The idea for Come Over October came to Karen MacNeil while walking her dog. MacNeil, the globally acclaimed wine communicator, was thinking about the current state of wine — a state she describes as perilous — and how to help. She came up with the concept of a month-long national marketing campaign that encourages people to simply come together and share some wine.
MacNeil, wanting to make sure she was truly onto something, reached out to her longtime friends, Kimberly Noelle Charles, DipWSET (founder and president of Charles Communications Associates) and Gino Colangelo (president of Colangelo & Partners). They were immediately on board, agreeing that this was a really good idea. The momentum for Come Over October (COO) has been rapidly growing since that morning of February 2024.
“It’s an extremely positive campaign. It’s also irrefutable that wine is a communal beverage,” MacNeil told VinePair. “As a longtime writer and researcher, it is an absolute fact that for 9,000 years, wine has had a role in society of bringing people together. Every wine drinker has a story to tell of new friendships that were formed over simply sharing some wine.”
Sounds simple enough, right? But the role of wine in culture and society is pretty profound, according to MacNeil, and COO wants to celebrate and shine a spotlight on the communal aspect of this magical beverage. From the wineries to the distributors, the retailers, the restaurants, and beyond — there is no part of the wine industry that this campaign won’t touch.
MacNeil, Charles, and Colangelo formed a mission-driven company called Come Together – A Community For Wine. The three founders are all donating their time to this passion project which is already seeing some rejuvenating ripple effects throughout the industry. “The response has been overwhelmingly positive. We want to counteract the narrative that wine is simply alcohol. To me, wine is spirituality, friendship, generosity, togetherness, culture, history, art, and religion! We all know that if all you wanted was alcohol, there’s faster and cheaper ways to get it,” says MacNeil.
There has already been international interest from the wine industry. Wine professionals in Australia, Chile, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and the Champagne region of France are already spreading this message of togetherness. MacNeil is thrilled that Come Over October is quickly becoming an international event.
“Wine is the beverage of friendship and bringing people together. And to participate in COO all you need is another person and some wine,” MacNeil says.
The campaign is not aimed at a particular type of wine drinker. MacNeil stresses that it is not about expertise or even learning. “The point is being together. And in a country so divided right now politically, the idea of inviting someone over to your house, a restaurant, or a picnic and simply having some wine together is not such a bad idea. As the song goes, the world needs a little love right now.”
With social isolation and loneliness at epidemic levels right now, according to the current Surgeon General’s report, Come Over October really wants to stress the communal role of wine. It could even be a non-alcoholic wine and not necessarily an entire bottle of wine. Simply a glass is perfect to feel that togetherness.
The initiative was intentionally created to be easily executed, according to MacNeil. “We are standing by to watch how creatively people participate. But what’s most important is that they do participate. What we’re hoping is that every wine drinker in America will simply say to a friend, a neighbor, or a colleague, ‘Hey, it’s Come Over October. Why don’t you come over?’ and connect over a glass of wine.”
The month of October has a big economic impact on the wine industry and the expected boost Come Over October will bring is another benefit to the campaign. The National Association of Wine Retailers is in full support, as are retailers such as Gary’s Marketplace, Total Wine & More, wine.com and beyond. Consumers can expect to see signage and sales promotions in the local wine shops throughout the month. Restaurant associations are also on board.
For the wineries, COO really speaks to the essence of what they do. “This campaign is an important creative tool wineries can use because, of course, they understand wine’s emotional and social value. From very small to very large wineries, this is something they believe in and a good way to connect with their club members and visitors,” MacNeil says.
The industry recognizes that there has been a steady decline in younger people drinking wine and Come Over October has two aspects that could potentially appeal to the younger generation of legally aged wine drinkers. “If anyone understands social isolation, it’s the younger generation, right? Not only because of the effects of social media isolation but also because they were young adults during Covid,” MacNeil points out. “I think younger people will really understand what we’re doing because they know the value of being together after having known the opposite for so long.”
The campaign also wants people to get together to share wine as an agricultural product coming from nature and as a great accompaniment to food. The message of being connected to people while sharing a beverage that is connected to the earth is very important in this time of environmental awareness.
Whether sharing some wine on the back porch or planning a larger get-together, there’s no wrong way to celebrate connecting with Come Over October. Just come over.
This article is sponsored by Come Over October.
