Need member input. Habanos Marketing Proposal

[winelover]

I don't like the proposals. I think if I saw a box like that in duty free and didn't know better, I'd think they are dominicans! I don't know why a milder blend is needed either. If people want a mild smoke that has fancy packaging etc they can get davidoff dominicans

[dmuchow]

I think the general idea is alright, but not for the Montecristo brand. Maybe a HDM or RyJ offering of the sort (without sacrificing any existing vitolas). Also the word "Sport" just doesn't seem right, but i like the vitola names. Something along the lines of "past-time" or "recreation" might be more fitting.

[shrink]

If they blend tobaccos from Montecristo and Upmann, somewhat like the Edmundo Dantes, it could still be relatively mild, but unique and flavorful.

Notwithstanding your cogent observations, I think that the "Sports" will sell.

[SmokinAl]

I guess I'm an old fogie.

Montecristo evokes images of wood paneled drawing rooms for me. I take comfort in that. For HSA to start messing with a brand that works seems foolish. I like the monte blend and I don't think it a great idea to hang an "albatross" around the neck of a classic that is just as much a flagship brand as Cohiba IMHO.

[strayvector]

I don't like it. Just because it worked for Ralph Lauren, doesn't mean that other brands/products will be succesful just because "Sport" is added to it. Hate the idea and agree completely about the bastardization of the brand. There are already plenty of marcas owned by HSA, do they really need to further differentiate within a marca? Anyways, I thought the Diplomaticos were originally created to be the lighter and more affordable Montecristo.

[jb007]

personally montecristo's are pretty mild in themselves. i haven't smoked many full flavoured ones, but then i haven't smoked a no. 4 reserva or monte no. 2.

that said though, one of the above cigars is a very limited production and the other is just one size.

as to the packaging (having spent some time studying design myself), i think an embossed aluminium (or some sort of metal) box lined on the inside with cedar (or some sort of wood, maybe walnut or something else thats in abundance in cuba) with the monte logo, "montecristo" and "sport" written on it would be much more successful that that yellow and green package. i get the feeling that this line of montecristo's is meant to be "new" and "cool". the setup they have going just isn't what they are trying to achieve... its kinda old, light and dark colours... nothing is really new about it.

that said though, the proposed bands on the cigars look very neat. i initially thought that "montecristo" and "sport" should be written in red on the packaging, but i like the green on the 2nd band. i don't think green and silver go too well, so i'm not sure what to say about the band. change it or not, i'm unsure.

i think it could sell quite well though, but it definately needs to be bought into the 21st century. H.S.A needs to put more time into this concept though, and really make it awesome if they are going to go through with it. atm it isn't quite there yet in my opinion.

[yossie]

Since I'm not a huge fan of monte, I don't mind whether It will sell or not. Ask not to discontinue SCDH to Habanos heads.

[Vinny]

Good idea.... only if they do it with brands like Por Larranaga or La Gloria Cubana for example. It's a shame they put away such a cigar like the 898 RA to step up with the edmundo or that kind of new stuff. Now again, why doing this with a brand that has already a wide range?

Why not try to promote an old brand (and delicious one) like PL instead?!?

[zuma]

IMHO, it is all F**ked... The name (Sport) and the design makes me wonder whether these are Menthols... the Concept seems more akin to the "Dolebludger of Montecristo" rather than the Count...

They would be better off coming up with a new brand for more refined palates (read, wussie pissweaks), call it something like "La Cucaracha de Cuba" or "Flojos de Cuba"... rather than crap on the Montecristo name.

And what is with those stupid names? Better find names from localities in pinar del rio...

I really hope it gets canned!

[88keys]

I'm not an expert, so consider the source. To me this seems like a mere scheme rather than solid marketing.

One thing that's left out of the proposal is the price point. Would this line cost less?

