A well-curated wine festival is like a perfectly balanced wine blend – it combines famous varietals (the marquee names) with unique notes (the boutique gems). The goal for any festival producer is to drive strong ticket sales with headline wineries while also providing depth, discovery, and delight for true wine enthusiasts. Achieving this balance ensures that your wine festival appeals to broad audiences and rewards the curious palate. By mixing globally recognized wineries with hidden gems across different price points, regions, and philosophies, you create an event experience that is both marketable and memorable.
The Allure of Marquee Wineries
Marquee wineries – the ones with big reputations and name recognition – are the headliners of your festival. These could be internationally acclaimed estates (like a top Bordeaux château or Napa icon) or beloved national brands that many attendees recognize. Their involvement lends credibility and draws interest: famous names help sell tickets because people are excited to taste wines they’ve heard about or always wanted to try. Featuring a few star wineries in your lineup acts as an anchor, assuring casual attendees that the event will have high-quality offerings.
However, it’s important that these big names don’t dominate the entire experience. If the festival becomes a one-note show centered only on well-known labels, it risks feeling like a marketing expo rather than a vibrant exploration of wine. Guests might arrive for the headliners, but they also crave variety beyond what they can find at any wine shop. Striking the right balance is key: marquee wineries should attract the crowd, then subtly guide them to explore further.
Why Marquee Names Matter:
– Instant Marketing Power: Big-name wineries can significantly boost early ticket sales through their name recognition alone. A famous Champagne house or a legendary Italian producer on the bill can be a deciding factor for someone on the fence about attending.
– Consumer Confidence: Recognizable brands assure attendees (especially newcomers) that there will be wines they enjoy and trust. This comfort can encourage wine novices to attend a festival they might otherwise skip.
– Media and Sponsors: High-profile participants tend to attract media attention and possibly sponsorships. Press coverage may highlight that “world-renowned winery X will pour at the festival,” giving your event wider exposure.
– Drawing Diverse Audiences: A marquee winery can attract not just local attendees but enthusiasts willing to travel for a rare tasting opportunity. For example, if Penfolds or Moët & Chandon is featured, you might see wine tourists flying in just for the chance to savor those pours.
Potential Pitfalls: While marquee wineries are a boon, over-reliance on them can set high expectations that overshadow the rest of the festival. Imagine a scenario where 90% of your marketing spotlights two famous wineries – attendees might flock to those tables and then leave, missing out on other offerings. It can also intimidate smaller wineries if all the attention is on the “big fish.” The solution is to use marquee names as lures, then deliver an experience that invites people to roam and discover beyond the familiar.
The Magic of Boutique Gems
Boutique wineries are the heart and soul that give a wine festival its unique character. These are the small-scale, artisanal producers – family-run vineyards, up-and-coming winemakers, or rare brands from remote regions. They may not have huge marketing budgets or global name recognition, but they often produce exceptional, distinctive wines with stories that captivate attendees. Including boutique gems in your festival creates a sense of discovery that keeps seasoned oenophiles and curious newcomers engaged.
Why Boutique Wineries Elevate Your Festival:
– Discovery and Depth: Part of the thrill for wine lovers is finding a new favorite they’ve never heard of before. An attendee might come to taste a famous label, but leave the festival raving about a tiny organic winery from New Zealand or a family estate from Georgia they stumbled upon. This element of surprise can become a festival’s hallmark.
– Authenticity and Storytelling: Small producers often have passionate owners or winemakers on site, personally pouring and sharing stories. This direct connection – like hearing about how a winemaker’s grandmother used to stomp the grapes – makes the tasting memorable and personal. It’s an experience you can’t replicate by buying a bottle at a store.
– Catering to Connoisseurs: While marquee brands please the masses, experienced wine aficionados are often drawn to the “hidden gems.” Serious wine fans attend festivals specifically to discover limited-production wines or indigenous grape varieties they can’t easily find elsewhere. By satisfying this desire, you boost your festival’s reputation among the wine community.
– Diversity of Offerings: Boutique participants can fill niches in your lineup – whether it’s natural wines, orange wines, single-vineyard rarities, or experimental blends. They add breadth that complements the classic offerings from larger brands.
