Elaboration of Wine Brand Positioning Strategy on the Italian and Russian Markets: Comparative Analysis

The purpose of the current thesis work was to elaborate the positioning strategy of the “DODICI” wine brand for the Italian and Russian markets. In order to achieve this goal, the following tasks were performed: the concepts of brand positioning and differentiation were defined; the key features of consumer behavior and brand positioning on the wine market were identified; the analysis of the current state of the wine market in Russia and in Italy was carried out; the existing practices of positioning practices of wine brands in Russia and in Italy were revealed; the consumers' perception of wine brands in Russia and in Italy were assessed, the recommendations on the positioning strategy of the “DODICI” wine brand for the Italian and Russian markets were elaborated, and the media plans for both countries were made up according to the brand positioning guidelines. in the course of the research, the comparative analysis of two wine markets: a long-established Italian one, dominated by domestic brands and occupied by the consumers with high level of knowledge in the field, and relatively young Russian one, with wine producers from different countries and consumers with undeveloped wine consumption culture, was conducted. The results show how consumers on two typical types of markets perceive the brands exciting in their market space. These findings can be used by the scientists and practitioners in the field in conducting further research or elaborating recommendations on brand positioning for small, medium and large-sized companies.