Pump up the Jam Shed: Divisive wine brand drops new music video

Last month a zebra print touting gran became an online sensation after dancing for hours cheering on runners at the London Marathon. One track, Technotronic's Pump Up the Jam, was the most shared video, which Accolade Wines brand Jam Shed then decided to jump on.

The two-and-a-half-minute music video released on Jam Shed’s social channels features the gran herself dancing along with a DJ and a comedian. Filmed on a green screen the background is a series of trippy visuals with subtle references to Jam Shed wine.

Jam Shed featured in another viral video from the London Marathon when wine influencer Tom Gilbey, who drank a glass of wine at every mile of the 26-mile race, said the wine "tasted like piss". Gilbey has continued to criticize the taste of Jam Shed in follow-up press interviews.

Shaking up the wine category

The ad comes after Accolade Wines marketing director Tom Smith told The Drum about the company’s plans to shake up the wine category. Smith, who is responsible for the marketing strategy of Accolade Wines brands like Echo Falls and Hardy’s, believes wine has a generational challenge on its hands. “We’re not going to recruit new people to the category just by talking about vintages and chateaus that exist in France,” Smith said in October.

Sweeter wine brand Jam Shed has been positioned to recruit non-traditional wine drinkers, hence the playful marketing strategy and fruity flavors. “The wine world is often viewed as traditional, serious and complex, but Jam Shed recognizes consumers are looking for brands who can deliver enjoyment and fun, free from constraints and rules and helping to keep things simple,” Smith says. “The brand isn’t afraid to go against the grain, celebrating how it stands out with its unapologetically different attitude, which goes against category conventions.”

Sister wine Echo Falls had a similar reactive campaign during the Super Bowl dropping a limited-edition wine to cater to Taylor Swift fans who were engaged with the tournament for the first time. “It was another great example of being able to react quickly to popular culture,” Smith says.

Reactive marketing is an important part of Accolade Wines strategy for making the wine category more fun. “Brand acts and interacting with the world are just as important as paying to put your message in front of consumers,” Smith says.

The agencies Above+Beyond and Yonder Media are behind Accolade Wines’ reactive campaigns. Smith adds: “The team has autonomy to make decisions when they feel right and, when it comes to being reactive, quick conversations and decisions are key.”