Success Story – Boutique Focus: Some festivals build their entire identity around boutique wineries. For instance, the Only Wine Festival in Italy focuses exclusively on small wineries and young winemakers, carving out a niche celebration of undiscovered talent (www.chiaragiorleo.com). Similarly, in the country of Georgia, the government-backed “New Small Wineries on the Big Stage” festival highlights 50 family-run wineries from across the region, giving them a platform to shine (wine.gov.ge). These examples show that celebrating boutique producers can draw enthusiastic crowds and even national support – because the hunger for authentic, local wine experiences is real. Even if your event isn’t entirely boutique-focused, you can borrow this spirit to enrich your festival’s atmosphere.
Avoiding Pitfalls with Boutiques: A common concern is that lesser-known wineries might not attract enough attendees on their own. That’s why pairing them with marquee names is powerful – the big names draw people in, and the boutique ones surprise and satisfy them. Another challenge is ensuring small wineries aren’t overshadowed at the event itself. Make sure the festival layout and schedule don’t tuck the little guys into a corner (more on logistics later). Also, prepare the boutique vendors for possibly large crowds if your marquee names succeed in drawing a big attendance. Help them plan their pouring amounts and staffing so they aren’t overwhelmed when a wave of curious tasters comes their way.
Crafting a Balanced Winery Lineup
Bringing together legendary wineries and little-known gems requires deliberate curation. Think of your winery lineup as you would a music festival bill: a few headliners, a solid mid-tier of known-but-not-huge names, and an eclectic supporting cast of “new artist” discoveries. Here are key factors and actionable strategies for balancing your selection:
1. Set Clear Goals for the Mix: Start by defining what “balance” means for your particular festival. Consider your target audience’s composition – is it 50/50 casual wine drinkers and aficionados? Are you aiming to showcase wines of a certain region or style? If your festival is in Mendoza, Argentina, maybe your core is Malbec producers big and small, with a handful of international guest stars for variety. If it’s a global city event (like Singapore or London), you might aim for representation from 10+ countries, mixing famous estates with indie producers from each. Clarify these goals up front to guide your outreach to wineries.
2. Curate Across Price Tiers: A well-balanced festival presents wines across a spectrum of price and prestige. This doesn’t necessarily mean listing bottle prices at the event (many festivals offer tastings inclusive in the ticket), but it does mean featuring wines that range from easy-drinking and affordable to ultra-premium. Why? Attendees have different expectations and purchasing power. Some might be happy finding a great $20 bottle equivalent, while others seek a bucket-list taste of a $200 wine. By covering various price tiers, you cater to everyone:
– Include luxury labels (e.g. iconic wineries known for high-end, expensive wines) to add a sense of exclusivity and treat for connoisseurs.
– Feature mid-range crowd-pleasers – reputable brands that offer quality wines at moderate prices. These often appeal to the widest audience and can keep the festival grounded and accessible.
– Don’t forget entry-level delights: fun, affordable wines (perhaps from lesser-known grapes or regions) that might surprise attendees with their value. They can be conversation starters about how price doesn’t always equal enjoyment.
Remember that limited-production boutique wines often come at a higher price due to their small scale. Offering a balance of price points ensures that the festival experience isn’t only geared towards those with deep pockets. It also educates attendees on why some wines cost more, introducing them to concepts like rare terroirs or low-intervention farming, while still giving them options to enjoy great wine without breaking the bank.
3. Embrace Regional Diversity: One of the joys of a wine festival is “traveling” through wine regions in a day. Aim to have wineries representing a variety of regions – both famous and up-and-coming:
– Local Heroes: Especially if your festival is in a wine-producing area, highlight local wineries (including small family vineyards in the area). Local attendees will appreciate seeing their favorites, and visitors get to taste the region’s character. In Colorado’s Taste of Vail festival, for example, local Colorado boutique wineries poured alongside California, Oregon, and French winemakers, proudly holding their own on the big stage. Featuring those homegrown producers lends authenticity and community pride to your event.
– International Icons: Invite a few international wineries from well-known regions (France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, South Africa, etc.). This global mix can be a selling point—attendees get to taste Bordeaux next to Barossa, Tuscany next to Tempranillo from Rioja, all without a passport. It’s particularly attractive in areas where access to international wines is limited.
