Not all champagnes are made equal.
In fact, try and think of 5 champagne brands.
You might name Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, or maybe even Ace of Spades.
But there’s one name that has stood out for over 250 years: Veuve Clicquot.
Not just for its signature yellow label, but for the way it reshaped champagne into a global symbol of celebration and innovation.
This is the story of how Veuve became the luxury vibe…
Allow me to introduce… Widow Cliquot
(Or should I say Widot 🍾)
The year is 1805 and François Cliquot is dead.
His 27-year-old widow, Barbe-Nicole, is left with a failing champagne business and a choice:
Sell the company and walk away, or defy societal expectations and take the reins herself (she’s basically the OG 30-under-30).
(Thankfully, she went boss-Barbe, because if she didn’t, this would be a very boring newsletter.)
When Barbe, aka the “Widow Cliquot” took over, Veuve was only moving 8,000 bottles a year (just 4% of their peak revenue).
Oh, and BTW, Napoleon was on the march. That meant that the wars had disrupted trade routes, making it pretty much impossible to get champagne into foreign markets.
Something needed to change—and fast.
That’s why Barbe stopped selling wine.
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She started selling a feeling.
Turning grapes into gold
Instead of just focusing on the product, Barbe knew she had to position Veuve Clicquot as more than just a drink—it had to be a symbol of luxury, celebration, and exclusivity.
The realization came to her at a dinner party when she saw a man open a bottle of Veuve.
As she put it, “The moment before he opened our bottle, he was merely wealthy.”
“The moment after, he was cultured.”
That’s when it clicked for her—champagne wasn’t just wine.
It was a transformation, a marker of success and prestige. From that moment on, she knew they weren’t just selling champagne; they were selling an experience.
By focusing on this emotional connection, she began creating a brand that wasn’t just about taste—it was about what champagne represented.
But back in those days, building a brand wasn’t as simple as changing your logo and running a new Meta campaign.
(I’d argue that it’s STILL not that simple.)
Getting Veuve to be considered the “royal champagne” required a big, bold move.
AKA, the ultimate PR box
In a last-ditch effort, Barbe sent 10,500 bottles through a Russian blockade to St. Petersburg for the Tsar and the royal family. (PR teams, take notes.)
To set her champagne apart from the competition, Barbe didn’t just focus on the product itself; in her letter, she crafted a narrative.
While other merchants marketed their offerings as “fine wine,” Barbe branded her bottles as Königswein— or “Wine of Kings.”
This wasn’t just champagne; it was a symbol of luxury, prestige, and celebration, worthy of royalty.
By attaching this powerful story to the bottles, she turned her champagne into more than a drink—it became a statement.
And the statement stuck.
The Russian aristocracy didn’t just drink Veuve Clicquot: they REVERED it.
So much so that Catherine the Great called it “the best wine for the Empress, and the best wine for Russia.”
And when you have a Fabregé egg named after you, those words resonate with people.
The champagne became synonymous with royalty, luxury, and sophistication.
Barbe-Nicole’s gamble paid off, securing Veuve Clicquot’s place as the champagne of choice for the elite, not just in Russia, but across Europe.
Now, let’s jump to modern times.
Aged to perfection
Veuve Clicquot is still driven by the same bold, trailblazing spirit that Madame Clicquot brought to the brand all those years ago.
While the champagne has become a global symbol of luxury, it’s clear the brand’s foundation is still rooted in her vision but is now expanding beyond royalty.
2 years ago, Veuve Clicquot showed us what modern luxury marketing looks like with their “Good Day Sunshine” campaign.
Instead of leaning on the usual high-end tropes, they went a different route: everyday objects like an egg yolk and an umbrella paired with that Beatles’ classic.
It was playful, unexpected, and made the brand synonymous with special occasions feel just a little more relatable—without losing that luxe vibe.
It’s not easy to pull off “approachable but still aspirational,” but this campaign nailed it. It’s a masterclass in how to evolve a 250-year-old brand for modern audiences.
| PUT IT IN PRACTICETell your story. Every brand has a founding story, and as a marketer, it’s your job to make that story stick. Here’s your homework assignment: Take a step back and think about your brand’s origins. Start by pinpointing the key moments that shaped your brand—whether it was a breakthrough idea, a tough challenge, or an unexpected pivot. Then, turn those moments into a story that connects with your audience. How does your brand’s journey reflect your values and what your customers care about? Make it real, make it relatable, and make sure it shines through in your Marketing. |
The biggest takeaway? Veuve Clicquot isn’t just about champagne anymore—it’s about living a certain lifestyle.
Whether it’s the iconic yellow label, collaborations with high-end brands, or a focus on experience Marketing, Veuve has built itself into more than just a drink.
And even with all the changes, the brand still looks to its founding story to guide its future, keeping everything fresh while honoring its past.
This New Year, I raise my glass to you, Widow Clicquot.
