Savvy Plonk Vodcast Episode 1

Sarah takes some friends through the finer points of tasting Sauvignon Blanc.

savvyplonk_ep1_20081030.m4v

Where in the world is Merlot Mags?

Melbourne.  Yep, so it’s been a while, I know. I’ve been busy getting glandular fever and enjoying all that comes with it, as well as working, and doing some research via interviews. It’s ironic that I spent a week up in Rutherglen doing my interviews, but could barely touch a drop of the precious vino due to the fever. However, I did get the satisfaction of having my thoughts on my thesis topic articulated back to me by professionals- collective sigh of relief that my work is somehow on track and relevant.
So where to now? Well, the data I’ve collected thus far indicates that I need a broader spectrum of opinion, so my energy (what’s left of it) has been directed at casting the net wider for interviewees. At the moment I’m panicking that I’m the only one who feels like there is still a grey mass floating above my head, full of teased out ideas and non-specific ramblings that will eventually fit neatly and succinctly into my industry report.
In fact, it was only a couple of weeks ago that these suppressed anxieties raised their ugly heads, induced by a few quiet gins obviously. Thankfully, my company at the time was well equipped to deal with this upset and inarticulate young lady – who knew I was not actually infallible?! Talking to another friend who has been through and survived that whole honours deal was extremely reassuring, turns out we all get a bit nutty and act uncharacteristic at this time of year.
To the health side of things- there was a window of about two weeks that I thought I could return from my no fun regime, tentatively step back into the gym and enjoy a few glasses/bottles of wine in order to channel my motivation again. Whether I overindulged, or that I simply wasn’t ready to return to normality isn’t clear, however I woke up yesterday with the dreaded haziness, sore throat and suspicious looking glands. I’m thinking it’s time to step back into sobriety, early nights, and a look but not touch attitude to the gym; which is the real killer because spin class is the only stress release I can count on!
Enough of the whinging- time to get my head stuck back into the books. Hope you are all sufficiently updated.

What?

This feels like somewhat of a déjà vu from earlier in the year, or perhaps I’ve been explaining my research to anyone who will listen. Anyway, it feels like this time around, I have a greater clarity regarding the direction of my research.
Two months ago I had a dozen different ideas about where my research was heading, and what questions it may be answering. For now, I’m focusing research on trying to figure out how the communications industry is talking to the 18-25 year old demographic, and if wine has an existing place here. From this, I hope to establish some recommendations for the successful communication of wine culture.
As I am delving deeper into my literature review, my findings are proving a couple of pre-conceived notions:
1) Wine culture is not even showing on the radar in publications aimed to engage 18-25 year olds (think Cleo, Ralph- trust me, the elderly sales woman at the newsagent didn’t approve of my purchase here…)
2) It doesn’t get a whole lot better online. Most wine blogs or novice sites originate in the United States.

The most frustrating part of this research at the moment is that I know there is some fantastic wine literature knocking about. For example, I’m nearly lining up at the newsstand for each new edition of Gourmet Traveller Wine. The internet is also providing some comprehensive websites regarding wine info, Fosters being a notable example, as well as Nick’s the Wine Merchants. Unfortunately, without the motivation to visit these sites, or the awareness that they exist, they are practically redundant to this demographic. Sigh.
So, the questions? How can public relations practices increase awareness of wine to the 18-25 yr old drinkers? Which method/s of communication will be most successful for this?
More than happy for any of my lovely, yet few, readers to pass along their suggestions. Heck, you’re welcome to write the whole thing for me.

Dear ______, my name is _______, wanna be my supervisor?

It’s that time of the academic year when supervisors need to be sought out, pinned down and loaded with the scattered ideas, wild dreams and stresses that only honours kids can provide. Who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity?

The relationship between honours student and supervisor is a rather peculiar one I’m told, short, sweet and intense. Therefore, the process of choosing a partner, I mean supervisor, is integral to the overall success of the year. Now I’m picky at the best of times, and similarly to other areas of my life, a checklist needs to be formulated as a guideline to the perfect supervisor.

1) Semi-regular meetings- I’m a pretty low maintenance kind of girl, however, I do need a little bit of one-on-one time every now and again. Therefore, I propose fortnightly meetings with my supervisor, in order to keep me on track with deadlines and also to provide feedback on my work- either positive or negative (more about that later).

2) Devil’s Advocate- It’s always nice to have someone to help balance your thoughts in a relationship, to push your boundaries by disagreeing, just to see where it leads the conversation. My supervisor needs to be able to assist me in seeing multiple contentions, tease out ideas, but reel me in when I become irrelevant or pretentious.

