Cigar Marketing

[Nickerson]

I'm still waiting for a "HD" or "3D" cigar to hit the market. Super trendy right now.

 

[Clint]

Are you a marketer?

For constant buzz and brand affinity I think Tatuaje is on the money. It has a great grass roots following with a down to earth man behind it, but lately I feel like they're becoming like Viaje and diluting their market with so many LEs.

I see the point you're trying to make, Jacob, but the ratio of production cigars versus LE's is far more lopsided with Viaje than Tatuaje. Pete has a ton of stuff out there in collaboration with Pepin, where Viaje just has a few cigars in regular production and constantly run LE's into the marketplace.

(Don't get me wrong...I do love the Viaje LE's!)

Most will agree that Viaje LE's are generally far better than production, where a lot of Pete's regular lines do fairly well on their own.

 

[Thegreekone]

Dude, if i get a chance to bang Megan Fox, I am not going to pass it up because I may only get to do it once. Complaining that you can't afford the cigar because it's an LE, does bring you full circle to the fiscal responsibility thread. If the cigar is too expensive to buy by the box (marrying Megan Fox), then smoke the single, so you can say you did (banging megan Fox). If you really like the cigar you can still get a 10 ct box. Cigars are an expensive hobby. I smoke an occasional OPUS and some guys smoke them after lunch on tuesday. Smoke with in your means.

*roflmfao*

 

[Thegreekone]

That said, they are limited editions for more than one reason, usually the result of special tobacco (and not Rocky's magic moon tobacco that is SUPER RARE) that there is only a limited quantity of. This also is the reason for the pricing.

I can't believe anybody think Patel deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Pete. Pete is "reaching for soemthing" and there is always a rhyme to his reason. His sticks are incredible.

Doesn't Patel have over 120 "blends?"

 

[CWS]

My favorite marketing scheme is at our local B&M. They discount one cigar each week by $2.00. Try it. I don't need advertising or pretty pictures..I need to taste the cigar. That why I like samplers offered by many online folks.

 

[dpricenator]

I can't believe anybody think Patel deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Pete. Pete is "reaching for soemthing" and there is always a rhyme to his reason. His sticks are incredible.

Doesn't Patel have over 120 "blends?"

and Pete is closing on him quickly.

 

[megladon8]

Yeah, Tatuaje has a helluva lot of blends too.

I gather much of peoples' disdain for Rocky is based in morality. The guy seems like a less-than-honorable businessman.

 

[Fourtotheflush]

There was a time I relied on friends, then for a short time, took tips from CA... now I just log onto BOTL and listen to what the good folks here have to say! Thats marketing enough for me! Unfortunately most of it is all Tat all the time, so you have to be careful, but for the most part they are all right in line with their reviews and recomendations.

 

[Asher]

I gather much of peoples' disdain for Rocky is based in morality. The guy seems like a less-than-honorable businessman.

Yeah, dyeing expensive maduro wrappers doesn't seem very honorable.

 

[tobii3]

Yeah, dyeing expensive maduro wrappers doesn't seem very honorable.

Do tell, Asher, who is the only maker to publicly issue a RECALL on a cigar?

See, we can sling mud about every maker out there, now, can't we?

This thread is about MARKETING, not about slinging mud.

Can we keep it clean?

 

[dpricenator]

Yeah, Tatuaje has a helluva lot of blends too.

I gather much of peoples' disdain for Rocky is based in morality. The guy seems like a less-than-honorable businessman.

aside from denying that he has dyed the wrappers on his cigars, I have heard he is just one of the guys when it comes to hanging out and smoking a cigar. I don't think he has out and out screwed anyone in a business deal.

 

[Asher]

Do tell, Asher, who is the only maker to publicly issue a RECALL on a cigar?

See, we can sling mud about every maker out there, now, can't we?

This thread is about MARKETING, not about slinging mud.

Can we keep it clean?

I don't know who recalled a cigar. (I was away from here for a while.) All I know is that I've had RP OWRs that left plenty a dark, dye-like stain on my fingers and lips.

 

[pnoguy]

I pretty much ignore marketing for just about everything I buy. If you're going to buy a new truck, you do your homework, drive everything that seems to fit your needs, and choose the one that is best for you. Same goes for televisions, theater systems, etc., etc., etc. Nobody, but nobody, is going to market something like a premium cigar as being okay, pretty good, or almost as good as something else. When was the last time you saw a fat chick in a bikini in an advertisement for something other than a weight loss product? You look at an ad that has been composed by a highly paid professional whose job it is to convince you to buy their product, you read some copy written by a highly paid professional wordsmith whose job it is to convince you to buy their product. You can't go a day without seeing an advertisement for a product that is "new and improved". News flash: A product cannot, by definition, by "new and improved". It is either new, or it is improved. Yet we, the money-spending public, lap up these kinds marketing ploys like pablum. Marketing, Schmarketing. I'm never gonna bang any of those girls and neither are you. Slick marketing is for sheeple. I just want a cigar that I enjoy, and I don't want to take out a second mortgage to buy it.

 

[WhiteWolfIndulgence]

I'm a marketing nut and this past weekend got to wondering what the good folks of botl had to say about today's cigar marketing ...

So, who's marketing most speaks to you and why? It can be an individual, a collaboration, a manufacturer, etc ...


I was originally thinking of posting this as a poll but decided to just go with a regular thread as certain industry figures represent numerous brands and some other brands are collaborative efforts, etc ...

While I no longer smoke anything (generally) made by Altadis/General Cigar, the catalogue at JR Cigars is always good for a laugh or three.

 

[WhiteWolfIndulgence]

The brands that sell a "lifestyle" are very interesting to me ... Rocky Patel (his forthcoming chain of Lounges), Jon Drew (cigarsafari), Pete Johnson (too much to list) ... not necessarily my favorite marketers but some of the most interesting.

Personally, I'm still searching for the person or brand that I really identify with stylistically.

That's why I kinda love the Don Cervantes blend. It speaks to "who I am" inside. The cigar speaks to me of quality and a lifestyle I wish to join.

Patel, like all other cigar makers has to keep ahead on marketing. It's tough. Anyone ever smoke the MOntecristos in the really fancy tubes? That kinda was a draw for me as in "I had to have it." Especially when it was a $16 stick at the time. (In California)

Best Marketing Campaign I've enjoyed has been Punch's little puppet. I saw a humidor at Grants that had the punch clown and a dialogue bubble that read "I smoke cigars to keep away idiots."

Not a fan of punch but it seemed like that maker "understood" me LOL!