The use of place and geography to market wine in Oklahoma

The use of place and geography in wine marketing is well documented. Oklahoma, a state not often associated with producing wine, contains many wineries that use place to market their products. These wine producers construct specific and generic place-based identities that appeal to local and non-local wine consumers. In this study, we take an in-depth look at exactly how Oklahoma wineries use place and geography to market their products. We employ qualitative content analysis to evaluate the websites of 39 Oklahoma wineries, specifically focusing on graphics and text on wine labels and winery logos. Our analysis reveals the predominant themes presented on labels and logos that clearly connect the wine and/or winery to its location. Examples include noticeable links to Oklahoma historic events (e.g. Land Runs, boomer and sooner references), Native American culture, and local natural hazards (severe weather, especially tornadoes) to name a few. Importantly, the geographic scale at which most place associations occur is at the state-level. Rather than constructing more localized regional identities (e.g. based on region, which is very common), these wineries have cultivated a decidedly Oklahoman sense of place.