immense. Therefore we wanted to reach as many people as possible in Germany with this campaign, because the the larger the audience, the larger the potential pool of supporters.

Fundraising campaigns typically stage the suffering and destruction of those affected, and motivate people to donate. Suffering and compassion are touching, but it can cause a feeling of helplessness and paralyse people. But when it comes to getting us to act, other emotions have a more stronger effect: "The feeling of hope is the only thing that motivates us to take action.”

The only thing that survived the floods are some of the best bottles of the excellent and esteemed Ahr wines that were rescued from the cellars of the wineries. These muddy and no longer saleable, yet still drinkable wine were bottled and became the symbol of flood disaster – and the sign of optimism for the wine region.

CREATIVE STRATEGY AND EXECUTION

Despite the devastating loss of the wine-makers, some 200.000 bottles of wine – soiled with mud and dirt – survived the disaster. They looked impossible to sell. However, we created a special collection of wines from scratch, branded them as „Flutwein". Since they were coated in the original mud, we labelled them „authentically muddied”, and started selling them on a crowd-funding platform, dedicated to the rebuilding of the wine region. The bottles soon became the symbol of the disaster as much as the solidarity and support of the wine-growers' community of Ahr Valley.

Our design desicion was clear and simple: we left our bottles as they were, coated in mud and dirt – "designed by nature". The muddied bottles looked as if they were some individually designed collectable objects. This design approach not only differentiated the bottles, but also branded them, raising their value by 4500%.

TARGET AUDIENCE
We wanted to introduce people to the devastating story of our „Flutwein”. Each and every single bottle represented a unique winery, and symbolized the tragic fate of those wine-makers who were involved in the catastrophe. The crowd-funding platform allowed us to get in touch with those who were interested in wines, and were sensitive to the issue and wanted to help. The sheer authenticity and „natural beauty” of the bottles covered in mud also attracted those who had some artistic feel, and open to innovative design solutions. Last but not least we addressed those who expect positive action from brands, and appreciate them for stepping in to provide real solutions.

CAMPAIGN PLANNING

The idea was implemented within a few days in order to channel the public attention and to use it for the fundraising campaign. The newly created #flutwein brand united the wines of over 50 independent wineries from the Ahrweiler region under one label.

Each bottle is a piece of history, an original muddy unique specimen of symbolic value and at the same time a way to help.

The #flutwein bottles were available from 24.07.2021 on the crowdfunding platform Startnext in exchange for a donation. Through the crowdfunding mechanism, supporters not only help financially, but also become part of the project.

MARKETING & MEDIA STRATEGY

For the fundraising campaign "#flutwein - Unser worst vintage" (Our worst vintage) was launched. TV commercials, digital posters and social media activations put the bottles in the spotlight, and drew attention to the campaign's website. Influencers and celebrities showed solidarity with the campaign and called for donations. Ongoing press work and the fundraising campaign itself provided the media with an occasion and information to report on #flutwein and the wine industry in the region.

In contrast to typical fundraising campaigns, the #flutwein campaign rather focused on the wine bottles, and created high-quality iconic images, and the feel of a new brand.

The unconventional financing via crowdfunding – instead of the usual donation – also created attention, and multiplied effects through the crowd. The classic TV and OOH campaign provided high visibility among the masses from the start. Influencers were involved in #flutwein, and created additional reach and relevance among their followers.

RESULT

Result 1: #flutwein becomes Germany's most successful crowdfunding campaign. On the first day alone, 100,000 euros were donated. After the first week, the goal of 1 million euros has already been reached. The value of the wine rose by 4500%, and managed to collect more than 4,4 million Euros – and Flutwein reached twice the effectiveness of the most successful German crowdfunding campaign to date.

#flutwein created media buzz and reached millions of people. The press response for #flutwein was enormous, attention and awareness - nationally and internationally - exceeded all expectations.  

The PR effect was multiplied by the success of the fundraising campaign. The press coverage reached a total of over 800 million gross contacts. Flutwein also became the mouthpiece of viticulture in the Ahr region and, in it also ensured recurring reports on the reconstruction of the Ahr valley and the wine businesses.