When you plan an in-store campaign what are your typical objectives? How much of it is met by merchandising   and how much by shopper connect initiatives and activations?

Our objective is to create awareness; any visibility activities or samplings you are planning, it all depends on the kind of objectives you are serving. Our attempt in samplings is to get the shoppers taste wine and then get them hooked. In a retail store we have the initiatives like'buy a bottle and you get something free.' We can provide incentives to the shopper once they are inside the store and carry out in-store campaigns. We also put up and display the medals and honors we have won and put up posters of the London Wine Fairs, recommendations and medals. Wine world is where the expert opinion matters and we have these medals and recommendations from experts to giving their opinion to consumers.  Many people don't understand wine, so we have experts and souvenir (wine experts giving recommendation) giving recommendation to educate on wine.

Any new retail formats you have looked at lately or are planning? Could you elaborate on the reasons?

We want to open wine bars where we will sell our range of wine. This will be a very good way to market our brand and connect with our consumers.

What kind of challenges do you face when it comes to planning, designing and executing your merchandising?

Merchandising in liquor is different in different states, there is no standard merchandising parameter which you can apply as you have to customize it as per the location you are in - design it, implement the design in to the outlet. For us as actual advertising is not allowed, there are restrictions in terms of consumer engagement, but merchandising in shop is a way through which liquor industry can reach the consumer, so it becomes even more important.

Any interesting shopper insights or observations you can share?

Today shoppers have opportunity of interacting with the products by picking it up and of feeling it which was not the case before. Retailers have started to play a very important role in this trend which will keep on increasing as it is one of the best ways of interacting with the consumers.