3) Editorial perceptiveness- Must pay attention to detail, it’s really the little things that count at the end of the day, for example when is it ok to start using ‘we’? Being able to run a fresh pair of eyes over my work and pick at everything is important, will be fired over misuse of punctuation, and using underlining as a formatting tool.

4) Honesty- The cornerstone of any relationship, if you don’t like where we are heading, be brutal and tell me. The time allocated to meetings is rather limited, no need to spend half of it sugar-coating words so neither of us cry about how lacklustre my recent work might be.

and finally

5) Must love wine- need I say more?*

* All wine acquired in the duration of the relationship shall be divided evenly at its conclusion.

Ben Canaider- hero.

Good afternoon all- so I’m a little late posting this, given that it was meant to be up here last Thursday night, apologies, my memory is like a goldfish. Anyway, the following is a start on my exegesis, not sure if it’s the right content but it’s something. My research lead me to stumble across a fantastic article in Epicure by Ben Canaider discussing binge drinking and encouraging a transition into wines tailor made for this demographic that might then get them onto proper table wine (an occurance that takes until we hit 34 research has shown). Pretty much became my current hero in one sentence here:

“we should all wait until we are 34 before giving up the cans of bogan and cola and moving directly on to Chassage-Montrachet.”

With that thought to set the discourse, read on for some positively compelling literary review.

A series of varied research methodologies were employed whilst compiling this industry report. Through secondary research, a selection of wine publications were analysed to gauge the attitudes of various influential professionals, including wine reviewers and journalists, on current issues facing the Australian wine industry. Analysis was consequently focused on the subjects of binge drinking culture, the effect of public relations on winemakers and ironically the congestion of wine reviewers in wider publications. These selections were made from varying print publications such as The Age’s Epicure and Gourmet Traveller Wine to highlight the varying reach of wine media in Australia. A search for online articles was then undertaken.
The current and perhaps never ending issue of binge drinking in the 18-25 year old demographic has sparked media discussion geared toward the curtailing of such behaviour, with the colloquial finger pointed at pre-mixed, or RTDs. In the opinion of Ben Canaider (Age, Epicure, 08/04/08, pg 15), this demographic need to be introduced to drinking ‘table wine’, however this is not a natural progression from sweet RTDs. A progression seemingly made more difficult by data from the Wine Industry Conference in 2000 presenting a ‘discovery age’ of 34 for wine drinking in Australia, leaving the 18-34 group as “one hell of a niche market”. Facing this challenge, Canadier looks at the introduction of sweeter wines to target young females particularly, however realises their desire for a wine “that’s lower in alcohol (because alcohol is fattening), that’s lower in calories (because calories are fattening), and, oh, put sugar in it”.
The article reviews three such wines currently on the market: Sangipop, Rosemount O and the Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Prima Riesling. The latter of the two are quite specifically the brainchild of marketing gurus from firmly established wine makers and distributors, whilst Sangipop originates from Rutherglen in North-East Victoria, produced by the boutique winery Rutherglen Estates. Sangipop’s creator, Nicole Esdaile, explains the needs for a style of wine to facilitate the bridging of the gap between sugar-sweet RTDs and comparatively dry table wine. Made with the grape Sangiovese, typically a lighter style, savoury Italian wine, Sangipop was created into a spritzy, rose style of wine, although still laden with sugar. Sangipop has been incredibly popular, selling out in its first 2006 vintage. Esdaile believes this style of wine has potential to engage young drinkers, saying, “It might be a drink that could appeal to a girl who doesn’t like wine but likes the taste of Sangipop. And it might move her on to trying wine.”
Sangipop, together with the aforementioned wines are made and marketed to be consumed chilled and/or over ice. To traditionalists in the wine industry, the idea of fusing ice cubes and wine is tantamount to the desecration of precious grapes and the art form that is winemaking. However, in the interests of the future of the Australian Wine Industry, it is perhaps time to consider a variety of ‘sacrificial lambs’ in order to become inclusive of the 18-25 yr demographic. This bigger picture discourse is quickly rebutted by Canadier, whom in closing notes that instead of making an educational transition with sickly sweet, pour over ice wines, “we should all wait until we are 34 before giving up the cans of bogan and cola and moving directly on to Chassage-Montrachet.”
As Canadier demonstrates, it is easy to discredit the wine industry’s attempt to engage with younger drinkers. However, the article does show a concerted effort to encourage the consumption of wine at a younger age, and foster the beginnings of a developed palate. Jancis Robertson, Master of Wine and influential wine writer, goes on to discuss the issue of further guidance for wine drinkers, in the form of main stream media wine reviews (Gourmet Traveller Wine, pg 36 April/May 2008). Robertson is concerned with the explosion of public relations in the wine industry and the consequent effects on wine sales, while subtly distinguishing the credible wine critics from those “who style themselves as critics”. Robertson notes the traditional approach to public relations in the wine industry is embedded in the distribution of wine to select reviewers, or winemakers who are “in town next week and would love to ‘meet’, which for this curmudgeon generally takes as a euphemism for ‘subject you to a sales pitch’”. The sales pitch approach leads to a step in the wrong direction for wine public relations, as educationally, reviews are now more focused on a certain score or rating as an easy means of reference for consumers. There is a lack of interest in the essence of the wine- the varietal characteristics, the terrior, the vintage and the general story behind a wine, all of which contribute to the understanding of wine culture, particularly if the writer is able to rely this in lay-mans terms- for example Stuart MacGill, or Matt Skinner.
While this approach is adequate to selling wines ‘en masse’, Robertson argues that it becomes detrimental producers and consumers alike, as it leads to a business of crowd pleasing instead of uniqueness, a problem that “comes with fame and a certain size”.

