Contact: Tom Wark, 707/266-1445, tom@warkcommunications.com

or Julie Ann Kodmur, 707/963-9632, corking@julieannkodmur.com

NEW BLOG CREATES A NICHE
SWIG focuses on PR in the wine industry

Napa, California, July 2014 —- Veteran wine publicists Julie Ann Kodmur and Tom Wark have launched SWIG, a publication in a blog format focusing on an area not yet covered in the wine blogosphere—public and media relations. SWIG will feature posts and articles addressing the practice of wine public relations, wine media trends, marketing ethics and news commentary.

SWIG is located on the web at www.swigpr.com.

“SWIG gives us a chance to ruminate and reflect on public relations issues in the wine world, provide the industry with insights into the practice and perhaps influence a movement toward responsible and productive marketing,” said Wark.

Wark and Kodmur have separate PR consulting practices located in Napa Valley which service the wine industry. Together they have more than 50 years of experience working in the field of wine-related public and media relations (and marketing consulting).

“With the rise of social media and the attention it rightly attracts in marketing circles, Tom and I both noted a decline in the discussion of the theory and practice of wine public relations even as online information on all subjects has exploded,” said Kodmur. “With SWIG, we hope to deliver some thoughtful ideas and sober commentary based on the experience we’ve garnered,” she adds.

Kodmur has worked in the field of wine public relations since 1988 and opened her consultancy in 1997. She is the recipient of numerous awards in her field as well as the author of several articles in mainstream and trade publications.

Wark began his career in wine public relations in 1990 and opened his consultancy in 1994. He is the founder of the award-winning wine blog FERMENTATION: The Daily Wine Blog and the founder of The Wine Blog Awards.