Website for Pursued by Bear
- Website Design & Development
- Creative Direction
- Narrative Strategy
- Copywriting
As fans of Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Sex & the City, and Portlandia well know, accomplished actor Kyle MacLachlan has terrific taste and a wry sense of humor. Pursued by Bear is this Yakima native’s highly regarded Walla Walla winery and tasting room. Its unusual name comes from an offbeat Shakespearean stage direction.
Tasked with messaging the quality of the Rhône- and Bordeaux-style wines, made by Daniel Wampfler (winemaker at Abeja) in a quirky, offbeat, quasi-Shakespearean manner, we dug into Monty Python, Portlandia, W.M. Thackeray, and videos on the behavior of bears in the wild.
Photo Credit: Mark Burns
The Challenge
MacLachlan’s fans tended to order in small quantities, enthusiastically if sporadically. And they weren’t necessarily aware of the caliber of the vineyard sources and winemaking. MacLachlan sought to engage more consistently and meaningfully with serious Washington wine lovers. Marketing consultant Katie Sims approached Vin to design a new website that would honor the quality of the wines and incorporate updated visual elements from a packaging refresh by Chanda Williams. But it was important to celebrate the proprietor’s wry sense of humor and love of Shakespeare, as well. The Vin team embraced a witty storytelling style and whimsical Elizabethan design references to create an online environment that reflects Kyle MacLachlan’s waggish sensibility.
- Attract serious Washington wine collectors while continuing to appeal to Kyle MacLachlan fans.
- Showcase a refreshed visual brand identity and new photography.
- Encourage DTC online sales, and drive subscription list signups.
- Introduce a new tasting room and invite reservations.
- Incorporate droll Shakespearean visual and verbal references into an intuitive online experience.
High praise all ’round!
