Territory Image and Notoriety as Sources of Equity in the Wine Market

The world wine market is mature, together with an increasingly global, open and very competitive environment. Companies have to face the challenge of achieving differentiated quality based on the creation of equity. One of the mechanisms to build this differentiation is the creation of strong brands. The objective of this paper is to find out which sources of brand equity could endow the product with a higher differentiation. To respond to this objective, we carried out a study with five Spanish collective brands: Rioja, Valdeorras, Ribeiro, Rias Baixas, and Ribera de Duero. A panel of 296 consumers assessed the dimensions of brand equity for each of them. Results reveal that the most important source of equity, from the consumer’s point of view, in explaining the formation of brand equity, is territory image. Territory image is a differentiating factor used by consumers to identify and recognise a specific brand among the many alternatives, as well as shaping an excellent source to equity in the consumer’s mind. Another important source of equity is notoriety. Individual or collective efforts in investments to create notoriety and territory image would be very important in creating a strong brand. This is an excellent way to build authentic brand equity. Regarding wineries, the procurement of authenticity will be critical in commanding price premiums and obtaining an advantage against potential competitors.

Keywords: Consumer behaviour, brand equity, wine market.