Abstract – Association of Wine Business Research Stellenbosch, January 2019 Riding the wave of rosé: when pink becomes stylish Nadine Normand-Marconnet, Monash University WORK-IN-PROGRESS PAPER Introduction/background This study is the first to propose a transdisciplinary approach combining cultural studies with marketing in order to explore recent changes in visual identity of rosé wine. This research aims to identify and analyse visual codes used in labelling and packaging (i.e. colours, typography, layout, illustrations, and bottle shape). Long perceived as a boring, unsophisticated, seasonal, and even a purely feminine wine, the reputation and the image of rosé has dramatically changed to become a fashionable product in various circles. Preliminary literature review While oenological aspects of the ‘third colour’ of wine are increasingly explored, cross-cultural perceptions of rosé are still under-researched (Velikova, Charters, Bouzdine-Chameeva, Fountain, Ritchie, & Dodd, 2015). The present study intends to contribute to this field by investigating the use of cultural cues in brand storytelling for rosé wine, with reference to works based on semiotic analysis applied to wine labelling and packaging (Ang, & Lim, 2006; Bobrie, 2009; Celhay, Masson, Garcia, Folcher, & Cohen, 2016; Morgan, & Tresidder, 2015). Envisaged research methodology This research will investigate if and how the wine industry in France and in Australia is adapting storytelling and brand narratives to follow the recent popularity of rosé wines. A qualitative approach is applied to analyse a dataset including semi-structured interviews with professionals involved in the wine industry, promotional documentation, and visual information collected in various sales environment (e.g. supermarkets, cellars, wineries, etc.) Following principles of semiotic marketing, the research will particularly focus on strategies used to promote a new image of rosé wines. Preliminary findings Data collected in France during a field trip of 6 weeks in May 2018 reveal that the increasing demand for rosé is following new trends in consumption and lifestyle characterised by a desire for immediate enjoyment and conviviality. Grounded in the mimicry of the Provence lifestyle, the change in the image of rosé relates to its fundamental characteristic: the colour. Paired with technological improvements, packaging and labelling of French brands are increasingly designed to magnify wines with beautiful pastel colours. Under the leadership of the Côtes de Provence wines, rosé wine growers and winemakers from other