Spain's Rioja Wines Selects Finn Partners As Agency Of Record For North America

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Jul 27, 2016, 03:30 ET

NEW YORK, July 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global public relations firm, Finn Partners, today announced that it has been named the agency of record for the DOCa (Denominación de Origen Calificada*) Rioja region of Spain. The agency will work in partnership and under the direction of the Rioja Consejo Regulador (Control Board) to enhance the Rioja brand, directing an on-going marketing communications campaign targeting multiple consumer audiences as well as focusing on trade/retail relations in major U.S. and Canadian markets.

A view of the Rioja wine region, located in north central Spain and considered one of the greatest wine regions in the world.

According to Jose María Daroca, President of the Rioja Consejo Regulador, the selection of Finn Partners came after an extensive search via an RFP of U.S. global agencies which began in April, 2016. Finn Partners will handle all PR, marketing, digital, advertising and media buys for Rioja. Headquartered in New York and led by Agency Partner, Cindy Coppola, the annual fee budget for the account has been designated at $1.825 million per year.

Ricardo Aguiriano, ‎Global Marketing Director at Rioja Consejo, added, "Finn Partners brought together a combined team consisting of substantial wine and beverage industry expertise and the addition of key members of the agency's travel practice who knew the Rioja wine region well. The group convinced us of their competence and creativity by outlining the consumer, digital and trade strategy necessary to achieve our primary objective— increase sales of Rioja wines." The former agency for Rioja wines, PadillaCRT, participated in the agency review as well.

"Ten years ago, PT&Co. (now CRT/Tanaka) launched the Rioja marketing program in the United States," Aguiriano continued. "Since that time, Rioja has become one of the leading wine regions in the U.S. market, achieving one of the highest rates of recognition and brand awareness among trade and consumers. Now, Rioja has decided to fine tune the strategy by appointing Finn Partners as the new agency to further develop and expand the Rioja marketing program, now and into the future."

During the first six months, the Finn Partners/Rioja team will focus on increasing top of mind awareness of Rioja wines among media and consumers, as well as amplifying trade communications through the development of a robust digital communications platform.

Richard Funess, senior managing partner, Finn Partners, added, "From the moment we began the RFP process, we immediately saw that the strategy the Consejo used to expand the market in North America was rooted deeply in conviction and passion. And, in that same vein, I believe we have assembled the best and most creative team to take it to the next level. Together, working in tandem with the Rioja client, the vision of bringing to life Rioja for loyal consumers and in the minds of those who've yet to experience its beauty, will continue to unfold."

As part of the assignment, several members of Rioja's trade team members will maintain offices at Finn Partners New York. Ana Fabiano, Rioja Trade Director-North America and author, The Wine Region of Rioja, said, "Our award winning trade team is thrilled about this opportunity to collaborate with Finn Partners and the talent they bring to support a trade program of our dimension. Finn's philosophy of partnership is highly synergistic with the core of our trade plan which has been rooted in partnership since 2010."

*Denominación de Origen Calificada is the highest category in Spanish wine law

About the Rioja Consejo Regulador
The Rioja "Control Board" is an institution in charge of fostering and controlling the quality of the region´s wines, promoting the region and defending the interests of the region´s wine sector.

Located in north central Spain, Rioja is considered one of the greatest wine regions in the world. Rioja wines are protected by the oldest Designation of Origin in Spain, officially recognized in 1925. Since 1991, it is the first and one of only two regions in Spain to be awarded the highest category – Calificada. The institution administers highly sophisticated and stringent quality control in the winemaking process, from viniculture to bottling. Rioja's has the most acreage under vines of any wine region – more than 57,000 hectares (approximately 140,850 acres) – yielding 250 million liters of wine annually, of which 85% is red.

The effective application of self-controls run by the Control Board are much stricter than those of other wine regions – Rioja is one of the few that requires that all of its production be bottled at source – has created the sense of safety and trust among consumers and has allowed Rioja to attain its current leading position on the market. For more information, please visit www.riojawine.com

About Finn Partners, Inc.
Finn Partners was launched in late 2011 to realize Peter Finn's vision to create a leading communications agency dedicated to shaping a bold new future in which innovation and partnership are strong drivers of the brand. Finn Partners specializes in the full spectrum of communications services, including digital and social media. Specialty areas include technology, consumer, education, travel & economic development, CSR, health, the arts, and public/corporate affairs.

Finn Partners was named "Best Midsize Agency" in 2015, "Best Agency to Work For" in 2013 and "Best New Agency" in 2012 by the industry's Holmes Report. Headquartered in New York City, the company has approximately 500 employees, with offices in Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, San Francisco and Washington D.C., and has additional international capabilities through its own global network and PROI Worldwide. Find us at www.finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter @finnpartners.