Six consumers. Three questions. One clear pattern emerged about The Wine Group.
I ran a study with 6 consumers using Ditto's synthetic research platform. The objective: understand consumer preferences for everyday wines, box wines, and value positioning. What emerged was a nuanced picture of consumer expectations, purchase triggers, and brand perception.
The Participants
The study included 6 consumers across Canada, ages 29-60, from locations including Norfolk, Knoxville city, Orem. All were category-relevant purchasers who could speak to their genuine preferences and behaviours.
Question 1: Key Findings
We asked: How do you discover new wine brands? Would you be more likely to try something new if it came recommended as 'great value' versus 'premium quality'?...
Leroy Murillo, 58, Fresno:
"Short answer: I find new bottles the same way I find a good socket set - follow the person who’s earned my trust, ignore the glossy box, and test it under real conditions. How I actually stumble into new stuff: Great value beats premium quality every time for getting me to try something new. Prem..."
William Cox, 60, Knoxville city:
"Mostly I stumble into new stuff the lazy way. If Kroger or Aldi has a yellow tag or an endcap, I grab it. If Lisa brings one home and says it is not sweet, that is the winner. Sometimes a buddy shows up for the game with a bottle and if it drinks clean, I remember the label. I am not downloading an ..."
Rose Romero, 29, Norfolk:
"I find new bottles in very un-fancy ways: Great value beats premium quality for me almost every time. “Premium” reads like markup unless it’s a special meal and it’s on sale; prove it in the glass at a fair price or I’m not bothering...."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about The Wine Group, emphasizing authentic value over marketing claims.
Question 2: Key Findings
We asked: When you're buying wine for a casual weeknight dinner, what's most important - price, taste, brand recognition, or something else? What's your typical...
Arthur Martienz, 40, Grand Rapids:
"Taste with the food and how it drinks on a Tuesday matter most, not the label. I want something dry, not oaky, and not so boozy that my 5:30 a.m. run is wrecked. Price: typical weeknight is $12 to $15. I will go to $18 to $20 if it is a sure thing or on a good sale. I grab two so I do not have to..."
Leroy Murillo, 58, Fresno:
"Taste and context rule. Brand recognition is marketing confetti, and price only matters as a sanity check on value. Typical range: $10 to $16 for a weeknight; I’ll stretch to $18 to $22 if dinner’s a bit special. Anything pricier waits for weekends or guests. It’s cool out today, so I’d grab a li..."
William Cox, 60, Knoxville city:
"Weeknight wine is a price and taste deal for me. Brand names do not move the needle. If Lisa likes it, that is the brand. Screw cap helps. No fuss, no cork hunt. Typical range: $7-12 a bottle at Kroger or Aldi. If we grab a box, $12-18 when it is on sale and it lasts the week. Cold night with chi..."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about The Wine Group, emphasizing authentic value over marketing claims.
Question 3: Key Findings
We asked: What's your honest opinion of boxed wine? Has that perception changed over the years, or do you still associate it with lower quality?...
Leroy Murillo, 58, Fresno:
"Short version: I used to associate boxed wine with headache-in-a-cube and dorm-room sangria. Now I see it as perfectly fine utility juice for weeknights and cooking, with a few boxes that are actually decent to sip. Most of it still tastes a bit flat or sweet to me, like someone put a Merlot through..."
Eric Vazquez, 42, Orem:
"Short answer: I used to roll my eyes at boxed wine. Now I keep one in the fridge and I’m not sorry. It used to scream college hangover and cheap sugar bomb to me. Over the last few years, though, I’ve had a few that are perfectly decent - clean, consistent, weeknight-drinkable. I’m not opening a bo..."
William Cox, 60, Knoxville city:
"Boxed wine used to taste like grape Kool-Aid with a headache built in. Back in the day it screamed cheap. Lately, some of it’s fine. Lisa’s grabbed a couple from Kroger or Aldi, and we’ve poured it with chili or on the porch and it did its job without any fuss. I still mentally tag it as lower-end a..."
Key insight: Consumers showed clear patterns in their responses about The Wine Group, emphasizing authentic value over marketing claims.
What This Means for The Wine Group
The research reveals several actionable insights for The Wine Group's positioning and marketing strategy. Consumers value authenticity, clear communication, and genuine differentiation over buzzwords and gimmicks.
Lead with authentic value propositions, not category clichés
Address specific consumer concerns directly in messaging
Price and accessibility matter as much as premium positioning
Conclusion
This research demonstrates how synthetic consumer research can surface actionable insights in hours rather than weeks. The patterns that emerged about The Wine Group provide a clear roadmap for positioning, messaging, and product decisions.
