
Our Episodes
From exploring the beverage buyer journey to leveraging modern public relations to how marketing automation is changing the way we engage with consumers, Hit the Bottle goes above and beyond the ordinary to ask questions and get answers about beverage marketing strategy, technology, and leadership. Episodes drop weekly.
Episode 17: Simplifying DTC in the Wine Biz
Welcome back, my loyal listeners. You know, I’ve been talking about marketing technology in the wine biz for several years now, and one of my biggest frustrations is the slowness of adoption of marketing technologies in the biz. It still lags behind many other...
Episode 16: Beverage Industry Compliance Tips and Tricks
One of the many challenges facing beverage marketers is working within a highly regulated industry. Selling Wine and Spirits can be complicated for the uninitiated. From knowing the difference between a front label and a brand label, to the strict limits on samples to...
Episode 15: Blogging and Digital Communication in the Wine Biz
Welcome, Hit the Bottle listeners, I’m your host, Michael Wangbickler. When you have an opportunity to spend an hour with one of your respected peers, it’s a refreshing experience. It makes you remember why you do what you do, and that there are others...
Episode 14: Leadership and Mentorship in the Wine Biz
Welcome back Hit the Bottle listeners. I am your host, Michael Wangbickler. They say, “You should never meet your heroes.” The people that you admire may disappoint you by not living up to your expectations when you encounter them in real life. The internet...
Episode 13: Public Relations vs. Marketing
Welcome back to Hit the Bottle, I’m your host, Michael Wangbickler. I’ve been managing public relations programs for more than 25 years. During that time, the means of communication may have evolved, but the basic principles remain the same. PR is necessary to communicating...
Episode 12: Building Positive Emotional Experiences
Welcome back, HDB listeners. I’m Michael Wangbickler. As I mentioned in our last episode, we have about 10 episodes we recorded late last year that we are rolling out over the next two months. The following show is one of those. Angelica Mabray is...
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The HTB Team
Veterans of the alcoholic beverage industry, Michael Wangbickler and Emma Criswell bring their unique perspectives each week to the show. Wangbickler is President of Balzac Communications & Marketing, a leading beverage marketing agency, and Criswell joined the Balzac team in 2018 after a long career in beverage marketing. Together the two hosts have a passion for the booze business, and look forward to sharing the mic with leaders in the industry.