I understand their wish to develop the Montecristo name, but it could gradually have an undesirable effect. Would there be Cohiba Lights, R&J White Label or whatever? I wonder whether the confusion you see in the non-Cuban brands is a good thing.

Not so sure about the names. In the US, Monaco is old fashioned and glitzy or snobby (for those of us who remember the car, it's worse than that). Master -- ok. Swing can mean a baseball bat or a golf club, but it's not exactly a macho word. But albatross? Remember reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in high school? (From Wikipedia) -- "Having shot the albatross the Mariner is forced to wear the bird about his neck as a symbol of guilt." Who the heck came up with that one? I don't know, maybe it's some kind of Cuban drink.

I have no interest in these and don't see the need, but I'm not the target customer at all. Most of us probably aren't.

[harryleech]

Brief thoughts (I'm supposed to be working!)

1. The packeging looks s*&%

2. Hate the name

3. Looks overall like some cheap Altadis USA knock off of a Cuban brand

4. Hate the name

5. Love the petit Pyramid size, we need more of these in the vein of the Petit Edmundo, Petit robusto etc

6. Hate the name

Did I mention that I hate the name? If they're trying to re-invigorate the montecristo brand, why not release another new vitola (as the Ed and PE seem to have done very well) and market them in tubos? Adding a new line to the existing brand will only dilute and cheapen it (as I think the Maduro 5 range has done to Cohiba.)

Just my 0.02c worth...

» I'm not an expert, so consider the source. To me this seems like a mere

» scheme rather than solid marketing.

»

» One thing that's left out of the proposal is the price point. Would this

» line cost less?

»

» I understand their wish to develop the Montecristo name, but it could

» gradually have an undesirable effect. Would there be Cohiba Lights, R&J

» White Label or whatever? I wonder whether the confusion you see in the

» non-Cuban brands is a good thing.

»

» Not so sure about the names. In the US, Monaco is old fashioned and

» glitzy or snobby (for those of us who remember the car, it's worse than

» that). Master -- ok. Swing can mean a baseball bat or a golf club, but

» it's not exactly a macho word. But albatross? Remember reading The Rime

» of the Ancient Mariner in high school? (From Wikipedia) -- "Having shot

» the albatross the Mariner is forced to wear the bird about his neck as a

» symbol of guilt." Who the heck came up with that one? I don't know, maybe

» it's some kind of Cuban drink.

»

» I have no interest in these and don't see the need, but I'm not the target

» customer at all. Most of us probably aren't.

[cvm4]

That's is the worst packaging I've ever seen. It's not classy and doesn't really say "buy me." It looks cheap and just put together on a whim. A different color palette is needed. And I hate having a brand within a brand. Just make a new cigar instead of a new line of Montes.

[mef]

Prez,

Personally I hate the sub-branding and packaging design of the Monte "concept".

I won't spend a single $ on these cigars.

Habanos SA needs to get the house in order. Launching too many cigars and LEs. Now thinking of new concepts of sub branding traditional Cuban brands....what a waste of time.

I say Habanos SA....get focus on continuing quality improvement on current marques. Meet deadlines of promised launches and plan ahead to counter the declining retail trade/offer from ever increasing anti smoking laws.

Get more activities going...send more top rollers out of Cuba. Let's have more herfs....

mef.

[Rogers72]

Definitely not something that I would be interested in for the same reasons as stated above (traditionalist, bobo packaging, there are plenty of mild smokes available, brand identity clash, etc.) I think the cubans may be trying to be something that they aren't and shouldn't have any desire to be.

I live in the US so I never see any Habanos "marketing" anyway. Do they advertise in print, radio, or television elsewhere or is it a product that mostly sells itself? I have a feeling the latter is more the case and I think that is part of their appeal. Seeing something like this makes me feel like HSA may be getting a little desperate and I don't see how that could be the case???

[tigger]

» 3. Looks overall like some cheap Altadis USA knock off of a Cuban brand

+10

I can't claim to be an expert, but some years ago I worked in a number of different capacities for a company with a heavy emphasis on marketing. Brand dilution is a bad idea, in my opinion.

