Southern California living means constant exposure to wine.

Anyone paying attention can’t help but notice that the bottles look frighteningly similar. Most wineries count on the label to differentiate themselves.

In fact, except Mateus, Black Tower, and straw-covered chianti bottles, they’re all pretty much the same in shape and color.

Which explains my bride’s reaction last night to a bottle of Travaglini Gattinara. The bottle was bent and dented, making it asymmetrical and unique.

Naturally, she inquired about it with the waiter. “This winery had a fire and most of their bottles exploded,” he explained. “A few bottles were left looking like this, and the winery decided they liked the idea and now have all their wine bottles this shape.”

WOW! Quite a story, and it certainly adds an air of romance to the product. Mrs. Marketing was SO impressed by the story that she brought the (empty!) bottle home for me.

Only the story isn’t true, according to a Forbes interview with Cinzia Travaglini. Other theories come from her and from the book “I Dreamed of a… Twisted Bottle.”

I can guarantee that the true story probably isn’t nearly as interesting as the tale the waiter told.

There are 3.4 million new businesses started annually in the US. Meaning, regardless of what you sell, you can bet you’ve got competition.

Having an intriguing backstory about how you started or what you sell can help you stand out from the crowd. It not only sets you apart from the competition, but it also makes you more likely to be remembered by customers the next time they’re ready to buy.

Plus, there’s the whole sharing your story with others aspect, of course.

If you’re looking to increase your company’s sales, it may be time to recreate your own origin story to make it more interesting and stickier. Until last night, I had never even heard of Travaglini Gattinara wine, and now I can’t get it out of my mind, even though I know the origins of the wine bottle story are suspect.

But because of this compelling tale, I’ve learned a lot about the wine and will now go out of my way to find it the next time I’m out drinking.

And that’s the way you want people thinking about you, no?

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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Find more clever ideas at www.askmrmarketing.com.