– Emerging Regions: Consider including wineries from regions that might surprise people. If most attendees have never tasted wines from Lebanon, India, or Mexico, for instance, a standout producer from these places becomes a conversation piece (and press-worthy angle). It gives your festival a reputation for showcasing “the next big thing” in wine. Just ensure these are balanced out with more familiar regions so there’s context and contrast.
– Regional Theming: Some festivals cluster their layout or schedule by region (e.g., a section for “Wines of South America” or a tasting seminar of “New Zealand Pinot Noir”). This can be a great way to ensure boutique wineries from afar get noticed – by grouping them into a story or session rather than scattering them randomly. Attendees interested in that theme will find them more easily.
4. Vary Farming and Winemaking Philosophies: Today’s wine consumers are increasingly curious about how the wine is made, not just where. By including wineries with different production philosophies, you add intellectual depth and breadth to your festival:
– Organic and Biodynamic Producers: Natural and eco-friendly winemaking is a big draw for a growing segment of attendees. Featuring a biodynamic vineyard or an organic-only boutique winery can attract environmentally conscious consumers and spark interesting discussions on sustainable farming.
– Conventional Excellence: Alongside natural wine stars, include traditional producers who might not farm organically but have a long track record of quality. This balances approachability with niche interest. Some attendees trust classic methods and flavors, others seek minimal-intervention funk – your festival can have both.
– Innovative Techniques: Seek out a winery doing something unusual – maybe a producer reviving ancient amphora fermentation, or a winemaker making acclaimed wine in a non-traditional region (like urban wineries or wine from tropical climates). These act as “festival gems” that people talk about afterwards.
– Philosophy in Marketing: In your program or app, note these differences. For example, tag wineries that are certified organic or women-owned or practicing vegan winemaking. It helps attendees connect with the stories they care about. You might even host a panel or chat where winemakers discuss their philosophies (“Old World vs New World approaches” or “The Science and Art of Natural Wine”) to enrich the experience.
By thoughtfully blending these variables – price range, region, philosophy – you ensure that your winery lineup isn’t just a list of names, but a curated journey. The diversity becomes a selling point: from a marketing angle, you can brag that the festival has something for everyone, from rare high-end tastings to new sustainable wines to discover.
Logistics: Letting Big and Small Shine Together
Once you’ve selected a balanced roster of wineries, the next challenge is executing the festival in a way that both marquee and boutique participants thrive. Smart logistics and planning will prevent big names from unintentionally stealing the show and will give smaller producers their well-deserved spotlight. Consider these logistical strategies:
1. Thoughtful Booth Placement: The physical layout can influence attendee flow and attention.
– Mix It Up: Avoid segregating all famous wineries in one “hot zone” and relegating boutique tables to a far corner. Instead, intersperse big names with smaller ones throughout the venue. This way, as crowds gather near a celebrated winery’s booth, they’ll naturally encounter neighboring indie winemakers. A wine lover waiting to taste a blockbuster Napa Cab might chat with the boutique Syrah producer beside it – and end up discovering a new favorite.
– Highlight Zones: Alternatively, create themed zones that give boutiques a platform. For example, a “Rising Stars Avenue” featuring only small wineries (but still in a central area) could encourage attendees to explore that section intentionally. Signage and maps can call attention to these zones. The key is not to hide boutique gems, but to integrate them into the main experience.
– Comfort and Space: Ensure that popular booths (typically the marquee ones) have ample space for lines so they don’t overflow and physically block nearby smaller booths. Use stanchions or marked queue areas if necessary. This prevents a crowd at one table from forming a human wall that drowns out its neighbors.
2. Schedule Balanced Highlights: Your event schedule (workshops, tastings, talks) can be another tool to balance exposure.
– Stagger Marquee Appearances: If you have special sessions like a talk by a famous winemaker or a vertical tasting of a renowned estate, don’t stack them back-to-back. Instead, slot some sessions that feature boutique producers or lesser-known regions in between. This gives those smaller names a share of the spotlight. Attendees might come for the celebrity winemaker Q&A, but stick around for the next session on “Hidden Gems of [Your Region]” if it’s positioned as part of the festival’s must-see lineup.
– Joint Panels and Collaborations: Consider mixing big and small in programming. A panel discussion on, say, “The Future of Winemaking,” could include a head winemaker from a marquee winery and an innovative small producer. This not only elevates the boutique voice to the same stage as the big name, but also creates a richer dialogue. It sends a subtle message that your festival values all contributors equally.
