This episode covers WSET Diploma D2 — Chapters 10 and 11: Identifying the Target Market and Setting Marketing Objectives.

These chapters sit at the strategic heart of wine marketing. They explain why even a well-made, well-priced wine can fail if it is aimed at the wrong consumer, or if the business has not clearly defined what success looks like.

We explore how segmentation moves marketing from intuition to intention, examining geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioural variables, and why involvement and behaviour often matter more than age or income alone. The episode also unpacks the role of market research in testing assumptions before significant resources are committed.

Chapter 11 then brings structure and discipline to marketing decisions, showing how clearly defined objectives — linked to measurement, timelines, and realistic budgets — are essential for evaluating whether a strategy is working.

For the D2 exam, this material is not about listing segmentation types or objectives, but about explaining how consumer insight translates into commercially viable marketing decisions.

Next episode: we move into devising the marketing strategy itself, where these objectives are turned into practical choices around product, price, place, and promotion.

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