Never the Same Story

Challenge

Bourbon barrel-aged wine 1000 Stories was a stellar success for US producer Fetzer Vineyards, launching a series of similar products across the country.

1000 Stories’ winemaker Bob Blue was the first to reintroduce wine aged in bourbon barrels, and the brand was a strong presence in the double-barrel category. However, with rising competition and increasing demand, 1000 Stories felt that their existing brand storytelling no longer gave weight to their name nor highlighted its craftsmanship.

Fetzer Vineyards approached DAf to create a new brand video and key visual that added meaning to the same 1000 Stories and underscored this wine’s small batch technique.

Brand Video

This result was a strong look and feel that reinforces 1000 Stories’ winemaking and distinguishes it from other bourbon barrel aged brands. The brand video combines a number of elements integral to the brand’s character, from the winery to city bars, the majestic Mendocino county to the great American bison; and the diversity of these shots reveals glimpses of the thousands of tales each bottle of wine holds.

A key differentiating aspect of 1000 Stories is that every batch made is hand selected and overseen by the winemaker. While style remains constant, no batch is ever the same. The brand also has a strong and emotive name, which we wanted to connect to and reinforce through the tagline. Therefore, “Never the Same Story” was chosen to express the dynamism of the batch technique, while also communicating an inspiring message to the consumers—that 1000 Stories celebrates individual creativity, nodding to the American gift for inspired storytelling.

In this sense, DAf proposed that 1000 Stories become the wine both of and for storytellers, as a way to concreate a strong emotional connection with the product.

Key Visual

The typewriter in the key visual and brand video is a nod to the artisanal approach behind 1000 Stories’ small batch philosophy, as well as to the slow, deliberate work of the storyteller; an approach, that, while not the easiest path, brings greater closeness and understanding between the writer and their work.

This vintage appearance of the typewriter reinforces storytellers and storytelling, while use of the whiskey glass connects the wine to its bourbon barrel-aged category. The direct simplicity of the shot gives it a contemporary freshness, expressing both the brand’s value for heritage and its forward-thinking spirit.

Client Testimonial

“The team was just fantastic, a dream, to work with! The sneak previews on camera during the day were better than I could have imagined. We thought the mood film was fantastic but seeing the actual filming, the final version will be a home run! We are so pleased to have partnered with you on this one.”

“Everything was fantastic! I only have excellent comments, no concerns or room for improvements. Thank you all for your work to make this happen. An amazing team!”