A Thought on Getting the Message Out.

[Colt45]

I recenty read IcedCanuck"s "Ten years of Ottawa's non-smoking bylaw" thread, which gave me a thought about another way to let the "general public"

know what cigars are about. Obviously, writing our elected officials, while perhaps futile, is the first thing to do. But here's what I was thinking.....

Next time you know you will be getting together with a group of friends for fun with cigars, try to get it covered in some way by a branch of the

mainstream media. Not a cigar or lifestyle magazine, but a local newspaper, news website, etc.

While a news outlet might not want to seem like they are promoting cigar smoking, perhaps in the name of impartial journalism they might be persuaded.

As an example, perhaps something could be set up with a local paper for Rob's upcoming visit to Toronto. They come out, take a little time to find

out from you guys what it takes for you to be able to enjoy a cigar during a day or evening out, what you have to go through to do it, smoking in

winter, taxes, etc, etc.

[Loki]

Very good idea. A little positive press never hurts.

A couple of us at Rutgers University are trying to get a cigar dinner together. A social event pairing cigars, libations and food.

We should at least be able to get the RU Targum to cover the event.

[gigabyte056]

Great idea,

In my neck of the woods nowadays cigar smokers will be shot as we are experiencing some economical demonstrations.

I can just see the title of the article now:

While we are trying to keep our heads above water, they blow smoke in our faces...

[El Presidente]

I recenty read IcedCanuck"s "Ten years of Ottawa's non-smoking bylaw" thread, which gave me a thought about another way to let the "general public"

know what cigars are about. Obviously, writing our elected officials, while perhaps futile, is the first thing to do. But here's what I was thinking.....

Next time you know you will be getting together with a group of friends for fun with cigars, try to get it covered in some way by a branch of the

mainstream media. Not a cigar or lifestyle magazine, but a local newspaper, news website, etc.

While a news outlet might not want to seem like they are promoting cigar smoking, perhaps in the name of impartial journalism they might be persuaded.

As an example, perhaps something could be set up with a local paper for Rob's upcoming visit to Toronto. They come out, take a little time to find

out from you guys what it takes for you to be able to enjoy a cigar during a day or evening out, what you have to go through to do it, smoking in

winter, taxes, etc, etc.

Ross, the problem with the media (print and digital) is that they spin the story they want and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.

Better to find a "friendly" in the media who enjoys a cigar. The articles are never more than a paragraph or two but they are generally fun and positive.

[Colt45]

Ross, the problem with the media (print and digital) is that they spin the story they want and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.

No dobt, but I guess with no risk, there is no reward. Again, I guess my way of looking at it is to simply show it's about regular people

enjoying something that's not as harmful as many are led to believe, and that people who partake should not be treated as pariahs.

[PigFish]

Ross, the problem with the media (print and digital) is that they spin the story they want and there is not a damn thing you can do about it.

Better to find a "friendly" in the media who enjoys a cigar. The articles are never more than a paragraph or two but they are generally fun and positive.

Ross normally we are on the same page but I am gonna' have to agree with Rob here. The "Centralized Media" is in the tank!

When I worked for Yamaha (USA) I was in the motorcycle business when there was pending legislation to ban trikes. Remember the ATC-90? Even in my youth I had my 3 axiom of safety. That axiom states that any time the human body experiences more than 3 drinks, 3 mph, or 3 feet in the air life becomes a risk. With that in mind I was interviewed by the network news about the safety of 3 wheeled ATV's. As a guy who raced off road for almost 20 years I admitted that all motorcycles are dangerous. In doing so I admitted that 3 wheelers were also dangerous. The only clip that made the news was that 3 wheelers were dangerous!!!

The reporter will likely try your cigar, drink your beer, capture your reflected light on film and report on what a group of freaks you are and demand that you be stopped from smoking in your own back yard. He/she will drive a mile away to find some kid with who had an asthma attack the night of the party that he/she can blame on you. Next you will likely get sued! Call me cynical!

