When a crime culture turns a brand

Not all alcohol is for everyone. And when it comes to wine, which is considered one of the most premium alcoholic beverages, there is a certain character and class associated with it. It is more than just a glass of wine, it is an experience.

Australian wine brand 19 Crimes is an epitome of uniqueness in brand philosophy. Owned by Treasury Wine Estates from Toronto, 19 Crimes celebrates the broken rules. What rules? What are 19 Crimes? It all began in 1973 when the British listed 19 Crimes, wherein the convicted would be sentenced to live in Australia.

This transportation was considered next to death sentence as many convicts died enroute Australia. It was these 19 Crimes that turned the alleged criminals into colonists. Those who survived the rough punishment began their independent lives.

By breaking the set rules by the British and starting a new way of life, a new culture was born. And the brand 19 Crimes proudly celebrates this culture.

The Australian wine brand is of course for a niche audience, who are not just wine drinkers, but people, who connect and resonate with the authentic brand story. In fact, the branding is so detailed that the labels have actual mug shots of the criminals.

Yes, every wine bottle by 19 Crimes has the mug shot of a criminal alongside his ‘bad boy’ story that complements the brand personality.

Breaking such an outrageous and radical brand to the young male target group was a challenge. 19 Crimes did so with their first brand video titled ‘How to braise a lamb shank and get Mickey to tell you where the goddamn money is’.

Yes, the video is as quirky as it sounds. The gangsta-inspired video starts off with the super ‘Good advice from bad guys’ and leads to a simple set up, where the gangster symbolically threatens Mickey to reveal where the money is, as he finished cooking the lamb shank and enjoys it with none other than 19 Crimes wine.

The last few seconds of the video hold the real tempo – It shows how the gangster gently sniffs the wine (while stirring the glass in a classy way) and says “Bon appetite.”The sign-off fades in – Bad seed. Good wine.

With over 1.8 lakh views on YouTube, the video went outrageously viral across social media channels. All the social media pages lead you to the sophisticated and edgy website of 19 Crimes, which will grip you, right from the first banner (we insist you visit the website).

The website will take you through the journey of the criminals, which also comprised scholars and poets; basically depicting the culture of these non-ordinary convicts, of men who overcame adversity. It is a brand that raises a toast to the rules they broke and the principles they lived by.