Country-of-origin effect and millennials’ wine preferences–a comparative experiment

Purpose – For wine consumers, the country-of-origin effect still exerts significant influence, even though probably differently from what it was earlier, especially for newer consumer segments. Among these, millennials represent the most interesting segment of the present and future, even though studies on millennials’ behaviour are insidious and newer consumer segments are emerging (Generation Z). The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – This study focusses on this parameter through a comparative analysis of French and Italian wines – first, on the country-of-origin effect on millennials’ wine preferences, and second, on the possibility of managing this influence by adopting a wine marketing mix based on the innovative 4Es model. Findings – The outcomes of the experiment on 121 millennials, despite the limitations of the study, highlight interesting changes – compared with the wine consumption behaviours of the past – regarding the countryof-origin effect and the possibility of managing it. Originality/value – The results confirm, similar to the literature on the 4Es model, the possibility of wide areas of action for wine educational marketing initiatives that can change or enhance the country-of-origin perception.