A human in an Elf on the Shelf costume is one of the best things I’ve seen on a winery’s Instagram account. While some brands out there try to educate or inspire, the social media posts I’m talking about offer pure entertainment with a focus on (s)elf care. And damn, they’re (mostly) funny – real laugh out loud belly shaking funny!

For example, there’s the elf taking a bubble bath by candlelight with a caption “s(elf) care is key.” What an attention getter! Also of note is that although the elf is enjoying a glass of wine in the tub, the post isn’t pleading the reader to “give or get our wines for the holidays.” Other wineries could take a lesson.

It all started last year during the holidays. We learn the elf’s name is “Blitzed” when he first appears and TP’s the barrel room of the winery. It’s a scene like no other in wine country.

When was the last time you saw a winery’s social media post that made you stop the scroll? Like? Comment? Share? A post from a winery that wasn’t another picture of a bottle of wine. Something during the holiday season that finally was NOT accompanied by a “shop our gift store” kind of ask? Something that put a smile on your face?

A Better Way for Wineries to Use Social Media and Stop the Scroll

Perhaps my favorite post is the cheeky picture of the elf baking. Keep in mind, this is also during the massive baking craze of 2020 so it’s also a way to poke fun at the current situation. There’s a bottle in the elf’s hand with a straw sticking out of it. Nearby, an empty bottle lies sideways on the counter. There’s a third bottle, too, perfectly positioned atop the counter in the midst of the disorderly baking supplies so that we can see the brand on the label. Yet, again, there’s no ask to, “Find this wine in our online shop.” Rather, a clever caption that reads, “Our elf seems to be having a mental bake down.” Oh, and there’s a flour hand print on elf’s hiney. LOL.

Based on the 331 likes and 27 comments that post received, primarily of LOL emojis, I’m clearly not the the only person entertained by this elf. Boy, would I love to see more of this kind of creativity on social media from wineries. It’s a great way to not only stand out from other wineries, but to connect with consumers.

This year Blitzed returned to slay the holidays. Many thanks to the nice people at the winery who gave me permission to share the elve’s antics. If you haven’t yet seen these posts, I encourage you to head over to Alexandria Nicole Cellars’ Instagram account to see what he’s been up to the last couple of years. Couldn’t we all use some (s)elf care about now?

If any wineries out there are reading this, please consider this as food for thought as you work on your social media plan for the new year. You do have a plan, don’t you? If not, let’s talk.

Happy holidays wine lovers!