Blue Ocean and Red Ocean strategies for rosé wine – an exploratory analysis

Purpose This research aims to identify the main international marketing opportunities for rosé wines, in terms of Blue Ocean and Red Ocean Strategies, given the increasing relevance of this segment of the wine market. Design/methodology/approach We adopt an exploratory approach by obtaining secondary data from an International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) study, classifying wine production and consumption by colour, with subsequent visualisations showing evidence of international markets, in terms of Blue and Red Ocean Strategies. Findings Among the ten major countries producing and consuming rosé wines, France, the United States of America and Italy can be classified as Red Oceans, while the Netherlands, Belgium and (especially) the United Kingdom can be classified as Blue Oceans. Such evidence can support appropriate strategies, especially in terms of marketing mix, for wineries aiming to export rosé wines. Originality/value This investigation offers two key contributions. First, the opportunity for conducting an exploratory analysis, starting from the secondary data of the OIV study by colours and adopting the Blue Ocean strategy, to construct an agile wine marketing intelligence tool (after detecting a scientific and/or managerial gap in wine marketing intelligence when specifically connected to the rosé wine business). Second, the evidence resulting from this approach can be used for subsequent applications to other segments and/or strategies in the wine business and not only about the current hypothesis of rosé wines. The evolution of the wine business will require continuous innovation, especially in terms of wine marketing mix (considering the impetuous dynamics of the wine sector at a global level).