– Pacing the Crowd: If your event is multi-day or multi-session, distribute the marquee winery presence so that each session has its stars and its discoveries. For instance, rather than loading all the famous brands on Day 1, spread them out. This way, each day maintains strong ticket appeal while also encouraging attendees to explore the full festival duration.
3. Support and Onboarding for Boutiques: Smaller wineries, especially those new to large festivals or from far away, might need extra support to maximize their participation.
– Prep Materials: Provide all wineries (but especially the boutique ones) with a “Festival Success Kit” ahead of time. Include estimated attendee numbers, tips on how much wine to bring (or options for sending more if they run out), and best practices for engaging a crowd. Big companies likely have event teams, but a two-person family winery will appreciate the guidance.
– Shared Resources: If possible, offer assistance like a refrigerated storage area, or volunteer pourers to give small producers a break during the day. If a boutique producer has to handle everything alone, they might not have time to step away for lunch or to network. Making their life easier behind the scenes will help them put their best face forward to attendees.
– Mentorship: Pair each boutique winery with a festival team member or a volunteer “liaison” who checks in on them. This person can funnel any feedback or needs to festival organizers quickly. It makes the small producer feel valued, and you can address any issues (like a booth running low on rinse water or needing more dump buckets) promptly before it affects their presentation.
4. VIP and Exclusive Offerings: One way to feature marquee wineries without overshadowing the main tasting is to leverage them for special experiences.
– VIP Tastings: Offer a VIP ticket tier that includes an exclusive tasting session with a marquee winery or a flight of iconic wines. For example, a limited-seat masterclass with a legendary winemaker or a reserve vintage tasting can happen in a side room for VIPs. This creates a high-end experience that justifies premium ticket prices (boosting revenue) while keeping the main floor egalitarian. Crucially, it means the presence of the famous winery adds cachet without drawing the entire general crowd at once (because only VIPs attend that session at that time).
– Headline Events: Similarly, you might have a gala dinner or an opening night party “hosted by” a big-name winery, where they pour their flagship wines. This event can have its own ticket or invitation. The general festival then proceeds with all wineries pouring for the broader audience. In this model, the marquee name gets a special platform and marketing highlight, but the boutique producers still get the full attention of attendees during the main events.
– Leveraging Ticketing Tools: Use an advanced ticketing platform (like Ticket Fairy) to manage these multi-tier experiences seamlessly. The right platform lets you create add-ons or separate credentials for VIP sessions, so check-in is smooth across different access levels. It can also help communicate to VIP attendees about their special schedules without confusing general ticket holders. For example, you can sell a general admission ticket for the main tasting, and a separate “Grand Cru VIP Package” that includes the marquee dinner and a swag bag. This way, the marquee wineries help drive higher revenue through premium offerings, while boutique wineries still enjoy plenty of attention during the standard tasting hours.
Marketing a Mixed Lineup
How you present your blend of big and small wineries to the public will set expectations and excitement levels. Marketing is where you ensure that marquee names become magnets and that the charm of your boutique gems comes across to entice ticket buyers who love discovery.
1. Balanced Promotion: In your promotional materials, feature the marquee wineries prominently, but not exclusively. A common strategy is to lead with a couple of famous names in headlines (“Featuring wines from X, Y, and 40+ other top wineries from around the world”) – this catches the eye. But immediately also mention the diversity (“…plus handpicked boutique wineries spanning 10 countries”). This tells prospective attendees that it’s not just a one-dimensional event. Use both kinds of names in social media teasers; one post might spotlight a classic prestige winery, the next could introduce a cool niche producer and what makes them special.
– Storytelling for Boutiques: People love a good story. In the lead-up marketing, consider doing short profiles or video spotlights on some of the boutique winemakers coming to your festival. Share the human-interest angle: the retired schoolteacher who started a micro-winery in Spain, or the young woman reviving her grandfather’s vineyard in rural Australia. These stories create emotional investment and give attendees specific “hidden gems” to look forward to finding at the event.
– Leverage Big-Name Networks: Encourage your marquee participants to promote the festival to their followers. Big wineries often have large mailing lists and social media reach. When they announce “Hey, we’ll be pouring at XYZ Wine Fest this July!”, their fans take notice (and some will buy tickets). Provide them with branded graphics or sample posts to make sharing easy – it’s free marketing for you, powered by the star power they have.
