Bloke thinks that wine advertising should lighten up. That attitude has won it the McGuigan Wines account.

McGuigan Wines is one of the world’s most awarded winemakers, named International Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London in 2009, 2011 and 2012, and IWC White Winemaker of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2013.

Bloke didn’t win the McGuigan account in a thee way pitch with the idea that its advertising should be grave or pompous.

“Wine advertising has become so serious,” Mike O’Rourke, creative partner at Bloke explained. “It used to be fun and it’s what made Australian wines stand out from the rest. We’d like to bring some levity back and we’re really pleased that the team at McGuigan felt the same way. McGuigan has essentially done the hard work for us, making award-winning wine for four generations. All we need to do is project their message in such a way that people’s first instinct at the liquor store is to reach for a McGuigan.”

Scott Burton, marketing manager for McGuigan Wines parent company, Australian Vintage, noted, “Bloke’s campaign idea sits perfectly with our overall marketing strategy. It’s about leveraging our brand values of warmth, openness and authenticity to create that connection and resonance with the consumer.”

It has been two years since McGuigan launched a major advertising campaign. On November 25 2012, Poloko Marketing Group launched a new brand positioning, Come on in, as part of a trade and consumer awareness campaign for McGuigan, highlighting the award winning credentials of the brand across radio, trade and consumer print advertising, web banners, microsite, point of sale and PR activities.