Wine & the Pornographer

Posted by Tom Wark on Nov 19, 2007

Over the past few weeks we at Wark Communications have been working on a catalog that presents various wines. It took a certain getting used to the idea, but after working on the project for a while and thinking about it, what became clear was that wine catalogs are all about sex.

Well, not the messy —let’s make children—"hand me the smokes, dear"—kind of sex. Rather, creating this kind of catalog is all about turning the switch on a person’s passions and desires; making them crave; asking them to give into their most vinous carnality.

In the first place there are the visuals. I believe that good, sexy graphics are the key to getting the motor running of most wine lover. That’s not to say that visuals alone will seal the deal and convince them to jump in bed with a sexy first growth. But, a well composed shot that hints at the pleasure to be had by embracing an Old World vixon like Comte de Vogue sure does get the motor running for many a wine lover.

In the course of designing this catalog we scattered slightly revealing bottle shots of great wines that could be had throughout the pages. The idea is simple and not new: use graphics to help them decide they can possess these sexy things.

Then there is the copy that accompanies photos that are the spine of the project. Think Penthouse Letters.  It’s there to make the reader crave; the copy is there to help the reader justify the spot of saliva that ran of their mouth as they skimmed the alluring photos. "That’s right, that Comte de Vogue is exactly what you think it is big boy, it’s a smooth, velvety goddess that you can keep wrapped up for decades and will make you burst with delight when you finally decide to consume it entirely…go for it. It’s yours."

And then, of course, there’s the money shot: "Robert Parker: 98 Points".

That feels good, doesn’t it!!

Did I feel a little bit like a pornographer in the course of helping create this catalog? You bet! In fact, without embracing one’s inner-smut monger, you just can’t create the kind of product that will make a wine lover stand up straight and take notice.