There are eighteen billion glass bottles of wine filled every year by wineries throughout the world. That means that there are eighteen billion bottles that will soon be emptied and need a home. Some make it to glass recycling facilities but many end up in landfills.
One couple determined to make a dent in that waste by creating soy-based candles that can reuse some of those bottles. What started as a way to make a few extra bucks has turned into a business that has caught fire for Anna and Dave Neith. The owners like to say that they are in the business of helping the world unwind.
The Unwined Candle Story
How many candle companies have you ever seen? Plenty, right?
But what this enterprising couple got right was that they had a compelling story that others could tell. Their business was tied and connected with a sustainable practice. Even if their original intention was that a recycled bottle was a way to save money, they also believed they could do a small part to get some glass out of the waste stream.
Their story is simple and easy to retell.
Look at all the wine bottles in your neighborhoods recycling bins. What if you could turn them into something useful?
Lessons for entrepreneurs looking for a marketing edge
- Tell a story a sixth grader can easily repeat. If you can’t explain it at a basic level, no one will share it.
- Be different in a way that matters to an audience. Those who enjoy candles will enjoy buying a product made in part from recycling materials.
- Be imaginative in naming your brand so that you can encapsulate a story in a word or two. Unwine is an excellent example of a name that ties in perfectly with the owners business model.
- Be playful in naming your products. They have one candle called 5 o’clock somewhere that was used for the Country Music Awards gift bags a few years ago.
- Leverage category connections so you reinforce your brand. In this case, Unwined links the wine connection with scents like Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet.
You can learn more about unwined candles at http://www.unwined candlecompany.com.
When you have a built-in story, your product becomes easier to share with others. When you enable sharing, you are making the marketing of your product much easier to spread. Cheers to storytelling and sharing stories.
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Photo: Screen grab from Wined Candles – All Rights Reserved.