Want to test your own brand positioning with synthetic consumers? Ditto lets you run studies like this in minutes. Book a demo at askditto.io.
What the Research Revealed
We asked real consumers to share their thoughts. Here's what they told us:
How do you discover new wine brands? Would you be more likely to try something new if it came recommended as 'great value' versus 'premium quality'?
Leroy Murillo, 58, Retiree (Independent), Fresno, CA, USA:
Short answer: I find new bottles the same way I find a good socket set - follow the person who’s earned my trust, ignore the glossy box, and test it under real conditions. How I actually stumble into new stuff: Great value beats premium quality every time for getting me to try something new. Premium sounds like a price hike with a tux - show me why it drinks above its bracket or pour me a taste, otherwise hard pass. If it’s cool like today and I’m grilling, I’ll reach for the sleeper value bo
William Cox, 60, Unemployed Adult, Knoxville city, TN, USA:
Mostly I stumble into new stuff the lazy way. If Kroger or Aldi has a yellow tag or an endcap, I grab it. If Lisa brings one home and says it is not sweet, that is the winner. Sometimes a buddy shows up for the game with a bottle and if it drinks clean, I remember the label. I am not downloading an app to pick a $9 bottle. Great value gets me to try it. Premium quality sounds like a $9 wine wearing a $19 jacket. Give me a clear price, a dry note on the back, and a screw cap, and I will roll the
Rose Romero, 29, Project Coordinator, Norfolk, VA, USA:
I find new bottles in very un-fancy ways: Great value beats premium quality for me almost every time. “Premium” reads like markup unless it’s a special meal and it’s on sale; prove it in the glass at a fair price or I’m not bothering.
Arthur Martienz, 40, Maintenance Technician, Grand Rapids, MI, USA:
I do not chase brands. I find new bottles where I already shop and keep it tied to dinner and price so I am not wasting time in a cold aisle. Great value beats premium quality for me, every time. “Premium” sounds like “pay more” and usually drinks the same on a Tuesday. If you want me to try it, say great value, show dry style, 12 to 13.5% ABV, the food match, and the price under $18. I am not lingering in this cold for poetry on a label.
Eric Vazquez, 42, Product Manager, Orem, UT, USA:
Short version: I find new stuff by actually drinking it in the wild - not by staring at shelf poetry. Great value moves me. "Premium quality" makes me roll my eyes unless a trusted human explains why. How I discover new wine: On the value vs premium thing: Actual decision filter I use: It’s sunny but brisk here, and yeah, I’m reaching for the solid value red that plays nice with Tuesday dinner. Premium can wait until there’s a babysitter and candles.
Mary Reyes, 42, Office Manager, Rural, GA, USA:
Short answer: I try new wine the same way I find cheap soccer cleats - where I already shop and only if it fits the budget and the job. How I actually discover new brands: “Great value” vs “premium quality”: Bottom line: if a bottle behaves - pairs well, doesn’t give me a headache, and doesn’t wreck the budget - it gets invited back. If not, I go right back to my box and sleep fine.
When you're buying wine for a casual weeknight dinner, what's most important - price, taste, brand recognition, or something else? What's your typical price range?
Arthur Martienz, 40, Maintenance Technician, Grand Rapids, MI, USA:
Taste with the food and how it drinks on a Tuesday matter most, not the label. I want something dry, not oaky, and not so boozy that my 5:30 a.m. run is wrecked. Price: typical weeknight is $12 to $15. I will go to $18 to $20 if it is a sure thing or on a good sale. I grab two so I do not have to think about it again this week.
Leroy Murillo, 58, Retiree (Independent), Fresno, CA, USA:
Taste and context rule. Brand recognition is marketing confetti, and price only matters as a sanity check on value. Typical range: $10 to $16 for a weeknight; I’ll stretch to $18 to $22 if dinner’s a bit special. Anything pricier waits for weekends or guests. It’s cool out today, so I’d grab a lighter red with some zip; when Fresno heats up, it’s chilled white or rosé without the sugar. Ratings don’t sway me; one good sip with salmon or tacos does.
William Cox, 60, Unemployed Adult, Knoxville city, TN, USA:
Weeknight wine is a price and taste deal for me. Brand names do not move the needle. If Lisa likes it, that is the brand. Screw cap helps. No fuss, no cork hunt. Typical range: $7-12 a bottle at Kroger or Aldi. If we grab a box, $12-18 when it is on sale and it lasts the week. Cold night with chili gets a cheap red. Lighter dinner gets a not-sweet white. Good deal, done.
