How much do you love champagne?

If you forget my name just say ‘Champagne!’, I’ll turn around! 😉Absolutely I will!

One of the workshops I developed for my multiple award-winning mentoring, public speaking, and consulting business – Natalie Pickett Mentor – is titled ‘Creating compelling customer experiences’. In this workshop, we explore how to create emotional connections with your customers and immerse them in your experiences (products or services). The big question is ‘How do you make your customers feel?’.

Some of my research included how Apple had done this with their brand. One study showed that strong brands, such as Apple, activated brain regions associated with positive emotions, identity, and personal relationships – similar to how people react when seeing someone they love. This suggests that well-established brands create deep, emotional connections that, in turn, profoundly influence consumer decisions on a subconscious level. The human brain processes logos and brand imagery rapidly (often within 400 milliseconds!), triggering emotional responses and influencing behaviour.

How does this relate to champagne? There’s ‘Champagne’ the region of north-eastern France, and there is champagne the drink – and I don’t need a study to tell me that the mention of either will instantly provoke a ‘I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!’ response from me!

Whether I see it written, hear it spoken, hear that unmistakeable sound of a cork popping, or when I am listening to the bubbles in the glass, and sipping, smelling, and savouring the bubbly mouthfeel –my heart sings!

Then there is its association with romance. Champagne always enhances a date night. People propose over it and make love after (or during!) it. If I meet someone who doesn’t like champagne, it’s definitely a deal breaker!

While I was unable to find specific studies directly linking champagne to emotional connections, there is research, as well as cultural practices, that recognise the unique place in social and emotional contexts that champagne holds, influencing our mood and cognitive functions.

As the champagne brand is associated with celebration and regarded as a symbol of glamour and luxury, there are other obvious explanations; we always feel special when drinking champagne!

I couldn’t find a specific study on the brain’s reaction to the word ‘Champagne’, but research has indicated that beyond the feeling of celebration, that moderate champagne consumption may have positive effects on mood and cognitive functions. The phenolic compounds found in champagne (particularly those from Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes), are believed to interact with nerve cells, enhancing communication between nerves and the brain. This interaction can lead to improved cognitive functions and mood enhancement.

Additionally, the marketing and branding of champagne plays a significant role in consumer perception (as a symbol of celebration and also social status), with the image of the brand and product quality being crucial factors. Drinking this luxurious bubbly is also associated with special occasions and positive emotions, contributing to its unique and timeless role in social rituals. People often write to me to tell me their champagne stories, and many of the lovely memories they share include personal and family milestones.

A qualitative study I found highlighted a deep emotional connection between wine professionals and champagne, emphasising its unique character and the strong bond it fosters among enthusiasts.

More than any other wine, champagne is a brand in itself. I once asked a small producer ‘champagne grower’ in Champagne if he found it challenging to compete with the larger houses with bigger marketing budgets and production. His response was ‘No!’. The bigger houses, he told me, play a role in promoting the brand of champagne in general, and that this benefits all champagne producers and encourages people to explore further and try other brands.

It is only a champagne if it comes from Champagne! Champagne as a name and brand is fiercely protected. There is even a Comité Champagne, officially the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), that has the role of protecting and promoting champagne as a prestigious brand around the world.

I’m not an Apple user, and I don’t really consider myself a ‘brand’ person, but I do know that I love champagne!