Creating a Connoisseur

There was a great article in the NYT Dining & Wine section yesterday about a wine connoisseur in Japan who is driving major decisions of the wine industry there and in other parts of Asia. The only catch is that he is the creation of a brother and sister Manga team.

Product placement is nothing new in the entertainment industry but Let Gouttes de Dieu takes the reader on a journey of learning about wine through the experiences of its main character. So, as he learns about a new wine family, so does the reader who is then compelled to partake in that same experience in real time. As an example, Burgundy had almost dropped off the map in Japan until the comic raved about it and suddenly hotels were scrambling to keep up with the demand.

I'm intrigued by the use of narrative, education, and the new-found factors that contribute to success in the market.