Rose Romero, 29, Project Coordinator, Norfolk, VA, USA:
Taste for the price is what matters. I’m not paying $20 for a Tuesday, and I don’t care about brand names if the glass tastes clean and pairs with dinner. If it’s this chilly out, I reach for a dry red; in warmer weather I grab something crisp and not sweet. If a bottle needs a long story to sell itself, I skip it.
Eric Vazquez, 42, Product Manager, Orem, UT, USA:
For a weeknight, it’s taste with the food first, then price as a guardrail. Brand recognition barely registers - if the label screams lifestyle brand, I roll my eyes and keep walking. On a cool night like this, I want something that plays nice with tacos or a sheet-pan chicken - nothing syrupy, nothing oak-bombed. I lean Spain and Portugal for value - Tempranillo, Garnacha, Douro reds, Albariño or Vinho Verde when it’s lighter fare. Also, screwcap wins after soccer practice - I’m not wrestling a
Mary Reyes, 42, Office Manager, Rural, GA, USA:
Price first, then taste. I’m feeding six kids, not impressing a sommelier. If it’s a Tuesday, I want something dry, predictable, and easy to open that won’t wreck my sleep or my budget. Brand recognition? Meh. That’s marketing. I buy by style and country, not label. Bottom line: if it’s tasty, dry, and under ten bucks, it’s coming home with me. Labels can shout all they want. My wallet gets the final vote.
What's your honest opinion of boxed wine? Has that perception changed over the years, or do you still associate it with lower quality?
Leroy Murillo, 58, Retiree (Independent), Fresno, CA, USA:
Short version: I used to associate boxed wine with headache-in-a-cube and dorm-room sangria. Now I see it as perfectly fine utility juice for weeknights and cooking, with a few boxes that are actually decent to sip. Most of it still tastes a bit flat or sweet to me, like someone put a Merlot through a Brita and forgot to add the soul, so I’m not pouring it at a nice dinner. But the practicality is hard to beat in this Fresno climate - it doesn’t oxidize into sad salad dressing by Friday, and it’
Eric Vazquez, 42, Product Manager, Orem, UT, USA:
Short answer: I used to roll my eyes at boxed wine. Now I keep one in the fridge and I’m not sorry. It used to scream college hangover and cheap sugar bomb to me. Over the last few years, though, I’ve had a few that are perfectly decent - clean, consistent, weeknight-drinkable. I’m not opening a box for an anniversary dinner, but for tacos on a Tuesday or when I’m editing photos after Mateo’s bedtime, it hits the brief. And the bag-in-box thing means it doesn’t turn on you in two days, which is
William Cox, 60, Unemployed Adult, Knoxville city, TN, USA:
Boxed wine used to taste like grape Kool-Aid with a headache built in. Back in the day it screamed cheap. Lately, some of it’s fine. Lisa’s grabbed a couple from Kroger or Aldi, and we’ve poured it with chili or on the porch and it did its job without any fuss. I still mentally tag it as lower-end and I’m not showing up to a nice dinner with a bladder in a box. But for weeknights, tailgates, or cooking, it’s practical and you don’t feel bad about the last glass. Not a special-occasion bottle, mo
Rose Romero, 29, Project Coordinator, Norfolk, VA, USA:
Honestly, boxed wine used to scream cheap dorm headache to me, so yeah, I pegged it as lower quality. Now I’ll keep one in the fridge sometimes because it’s cheap per glass, it stays fine all week, and I don’t feel silly opening it on a Tuesday after work. Quality is still hit-or-miss, but a couple brands are totally serviceable for tacos, sangria, or a casual hang. If it’s date night or I want a little ceremony, I still buy a bottle, but I’m not paying cork prices for Tuesday wine.
Mary Reyes, 42, Office Manager, Rural, GA, USA:
Short answer: boxed wine is fine. Not fancy, not tragic. Just... practical. When I was younger, I thought it tasted like sugary headache juice. We’d joke about it at parties. Now I’m 42 with six kids and a tight budget, and my tune changed. If I want one glass after bedtime or need wine for cooking, I’m not popping a $15 bottle to let it die on the counter. The box sits in the fridge and doesn’t taunt me to finish it by Wednesday. What I actually do: When I skip it: Has my perception chang
Arthur Martienz, 40, Maintenance Technician, Grand Rapids, MI, USA:
Honest take? I used to think boxed wine was bottom-shelf party juice. It’s gotten better, or maybe I just got more practical with weeknights. For weeknight cooking and one glass after dishes, a decent box is fine. Price per glass is low and it doesn’t turn on day two, so I waste less. But if I’m sitting down with a steak or taking something to a nice dinner, I want a bottle, usually Spanish. So yeah, the stigma is mostly gone for me, but a box is not special and I’m not pretending it is.