While I personally would prefer to see the tobacco destined for this concept go toward bringing back some of the cervantes/dalias/coronas that have been lost, it seems to me that a new brand, or an extension of the Edmundo Dantes brand with vitolas de salidas and accompanying marketing that reflect the demographic they seem to be aiming at would be a better use of powder.

[Colt45]

Montecristo Sport - the new deodorant from Habanos S.A.!

I'm with Zuma here - if they really feel the need to continue to force feed us crap,

come up with a new marque - perhaps Flaco Sport.

[Ken Gargett]

***!

dead set ***.

anyone who authorises them is ***; anyone who rolls them is ***; anyone who sells them is ***; anyone who smokes them is ***.

not that there is anything wrong with that.

[jdbrown]

Im with Ken on this one...good lord what a joke!

[Grasso]

"Sport" has no place as a cigar description.

[Mel]

Milder Blend????? For Who???? Guys that don't like the taste of cigars??? Habanos has weakend up most of its lines already, according to Min Ron NEE so why dilute the cigars some more. If you don't like the strong taste of real tobaccoo get another hobby.

Cheesy all the way might as well put a ballerina on the box and go from green to pink. Have them add a free box of tampons with every purchase.

Did I make my opinion clear?:-P

[SmokinAl]

» ***!

»

» dead set ***.

»

» anyone who authorises them is ***; anyone who rolls them is ***; anyone

» who sells them is ***; anyone who smokes them is ***.

»

» not that there is anything wrong with that.

Is that a Nay vote or are you just provoking Colt?

(Oh wait, no it's me doing that). :-D

I know I've already had my ten cents but I've been thinking about this so I'll double down. I like it that Habanos don't change. I like it that they're a link to a more civilised past. I don't want to play tennis or hang glide whilst smoking a cigar. I want to sit in a comfy chair like the big fat bastard that I am and smoke in peace whilst offending the diners around me who can't quite grasp that my free cigar smoke is improving their "dining experience" by giving them something to talk about, viz, the fat bastard over there smoking the double corona.

Whilst I'm on the subject. what the hell is this "dining experience" bulldust anyway? I used to just go to a restaurant to eat. Perhaps if you scored a heady under the table you could call it an "experience".

Here's a marketing slogan for you "If you couldn't be stuffed jogging, smoke a cigar...and harden the F Up".

Damn I feel better.

[aavkk]

First my opinion on the brand and then a couple of questions. I dont like it because they are using a brand that is already lighter than most in my opinion and because it is a classic brand that runs too high a risk of being tarnished or brought down with the albatross. I agree that if they insist on doing this use another brand that has the reputation of being more full-bodied. Additionally I dont think the packaging fits the concept.

Im confused on a couple of levels. Does HSA need to sell more cigars and/or are they unhappy with the product they are currently putting out? Instead of using the rollers to roll albatrosses I would rather they just crank out more RASCC! If they start doing to many things they will lose sight of what brought them success in the first place. Simple and effective is the way to keep me happy as a consumer. I like the EL's and the RE's but I think thats about all I can handle outside of the basic line.

[Taino]

I like lighter cigars like JL and I think I would like a light cigar related with sport, but I don't think I like it to be Montecristo...

[habanohal]

looks like a cologne add

[havanaclub7]

I think the marketing geniuses at Altadis are trying to do for their Cuban brands what they've done for their Dominican brands. It's a terrible idea. How can you screw around with a venerable brand like Montecristo?

That said, I think the tubes are pretty cool looking. Which brings me to another point. Wasn't HsA going to introduce brand new tubes and packaging for a bunch of cigars they already produce? And haven't the new tubes and packaging been delayed several times already? Even if HsA wanted to screw up one of their marquee brands, I doubt they have the wherewithal to pull it off!