2. Educate the Audience: Use your marketing channels to prep the audience for discovery. This can both excite true enthusiasts and gently educate novices.
– Wine Guides and Content: Publish blogs or guides such as “5 Must-Try Hidden Gems at This Year’s Festival” or “Marquee and Boutique: How to Plan Your Tasting Day.” An informed attendee will be more likely to venture beyond the one name they recognize if you whet their appetite for the unknown. For example, list a few boutique wineries and describe what makes them interesting (“first winery in Indonesia making sparkling wine,” “award-winning organic Merlot from a tiny French village,” etc.). This plants seeds so attendees arrive with a treasure-hunt mindset.
– Interactive Apps/Maps: If you have an event app or a digital map, use it to highlight varietals or themes, not just names. A filter for “Organic Wines” or “Represented Regions” can show the range of options. Attendees can plan a route that includes both the Burgundy grand cru stop and the boutique Croatian winery they read about. By visualizing the diversity, you assure them it’s a rich experience.
– Tiered Ticket Messaging: When selling multiple ticket tiers (general vs VIP), be clear about what marquee experiences are included in each, and emphasize that general admission still offers plenty. For instance: “General Admission – 50 wineries from 12 countries, including famed labels like A, B, C and a host of boutique discoveries. VIP Admission – all that plus an exclusive tasting with Winemaker X from [Marquee Winery].” This way standard ticket buyers know they’ll still see the big names on the floor (albeit perhaps with longer lines), and VIP buyers see the extra they get. It sets the expectation that big names are present but not the only attraction.
3. Managing Perceptions: The narrative you craft should consistently be that your festival has breadth and depth.
– Avoid positioning it purely as a luxury high-end event or purely as an indie fair. It’s both. If the festival is perceived as too high-brow (only fancy expensive wines), beginners might shy away. If it looks too niche or small-scale, luxury consumers might not bother. So use language like “world-class and boutique,” “renowned and rare,” “icons and innovators” in your messaging to hit both notes.
– Testimonials & Past Highlights: If this isn’t your first year, use examples from previous festivals to your advantage. For instance, mention that attendees gave feedback loving the mix of famous and new wineries. If you have a quote or testimonial highlighting how someone “discovered so many great new wines I’d never heard of,” include that in your press releases or web content. It reinforces that balance is an intentional strength of your event.
– Media Outreach: When talking to media or writing press releases, explicitly mention how the festival curators intentionally balanced the lineup. For example: “Our goal is to give wine lovers the best of both worlds – the chance to taste legendary wines and the thrill of encountering something completely new. We have wineries ranging from Napa Valley icons to organic micro-estates from Slovenia.” Journalists will often mirror this phrasing in articles, which then primes readers (potential attendees) to value both aspects of the event.
By marketing the festival as an exploration guided by both famous experts and indie trailblazers, you’ll attract a wider audience and set the stage for a more satisfying experience. Attendees will walk in expecting to be wowed by a name they recognize and to stumble upon surprising favorites they didn’t see coming – which is exactly what you as an organizer want to deliver.
Learning from the Field: Successes and Cautionary Tales
Experience from seasoned festival producers around the world shows just how impactful the marquee/boutique balance can be. Here are a couple of real-world lessons:
Case Study 1: Local Gems on a Global Stage – At a renowned wine festival in Colorado (USA), organizers for Taste of Vail made a point to include local Colorado boutique wineries alongside international stars. Initially, there were concerns that Colorado’s lesser-known wines might be overlooked next to California Cabernets and French Burgundies. But the result was the opposite. The big-name wineries drew crowds, and those crowds were delighted to discover the quality of wines from Colorado’s own up-and-coming producers. According to local reports, attendees even learned about the state’s wine history and terroir through these homegrown vendors (www.vaildaily.com). The festival not only boosted its uniqueness (being more than just another showcase of the usual regions), but it also earned goodwill by supporting its local wine community. The lesson? When small regional players are included with pride and given a proper platform, they can shine even in the company of giants. In fact, their presence can become a defining feature that sets your festival apart from others.
