WSET® Diploma in Wine & Spirits
Unit 1: The Global Business of Wine
Candidate Case Study Brief – March 2013
The influence of pop and celebrity culture on the drinks industry
The influence of pop and celebrity culture on the drinks industry is not just a modern
phenomenon. Royalty, opera stars and the like have had a long relationship with the
drinks industry and this has evolved to reflect changes in society.
There are many ways in which the fashionable and famous can be associated with
alcoholic drinks. The association may be deliberately sought after by those responsible
for the marketing of a product or it may just happen by chance.
Choosing the right person to associate with a product is of key importance to a brand
manager but the public reaction to the link is unpredictable. Sometimes there may be
little interest in carefully planned campaigns but occasionally a winning combination
proves extremely popular and results in a significant increase in brand awareness with
corresponding commercial success. There have also been instances where pop and
celebrity culture have caused a dramatic increase in popularity that has been totally
unexpected, coming as a surprise to the brand owner, and not necessarily always a
welcome one.
It is often said that there is ‘no such thing as bad publicity’, but how well do celebrity and
wine mix?
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR CANDIDATES:
Strategy and structure of candidate responses
Candidates should conduct their research based on the information outlined in the case
study above. The outcome of this research should be used during the examination to
demonstrate that they have a solid understanding of the topic and have applied sound
analysis of the data collected.
The examination is of one hour and 15 minutes’ duration and is to be completed without
access to notes or other resources. Candidates must complete all sections of the
question, which will be limited to the information contained within the constraints of the
candidate brief above.
Responses must be presented in essay format with clear structure and presentation as
described in the Candidate Assessment Guide, including an introduction and
conclusion. Candidates should, where possible, indicate within the body of their
assignment which resources have been consulted during the research process.
Examiners will be looking for
 Explicit evidence within the body of the essay of diverse and relevant research
drawn from both trade and general press, plus other publications and course
materials as necessary.
 Evidence that the information and examples uncovered by research have been the
subject of careful study and critical analysis before being deployed in the work
submitted for assessment.
 Evidence that the candidate has scrutinised the key assertions surrounding the
topic.
 Evidence of original thought.
 Good presentation and clear thinking.
 Candidates must address all required sections of the question and gain an overall
minimum mark of 55% to qualify for a pass grade.