Mark Ritson on the Wine Industry’s Marketing Missteps

Everyone in marketing knows Mark Ritson. He’s built a reputation for being direct, sharp, and unapologetically honest in how he approaches both the practice and teaching of marketing. With a career that includes advising major global brands like LVMH, Mark now focuses his energy on the Mini MBA, an online course designed to give students what he sees as the core foundations of marketing and brand building.

I was first introduced to Mark’s work by my friend and mentor Joe Fattorini, who pointed me toward some of Mark’s more pointed critiques of modern marketing thinking. Mark considers that marketing has drifted away from its foundations, losing sight of core principles in favour of flashy tactics and surface-level creativity.

Mark challenges the idea that marketing is just about flair or instinct. For him, it’s a serious discipline—one that requires structure, evidence, and proper training.

As it happens, Mark also has a real love of wine. So I was especially pleased when he agreed to join me for a conversation—not only about how marketing is (or isn’t) working in the wine world, but how it’s faring more broadly across industries.

It was a genuinely insightful chat, and I’m very grateful to Mark for taking the time to join me.