A Thesis is SO yesterday

Honours is definitely a changing, scary beast that needs to be tamed- thanks to Ryan for that analogy, inspired from a ‘Cheshire Cat’. As you may well have guess from the blindingly obvious title of this blog, I am not longer writing a thesis. A significant change at this stage of the year- but not late enough to mess me about too much.

After a chat in class about research methodology, and my increased confusion and frustration about not being able to neatly wrap up a methodology and apply it to my research, Adrian and I stumbled across this idea that perhaps a thesis isn’t actually right for me and where I want to be next year. The words ‘industry report’ were thrown in to the arena. I took a moment to consider this, and continued to argue my case for a thesis. In the end though, I have seen sense and henceforth will be writing an industry report on the same topic.

This means however, that I do get to write an exegesis, instead of a thesis, that is an unlimited piece of work. So really, if I were crazy enough, I COULD end up writing a bigger exegesis than I would a thesis. But WOWZER, that’s quite huge. In that moment of realisation that I was now in fact writing an industry report, somehow I felt a huge weight off my shoulders. Not sure why, I think perhaps because it has more of a structure than a thesis, or because I’ve written reports before and am comfortable with the vernacular. Either way I’m feeling like my thoughts are synthesizing a lot more rapidly than they were a few weeks ago.

So that’s a major update, and I’ve even figured out a research methodology to use- industry research. Ahhh, it’s like someone has Windexed my window and I can actually see it out of it now!

Don’t wait, procrastinate now.

In a recent class exercise, we were asked to chart out the stages in researching and writing an essay. Following this, we graphed both our level of interest and skill level for each stage. A somewhat interesting exercise that also allowed me to become reaquainted with the classic Derwents- colour me happy.

Turns out the things that I rate myself as doing well in aren’t necessarily the things that I like. For example, I really don’t enjoy composing my bibliographies, but I’ve not had marks taken away due to errors. I don’t enjoy taking notes when I’m reading, but I do it pretty effectively.

There were only really two stages where my skill and enjoyment level seemed in sync- the submission of my work and going to the library to research. Firsty, I’ve only ever handed in one, maybe two assessment tasks in later than the due date EVER. I get an immense feeling of joy and relief from hearing those pieces of paper float and crash when I gratefully slot them into the submission box. Secondly, going to the library. I’m terrible at it, it’s a last resort, 11 hr “crap, I don’t actually have any quotes outside the prescribed reading” moment. If I’m in the library, chances are I’m in a slightly panicked state. Therefore, my associated feelings toward the library are not positive, so I stay away. This is not the way to conduct a successful honours year however, so I am endeavouring to visit the library in leisure time, to familiarise and make peace.

Possibly the worst mistake I made in filling in my graph was the horrifying (to some) admission that 9 times of of 10, I hand in first drafts. Definate correlation between this and submitting on time me thinks. Again, I am told this is not a successful way to conduct my honours year and thus I will publish my second draft of this blog, not my first.

Back to the title of this blog- I was astounded that noone mention the most critical stage of essay writing- the highly creative procrastination stage. This is a must for me. I sure there is all sorts of psychology surrounding this art, the cures for it etc. However I find it is a vital process as it allows the procrastinator to reach the adrenillin rush stage, induced by the panic/shame of wasting so much time that you actually could have been finished if you’d cut the crap 5 hours ago.

