There’s something about the arrival of spring that makes it easier to say, “We should get together.” Come Over October gives people a reason to make that plan. And this year, the campaign is coming to New Zealand. We’re encouraging you to take part.
“A chance to stop, share stories, be together, celebrate an occasion or just be in company. Pause, enjoy the moment, reconnect in a world moving fast and furiously.”
Come Over October began in the United States by Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible. The campaign is an invitation to reconnect with friends and family over food, conversation and wine. For our industry, it’s an opportunity to celebrate the part hospitality venues play in bringing people together. A catch-up over lunch, a shared dinner or an evening out can all start with a simple invitation. This is a chance to build engagement with customers old and new.
How to take part
We’d love to see member venues across Aotearoa take part and put their own spin on Come Over October. There’s no prescribed event to run, and it’s not too late to get involved. Come Over October assets, playbooks, toolkits, logos, templates etc are freely available and built to be customised by whoever picks them up.
You could:
- Create a dish or menu designed for sharing, with an optional wine pairing.
- Give customers a prompt to invite someone they’ve been meaning to catch up with.
- Use conversation cards or table talkers to bring the theme to life.
- Work with a local wine producer or supplier on an event that suits your venue. Many are working on individual campaigns already.
The focus is on good company and time spent together. Whether guests choose wine or something else, our venues can make them feel welcome and give them a place to connect.
If you’re planning something the only ask is that you share it on social media. Use #comeoveroctoberNZ so others can see how New Zealand venues are taking part.
This is year one. And is being conducted as a grassroots build. In subsequent years, the opportunity exists to gain greater profile and momentum – the aspiration being to knit this into the cultural fabric – think Taco Tuesday or Movember.
As the days get longer, let’s give people another reason to come in, pull up a chair and enjoy being together.
Supporting Resources
A few themes to keep in mind:
- The strength of Come Over October is its simplicity. The call to action is clear, but flexible enough to work across different business models and regulatory environments.
- The messaging is intentionally social-first, which has allowed it to remain compliant even in more restrictive markets like Canada.
- The biggest driver of success is participation. The more the industry shows up in a coordinated way, the more momentum it creates at the consumer level.
The Come Over October Website (https://www.comeoveroctober.com/) has campaign activation examples from North America, as well as assets you can use freely or that might inspire ideas of your own.
Come Over October Tools & Tips” HERE. Use the assets developed specifically for Canada – find them HERE, and for a look at how wineries and on-premise have partnered together, you can find details on the Long Island (New York) activations HERE.
Conversation starter examples