It is an uphill battle but call it for what it is. The war on tobacco was just a vehicle for taxation through a judicial body, above and beyond what has been assessed by the legislative. -Piggy

[Freefallguy]

Hey Ross, interesting idea.

Bundle with a nominal "cover" charge to a designated charity and you've got better shot at positive press. Then again finding a charity which accepts "tobacco" money may be a challenge.

[Puros Y Vino]

DonPedro actually did a positive piece on the CBC radio here in Canada. It aired during the morning show. The host was respectful but skeptical as DonPedro had his say. You could kinda feel the "anti smoking" undertone.

Maybe DonPedro can chime in here? My wife ran into a media person smoking a cigar with all her lady friends on a patio. I'll track down her name and see if something can materialize.

[CigarAsh]

Hey Ross, interesting idea.

Bundle with a nominal "cover" charge to a designated charity and you've got better shot at positive press. Then again finding a charity which accepts "tobacco" money may be a challenge.

Have a local cigar shop that opened up 2 years ago. The owner fought with the city all through the process about what he could and could not do in the confines of his own business because people would be smoking cigars. What finally won the city over was his charitable contributions at his previous location in a different town. He's an aggressive marketer and does large cigar events about every 3 or 4 weeks (his store is a freestanding former restaurant that can hold a few hundred people and a large parking lot for a lot more). He always adopts a different charity for each event and raises a lot of cash for the charities. But his number one "charity" is the military. He has sent a LOT of cigars overseas to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The city never really stood a chance once they realized how many people he has helped and how those charities have come to support the cigar store owner. When the military flies in to your events in a Blackhawk or Chinook helicopter to show their support, it's kind of difficult to fight!

[Colt45]

Ross normally we are on the same page but I am gonna' have to agree with Rob here. The "Centralized Media" is in the tank!

Ray, I don't disagree with you or Rob - it's just a thought and not something I'm trying to push. I think the guys have had some good

ideas - I guess for me it's less about promoting or advocating cigars versus simple human interest - cigars should not be demonized and

smokers are not demons.

I actually thought of you when I first posted - what if you could get someone outside of the motorcycle or cigar arena to cover one of your

Sunday rides/get togethers? It might not even have to be a bigger mainstream news outlet. And sure they could turn it into a meat grinder,

but is doing nothing better than trying something?

I don't know - maybe the first step is establishing some type of common ground.......

[El Presidente]

Ross

Don't get me wrong, if I could control the message I would be all for it. Unfortunately 8 times out of 10 (my experience in this country) the end portrayal is of middle aged white blokes and young tykes billowing smoke.

You really need a Journo who understands what Cigars are all about otherwise what you get is their interpretation and spin.

With the web however, you can submit your own event coverage via various "online News" sources. This would be my preferred course of action.

[mazolaman]

i think it would be a useful idea if you dealt with your local media.

These would be of more influence to your immediate locality,and less likely to be at the will of a pervasive line of thought,as their content is not scrutinised so much.

On the whole though,the large scale media over here is regarded poorly at the moment,with it's scummy methods.So they are unlikely to risk being seen to be promoting any kind of tobacco.

Anecdotally speaking,I find people tend to react favourably to cigars,saying they like the smell etc,as apposed to cigarettes which people scowl at.

[CigarAsh]

If you want to get media attention for cigar lovers, then you have to create some sort of "human interest" for the media that goes beyond the cigars. The B&M I mentioned above does it through the charitable work he does and his support for the military (an obviously big issue in the US). It's garnered him a lot of great, free publicity.

The media won't cover cigar lovers just because we sit around and love to smoke and talk about cigars. Nor do they care that we feel oppressed by the anti-smoking crusaders. They want a story like "Cigar Club saves people from burning building" or "Cigar Club donates million dollars to charity for crippled children". Those are obviously extreme (and stupid!) examples, but the idea is to give them something beyond cigars to cover so you can earn their support. THEN you can gain a little coverage about the trampling of our rights!

[nick17]

this is a rely good idea! we should definitely try or try and set or a cigar rights of canada or what ever country you live in