BIG TIME WINER OF THE YEAR KICKS OFF

After months of planning, process and creative thinking, BIG TIME WINE (BTW) has finally kicked off its rewards competitons programme.

A concept created by the website's owner - TOSH - sees all registered BTW particpants (or BIG TIME WINERS as they are lovingly referred to!)enagage in a race of sorts which sees rewards points offered the more they actually get involved and contribute to BTW life.

Run in a Scoreboard manner, there will be Monthly, Quarterly and a Yearly major prizes (not to mention the bragging rights of being crowned the Big Time WIner Of The year!) as well as weekly and 'spot' prizes.

'Basically we are loking to strengthen our Creating Community concept' Tosh says. 'You know, we go out and lok at our competitors and they pretty much all do the same thing - communicate through price. Once they have got your cash that is that really.'

'What we are trying to do here is offer something of value to our customers that they might not necesarily be able to achieve in everyday life. Our first quarterly prize for instance is tickets to see Rod Stewart in the HUnter VAlley in February of next year. These tickets are pretty expensive so to many, they buy some wine, get some points and maybe the experience of a lifetime on the end of that.'

The major prize for the BIG TIME WINER OF THE YEAR has not been announced as yet with Tosh saying this will be done sometime in the new year.

'It will be big' he says. ' The Big Time Winer Of The Year won't be finished until December 31, 2012 so we have a little time to get it all together. We want it to be something that the winner will remember forever.'

I raised the question that a points system based on purchasing was not any different to what has been done and what is being done almost en masse in retail.

'That's the beauty of it all' Tosh replies, his eyes springing to life 'You could conceivably be crowned the inaugural Big Time Winer of the Year and not have spent a sent.'

No matter what this reporter tried, Tosh wouldn't open up any further on the issue. His 'You'll just have to register and see how it can be done' line drawing a curious smile across his dial.

One obvious concern is the yearly timeframe may seem a little long? I mean it is the BIG TIME WINER OF THE YEAR.

Tosh answers this with an emphatic 'No! There will heaps of great prizes, experiences and events in between so it isn't as if we are saying stay with us for the year and one of you will get something. Look at the first monthly prize - a $500 or thereabouts wine unit, the Rod Stewart concert for the first quarter and we start a run of weekly and 'spot' prizes early December.'

Knowing the close association Big Time Wine has with many wine makers and suppliers - especially the famed McGuigan family - will there be anything happening with them potentially being involved in the Big Time Winer of The Year?

'Oh I can't say too much at this stage' Tosh cryptically smiles 'but I will say Lisa has just released her own range of wines and they are pretty darn impressive so I'd love to get her involved early in the new year. Brian as well. He is still one of the industry's great icons and personalities and one thing for sure - anything Brian is involved in is never boring!'

With our chat just about at wrap stage, I couldn't help but ask why he had personally invested so much time, money and effort into something that essentially created more work in an already hectic business schedule. This may have released his internal philosopher a little more than he would have liked.

'Look, life's pretty simple I reckon. You work hard, love those around you and hopefully close your eyes that very last time with nothing but pride and happiness that you have at least tried your hardest.

In the interim - and hopefully there are many years in between - I want to have fun. I want to eat good food, drink good wine, tell bad jokes and have worse jokes told to me. I want to meet new people and have an impact. You tell me - selling them a bottle of wine over the internet with nothing but a payment receipt - does that sound like fun?'

No it doesn't. I think I'd much rather go to one of Tosh's Wine Parties or at least get some human response when I spend my own money and time. Must be something about talking with this guy - I'm excited - I'm off to sign up for Big Time WIner Of The Year and ready to strap in for what I'm sure will be an interesting ride at the very least! ~ SC