U.S. Drinks Conference will include key note speakers, industry expert panel discussions and networking.
 | Translating Industry Trends into Actionable Insights Spirits, Wine and Beer Category and Brand Trends. Interpreting syndicated data to make informed decisions. |
 | What’s It all About?— Social Media Marketing Author, entrepreneur, blogger, retailer, host of Wine Library TV, Gary Vaynerchuk challenges the status quo to help his readers trust their own palates. His daily videos are viewed by over 90,000 people (that’s 2.79 million per month!) And with a Facebook fan base of 40,000+ and over 800,000 twitter followers, Gary is a force to be reckoned with in the U.S. |
 | Social Media Marketing Panel Discussion Moderator:Steve Raye, Partner, Brand Action Team
Christian McMahan,Chief Marketing Office, Heineken USA Everybody's talking about social media, but what exactly is it? This session will focus on what SMM is all about…what is a Social Network, how is it different from a Blog? Should I be on Twitter and Facebook? How much does Social Media Marketing cost, and what kinds of results can be expected? |
 | Navigating Brand Entry and Distribution Understanding the process and timeline for cracking the US market is critical for a successful product launch. Key questions that will be answered will be how to find the right importer, the label/liquid registration process, realistic timelines, addressing customs issues, in-bond, open verses control states, price structures and brand valuations and finding the right distributor partner. |
| Regulatory Panel: What You Don't Know Might Hurt You. Vince O'Brien, Senior Council, Nixon Peabody This panel will consist of representatives from Federal and state regulatory authorities and law firms specializing in the drinks industry. They’ll provide guidance on how to comply with and avoid the legal pitfalls of the U.S.’ highly complex “Three-Tier System.” Some critical questions that will be addressed include: How to structure and manage a U.S. presence, criteria to use in deciding whether to staff locally or manage from overseas, contract do's and don'ts, and more. Last year's most popular session, now with expanded time for you to ask specific questions of the people who make the decisions. |
 | Retailer Panel: Strategies for the Street Panelists: The session will focus on the obstacles, opportunities and strategies suppliers can use to get on and off premise accounts to carry and promote their brands. The 5-member panel will give you practical insights and ideas that make cash registers ring at retail. Types of questions to be answered will include: How do off and on-premise operators learn about new brands? How do they decide what to sell and how to merchandise them? What do they expect from the supplier in terms of brand support? |
 | Supplier/Importer Panel - Spirits: Panelists: A behind the scenes look into the spirit brands that have succeeded in America despite difficult economic and industry conditions. The focus of this session is to explore how established and new suppliers launched new products, and from their point of view what constitutes “success”, the critical problems they have faced and lessons learned, and what some of the most common problems or misperceptions suppliers have when coming to the US. |
 | Supplier/Importer Panel - Wines: Panelists: A behind the scenes look into the wine brands that have succeeded in America despite difficult economic and industry conditions. The focus of this session is to explore how established and new suppliers launched new products, and from their point of view what constitutes “success”, the critical problems they have faced and lessons learned, and what some of the most common problems or misperceptions suppliers have when coming to the US. |
 | Allocating Marketing Budgets What kind of budget do I need? How should I allocate marketing spend? How long till I get profitable and what kind of realistic volumes can I expect? For behemoths to boutique brands you'll get the straight scoop on allocating marketing spend that's right for your company. |
 | Financial Panel: Sourcing Capital Moderator: Brendan M. Burns, Managing Director, Stepping Stone Capital Partners, LLC Panelists: Alexander Panos, Managing Director, TSG Consumer Partners Angel Investor or Venture Capitalist? Sourcing capital is challenging and understanding how to access it and what options exist is critical to new suppliers. This experienced panel will share insights on the range of resources available and what they specifically look for when investing in beverage alcohol brands. |
| Distributor Panel: Supporting New Brands Kevin Fennessey, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Southern Wine & Spirits Distributors are bombarded daily with new brands looking for distribution. How they decide which brands to take on and support will be the topic of this session. In addition, panelists will share examples of brands that have been successful…and lessons learned from those that haven’t. You'll get the insights from the people who make the decisions on issues like what distributors expect from suppliers and how they manage and motivate their sales forces. |
