The role of corporate heritage marketing in promoting the Italian wine sector

In recent years, characterized by complexity and change, we have witnessed companies increasingly resorting to heritage marketing strategies, from a historical perspective, to foster better dialogue with consumers and, more generally, with stakeholders. One sector of particular interest is the wine sector, which, of significant importance also in the Italian context, includes historic companies with unique resources that can be generated from their historical heritage. The valorization of this heritage, explored in several publications and partially recoverable, could, if promoted with appropriate marketing strategies, generate competitive advantages and distinctiveness for companies. After conducting a literature review and analyzing the wine sector with reference to the Italian context and for comparison with other countries, various data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 102 consumers. This questionnaire explored several aspects of the application of heritage marketing in the wine sector. A study was then conducted using SPSS statistical software, which, also using the chi-square technique and confirming the research hypothesis, revealed the significance of the relationship between "age" and "sense of belonging", resulting from wine heritage marketing, with particular reference to consumers aged 58 and over. This study contributes to the development of research on cultural heritage marketing, which, despite its growing importance, still presents several significant aspects, including relational ones, that have not been fully explored.