J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines Recognized in Two Categories at the Annual Women in Business Stevie® Awards
#JLohrWomen: Join The Conversation Campaign Wins Marketing Campaign of the Year; Cynthia Lohr Receives Silver for “Female Executive of the Year”
San Jose, California – November 16, 2023 – J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines has won the Gold Stevie® Award for Women in Business in the “Marketing Campaign of the Year — Beverages — Alcohol” category for its #JLohrWomen: Join The Conversation program. Cynthia Lohr, J. Lohr, co-owner and chief brand officer, was additionally named Silver winner for the “Female Executive of the Year — Consumer Products (11 to 2,500 employees)” category.
The Stevie® Awards for Women in Business honor female executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run worldwide. The Stevie® Awards have been hailed as the world’s premier business awards. More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 100 categories, including Executive of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Company of the Year, Startup of the Year, Women Helping Women, and Women Run Workplace of the Year. Finalists were determined by averaging scores from six juries comprised of more than 200 business professionals.
As of 2018, only 4% of C‑suite positions in the wine and spirits industry were held by women. J. Lohr’s long company history of women in key leadership and executive roles was an exception; through the #JLohrWomen: Join The Conversation Integrated Marketing & Sales Campaign, J. Lohr set out to raise awareness on this issue. The campaign sought to elevate gender equity for the alcohol beverage industry by creating new opportunities for professional entry into the wine business. Under the leadership of Rhonda Motil, J. Lohr vice president of marketing, the marketing team facilitated three LinkedIn Live sessions hosted by the women of J. Lohr, with sessions spotlighting the panelists’ career paths in Sales, Marketing, and Wine Science (Viticulture & Enology). Following the live sessions, attendees had the opportunity to apply for one-on-one Shadow Days focused on nurturing the professional advancement of women.
The campaign included POS displays for in-store sales support of key accounts and the winery’s wholesale network, editorial and advertorial features on leadership and diversity in the wine industry, and opportunities via social media and in-person industry event participation. As a result, earned and paid campaign media placements and social posts garnered increased customer engagement and expanded awareness for the brand and cause. Across the 3‑month campaign (Q1 2023), these placements reached a potential audience of 136.4M. Additionally, total paid and earned social media impressions across Facebook and Instagram reached 19,908,608; total engagement equaled 403,708, and the brand saw a total follower growth of 2,939 across both social platforms.
The Stevie® Award judges commended the campaign for its inspirational fusion of purpose-driven activations and marketing excellence to address gender inequities within the alcohol beverage industry. The campaign’s workshops, events, and partnerships were lauded as comprehensive and effective touchpoints in a customer’s journey.
“On behalf of our team and company, we are honored to receive this accolade that recognizes the significance of the #JLohrWomen campaign and our winery’s dedication to advancing gender equity across the alcohol beverage industry,” said Rhonda Motil. “This award acknowledges the collective hard work and commitment of everyone at J. Lohr, spotlighting the success of a campaign conceived and executed with a clear purpose.”
Cynthia Lohr being named a Stevie® Award Female Executive of the Year Silver winner recognizes her career-long advocacy of social equity in the wine industry. In addition to her work with J. Lohr’s Touching Lives® initiative, now in its 15th year, Cynthia has also served as an advisory board director for National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.®. Cynthia has also been an early evangelist for women’s advancement through her work with Women of the Vine & Spirits, Dream Big Darling, among other appointments. The Stevie® Award judges praised Cynthia for her achievements inspired by a desire to make a better world, highlighting that this multifaceted journey reflects her adaptability and deep-seated dedication to her chosen fields.
“It is an honor to be named a Silver winner in the Female Executive category, among so many worthy nominees,” shares Cynthia Lohr. “As wine grape growers and winemakers celebrating 50 years in 2024, our Lohr family believes wine quality is synonymous with sustainability, and at the core of this ethos is how we care for our communities. Leadership begins with service, and we will continue to use our voices to lift those around us through national initiatives that foster more equitable practices beyond the wine industry.”
Details about the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the list of winners and finalists in all categories are available at stevieawards.com/women.