I keep a wine cork on my desk to remind me of one of the most remarkable large-scale behaviour changes in business, and one we don’t talk about enough.
In 2000, 14 winemakers in South Australia's Clare Valley took a bold step: they bottled their wines with screwcaps.
The functional benefit was clear – screwcaps prevent cork taint – but would that be enough to overcome the emotional risk for consumers?
Because the choice of wine isn’t just about taste. It’s about "taste".
From the ritual of the cork “pop” to screwcaps being code for “cheap,” the winemakers faced a psychological challenge, not just a technical one.
How did they solve it?
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They released high-end, premium wines in screwcapped bottles, resetting expectations of price and quality.
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They entered their wines in blind tasting awards, and won.
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They proved screwcapped wines were easier to open, reseal, and were more consistent.
As the winemakers taught us, it’s not enough to come up with a technical solution for a business challenge, you need a psychological one, too.
P.S. A reminder to Just Do This members…👋
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