Case Study 2: When Big Names Overwhelmed the Experience – A few years ago, an established wine festival in South America tried to reinvent itself as a luxury extravaganza. They packed the lineup almost exclusively with internationally famous wineries and high-end brands, aiming to grab headlines. Sure enough, the tickets sold quickly at first – wine collectors and status-seekers showed up, drawn by the prestige. However, the festival feedback told a cautionary tale. Many attendees felt the event was too commercial and lacked soul. With booths run by corporate reps and little in the way of local charm, the atmosphere felt like a fancy trade show. There were few discoveries to be made, since most wines were ones guests already knew. By day’s end, some attendees were actually bored (despite the expensive wine flowing freely) because the element of exploration was missing. The next year, the festival producers wisely adjusted course. They reintroduced a healthy mix of boutique wineries from across Latin America, added interactive ‘Meet-the-Winemaker’ sessions with small producers, and saw attendee satisfaction rebound. The takeaway: a lineup with only marquee names can backfire if it neglects the experiential richness that comes from variety and discovery.
Case Study 3: Nurturing a Niche Audience – In New Zealand, a “Natural Wine Discovery” mini-festival was held as part of a larger food & wine event. It featured mainly boutique natural wine producers from New Zealand and Australia, with just one or two bigger organic brands as anchors. This could have been risky – natural wine has a passionate but niche following. But the mainstream festival’s draw brought curious wine drinkers into the niche area. Because the setting encouraged exploration, many attendees who came for the famous Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs wandered into the natural wine section and engaged with those small producers. The niche exhibitors reported selling out of the stock they brought and gaining new customers and mailing list sign-ups. Meanwhile, the festival as a whole got positive buzz for being “on trend” and innovative. The organizers tapped into a specific interest (sustainable, low-intervention winemaking) without making the entire festival niche – balancing it within the larger event. This illustrates how giving space to emerging trends or philosophies, supported by just a touch of marquee spotlight, can enrich the festival and even future-proof it by staying ahead of the curve.
Every festival and market will have its own nuances, but these stories underline a universal insight: balance wins. Big names may get people in the door, but it’s the diversity and depth that keep them satisfied and coming back year after year. As a festival producer, listening to attendee and participant feedback (from both large and small wineries) will help you fine-tune this balance over time. Don’t be afraid to experiment – maybe one year you invite an unusually high number of first-timers and new wineries; another year you secure a blockbuster name you’ve never had before. Observe how it influences the vibe and ticket sales, and adjust accordingly. The wisdom gained from each edition will guide you to the perfect blend for your unique festival.
Key Takeaways
- Mix Name-Recognition with Novelty: Use marquee wineries to draw broad attention and ticket sales, but always include boutique wineries to provide unique discoveries and authenticity. The best festivals satisfy both casual attendees and die-hard wine explorers.
- Diversity is Your Strength: Curate a lineup that spans various price points, regions, grape varieties, and winemaking philosophies. This breadth and depth make your wine festival attractive to a wider audience and create a richer tasting experience.
- Thoughtful Scheduling & Layout: Prevent big-name brands from overshadowing others by mixing booth placements and staggering headline events. Ensure that small producers are visible, accessible, and have opportunities to shine (through themed areas, panels, or special mentions).
- Engage and Educate Attendees: Market your festival’s balanced lineup by highlighting both the famous labels and the hidden gems in promotions. Provide stories and guides that encourage attendees to explore beyond the familiar names, enhancing their satisfaction.
- Support Your Boutique Vendors: Give extra care to small wineries before and during the event – from logistical help to featuring their stories – so they can deliver their best and feel valued. Their success at your festival will add to its charm and credibility.
- Leverage Tiered Experiences Smartly: Offer VIP or exclusive sessions with marquee wineries to add value for enthusiasts (and increase revenue) while keeping the general festival inclusive. A robust ticketing platform like Ticket Fairy can help manage these layers smoothly, without attendee confusion.
- Learn and Adapt: Use feedback from attendees and wineries each year to adjust your mix. If surveys show guests wanted more new discoveries, increase the boutique ratio next time (and vice versa). Balancing marquee and boutique is an art that benefits from continuous refinement.
By following these guidelines, a festival organizer can craft a wine festival lineup that not only drives strong ticket sales through the magnetic pull of marquee names, but also delivers the depth and surprise that leaves attendees buzzing with excitement. The result is a festival with both immediate appeal and lasting impact – one that honors legendary wines while launching new favorites, truly offering the best of both worlds.