My enjoyment and skill level at this stage align quite well. I feel my resourceful nature really shines here as I can move beyond the DVD collection and weekend papers, and find a rabbit warren of linked distractions on the internet. It’s fabulous. I fear this has turned into somewhat of a productive habit however, as aspects of my thesis are geared toward online communication- what hooks people my age into a website and encourages them to explore it and take on board the messages it presents?

Ahhh, justifying procrastination, a vital cog in avoiding starting my Comm. Rev. essay.

Ethics- the Everest of Application Forms

Currently in the process of filling out my ethical clearance application for my honours research. Quite possibly the most confusing experience of my life- barring watching Fiddler On The Roof.

It’s proving to be a difficult process because I’m not one to plan in detail months and months ahead. Sure, I know roughly the sorts of people I’ll be talking to during my research, but knowing when and where I’ll be interviewing them is stretching me a little. Also, trying to evaluate the risk level of research is bloody hard too, knowing how people will react to certain questions is near impossible- I’m not a psychologist!I’ve been staring at the 12 pg template/guidelines for about a week now, and it’s at the stage where I’m starting to see vivid shapes jumping out at me from the page……no more coffee.

Just thought I’d share my frustration.

Final first draft of the second abstract…or something.

Young Australian wine drinkers are lost in a fog of up to 1400 wineries and 5000 different bottles of wine when walking into a major liquor store.A challenge for PR practitioners in the wine industry is creating a message, both educational and informative, that resonates with this demographic.

Currently, there are is a lack of youthful figureheads in the industry to facilitate the integration of a wine society into popular culture. Therefore, alternative methods of communication must be sought out.

The effect of mainstream media in delivering this message is vital in understanding ways in which the wine industry can successfully converse with younger consumers.

Qualitative Research- benefits v problems

After flipping through a few of my favourite journals on qualatitive research, I’ve come across quite a few counter-arguements to those that I set out in favour of the research method. So, in the interests of academic non-bias, I’ll present them to you for discussion (keep in mind, some of them are long-winded but get to the point eventually):

“Many papers lack explicitness about methods for searching, appraisal, and synthesis, and there is little evidence of emerging consensus on many issues. There was also some evidence of possibly inappropriate use of some techniques. We conclude that continued methodological progress and improved reporting are required.”
Synthesizing qualitative research: a review of published reports
by: Mary Dixon-Woods, Andrew Booth, Alex J Sutton
Qualitative Research, Vol. 7, No. 3. (1 August 2007), pp. 375-422.

“At issue here, in part, is what the term ‘criterion’ means, and what role criteria could play in the context of qualitative enquiry. In addition, there are differences in methodological orientation: over what counts as rigorous enquiry, realism versus constructionism, and whether the goal of research is to produce knowledge or to serve other goals.”
The issue of quality in qualitative research
by: Martyn Hammersley
International Journal of Research & Method in Education, Vol. 30, No. 3. (2007), pp. 287-305.

“The article demonstrates the potential impact of these identities on the data collected and their interpretation, and the researcher’s attempts to negotiate these identities. In thus demonstrating that the `how’ of data collection can have important effects on the `what’ of data collection and interpretation, the article argues that qualitative interviews in higher education policy research should pay more attention to the social construction of interview `data’.”
Pivoting the centre: reflections on undertaking qualitative interviewing in academia
by: Chrys Gunasekara
Qualitative Research, Vol. 7, No. 4. (1 November 2007), pp. 461-475.

So, to reach a conclusion on these points (ironic?!), some problems arise with qualitative research with regulation/methodology, the lack of conclusive data, and the impact of the data analyser or researcher on the results of the research.

In terms of the problems that these arguments bring to my own research- I think the second and the third problems cited above will become resonably relevant to me.

The lack of conclusiveness from the data I will have collected is certainly a real possibility- a scary one nonetheless. I guess to put this one in perspective, it is important to remember that much research is sample research of a demographic- particularly when talking about qualitative research. This does allow for a margin of error, and obviously it is impractical to collect data from every mind in a set demographic. Futhermore, some issues resonate outside a demographic, and therefore can contribute to inconclusiveness within a research topic as a whole.

The next problem will, I feel, become the bigger obstacle to my research- the objectives/bias of the researcher on the analysis of results. I’d love to find the magic formula that allows me to find a channel of communication to push the wine message to people my age- and actually have them take it on board. However, in trying to find this formula, I might neglect other areas of research that could be just as important to my thesis topic, but doesn’t directly lead me to the answer.

Lots of thoughts here, hopefully the fact that I’m aware of this will help to negate these problems.