Uncorking Language – Wine Communication and Education with Dr. Allison Creed 

Author: Mukhangali Kundyz

Why is metaphor central and essential in wine communication? How might wine descriptions affect consumers’ choice of drink?  Dr. Allison Creed from the University of Melbourne, Australia explored these and other questions during her visiting scholarship at Corvinus University of Budapest. Key points from the discussion are available online at Bormagazin, boraszportal.hu, while here we present the most essential highlights of the article.  

Wines are sometimes described as “velvety” or “honest,” attributing human-like qualities to them. Dr. Creed explains that anthropomorphicism is deeply rooted in wine communication since it makes communication more authentic. This approach allows businesses to tell stories and evoke human emotions, ultimately creating a connection with consumers. In this sense, selling stories and not just products is the key strategy of any marketing communications. With the help of metaphors and personification, wine becomes more than just a drink; it becomes an experience for people. 

“This is not just poetic hyperbole” writes the author of Boraszportal, but also the results of previous research. As an example, when wine is depicted as “soft” and “brooding” people would associate the wine with their respective emotional states. Inclusion of metaphors helps people to better “taste” and “understand” wine. However, it is also important to note that not all consumers react in the same way to such descriptions; their response depends on the prior experience of a consumer and the frequency of wine consumption. As pointed out by Professor Creed, this is the current key intersection in metaphor research; to explore which figurative language is most successful and influential across various audiences.  

Dr. Allison Creed researches in the field of Applied Cognitive Linguistics, focusing on metaphorical language in communication and education. Allison’s experience spans applied linguistics, wine marketing, and career development with published work in the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, International Journal of Educational and Vocational Guidance, the Edward Elgar Handbook of Research Methods in Careers, and Palgrave Macmillan’s Management and Marketing of Wine Tourism Business.