The eyes have it: How do gender cues in wine labels influence U.S. women wine consumers?

Abstract

Little is known about women wine consumers’ reactions to gender cues in marketing communication despite their increasing purchasing power. This research examines the effects of gender cues (feminine vs. masculine) in wine labels on women wine consumers' attitudes, sensory expectations, sensory evaluations, and purchase intentions. Two online experiments and one field test involving 462 valid responses from U.S. women consumers reveal that they hold more favorable attitudes and intentions towards feminine (vs. masculine) wine labels. The moderating effects of in-group gender identification and wine knowledge were discussed. This study responds to calls for more research about women consumers in the hospitality field and extends the application of gender schema theory to hospitality literature. The findings offer updated knowledge on how to approach gender in hospitality marketing, particularly wine marketing. This research enriches hospitality literature in terms of gender marketing and provides substantial practical implications for the wine industry.