The better examples of Cigar brand marketing?

[El Presidente]

I was asked about Ilusione cigars in an e-mail over the weekend and I had to go to their website to get some details. Unique marketing indeed.

I have always admired Rocky Patels marketing nouse even if I am not a huge fan of his cigars. Hell, the guy puts to market 20 million cigars per year. Kudos.

I always remember seeing Jonathan Drew / Drew Estate launch their Acid cigars in the late 90's. I made it out to be a gimmick and gave them no chance in the cigar world. How wrong I was.

As an avid lover of marketing benchmarks within the industry, I would love your opinion as to some of the best marketers out there within the cigar communtiy. Let us know why you think so.I love a great marketing story and will be sure to follow up with some downtime research/reading

[RickG]

Pete Johnson! He is one of the best marketers out there. Not only does he have the private SnS club, but always does a bunch of Store exclusive sticks also etc. ( which will cease this year. ) but his stuff is not only gimmicky but his stuff is really good. You can tell he takes pride In what he produces, like its stuff he would smoke him self. I think right now he is the rock star of the NC world. And deservedly so.

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[The Privateer]

WARPED.

Period.

Second that. Hipster-targeted marketing, but there's a reason why all the hipster oriented brands have become so successful.

[oliverdst]

Cigar Aficionado

[NSXCIGAR]

Gurkha. Their cigars are no better or worse than anyone else's IMO, but they've managed to position themselves as super high end and reap the margins that go with it.

+1

Anyone who can sell a recent production cigar for $1,000+ is doing something right.

[perkinke]

Gurkha. Their cigars are no better or worse than anyone else's IMO, but they've managed to position themselves as super high end and reap the margins that go with it.

They are the first one that came to mind when reading this. They also have the flat out coolest packaging in the business. I won't touch their cigars but love their boxes.

[RWhiz]

Illusione, yea I'm biased, Dion set up shop right here in Reno, been to his shop, Fumare quite a lot. But...his conspiracy theory themed cigars and site are really cool IMO. Not to mention they make some of the best NC's going!

[riazp]

Gurkha...all marketing, CRAP CRAP CRAP cigars.

Now Dion does a remarkeble job with Illusione and Pete does a tremendous job with Tatuaje & co in terms of marketing, but they also produce some exellent cigars. I would not hesitate to smoke a Tatuaje or Illusione, its usually what i gravitate towards when i'm in the states are at a B&M.

[anacostiakat]

In my opinion no one can touch the Fuentes'. Their marketing is a basis for many of the more successful non-Cuban producers like Pete Johnson, etc. who have taken what they learned from them and spun their own ideas into success for their brands.

[ned]

Illusione, yea I'm biased, Dion set up shop right here in Reno, been to his shop, Fumare quite a lot. But...his conspiracy theory themed cigars and site are really cool IMO. Not to mention they make some of the best NC's going!

As have I. Dion is a great guy and makes some of the best NC's out there. His shop is fantastic and he has a huge walk in humidor. Seeing as he isnt too far from area 51 i think the conspiracy stuff has a good foundation. He doesn't put gimmicks into his cigars, just quality

Hell I even saw Joe Hockey before he took off for the US and recommended them to him.

I am a huge fan of illusione and what Dion does.

[Blazer]

I think many people have a very different definition of "Marketing" and many people respond positively or negatively to the term depending upon their belief system. I would have to argue that Gurkha is the most successful marketer of cigars on the planet. My opinion is based on the perception they have created for their brand. Marketing is about building a perception in the minds of customers, it is not the just the tactics you create to carry your message to the public.

It is incredibly difficult to be all things to all people and yet Gurkha has found a way to own both the budget (low end) market and the most luxurious end of the market. They are in effect the Yugo and the Mercedes of the cigar the world. We often don't see that because we (the most ardent aficionado's) make up a very small percentage of the total cigar buying public. We were invited to a party at my wife's boss' home over Christmas, a CEO, of a fortune 500 company, and he asked if I liked cigars. I was expecting him to break out some high end sticks, maybe even some Cubans, and instead he handed me a Gurkha Park Avenue and praised the quality of the stick. Had it not been my wife's boss I would have politely declined his offer.

Gurkha is also ubiquitous in the marketplace found in catalogs, online, adverts, duty free shops, liquor stores, golf pro shops, the most barren and the most well endowed cigar shops. Heck many of their lines that are excessively marketed by the catalogs aren't even owned by Gurkha any longer, the catalogs themselves own them. Now, IMHO, this marketing is primarily directed at the uninformed, as none of us would pay $1,000USD for one cigar, especially one form Gurkha. Do I like their cigars and marketing tactics? No. Do I respect their marketing, well its hard to argue with success.

[dflan82]

Check out Crowned Heads. A company started back in 2011 by former CAO Marketing guys who didn't like the way things were going there so they decided to carve their own path (to steal a phrase from them).

Much of what they do is inspired by their love of music which leads to some fun and interesting reads on how/why they created a particular cigar.

They are also active on social media which has tremendously helped their cause. Whether you like their cigars or not, they have been able to build a successful brand through marketing and key strategic partnerships.

[riazp]

Check out Crowned Heads. A company started back in 2011 by former CAO Marketing guys who didn't like the way things were going there so they decided to carve their own path (to steal a phrase from them).

Much of what they do is inspired by their love of music which leads to some fun and interesting reads on how/why they created a particular cigar.

They are also active on social media which has tremendously helped their cause. Whether you like their cigars or not, they have been able to build a successful brand through marketing and key strategic partnerships.

I have very much enjoyed their corona gorda's from their orginal line. I forgot about John. He is doing a great job as well. Their merch is very popular as well in the cigar world

[Fuzz]

You want to see a cigar marketing genius? Look no further....

[Homebrew]

You want to see a cigar marketing genius? Look no further....

I miss those caps/ I wore out 2 of them, wearing them daily. I could use another one. My mother washed my last one, when I popped in for a visit over Christmas. Poor thing didn't make it. I was heartbroken. But it did last 4 years of daily wear, so the quality was great.

Back on topic,

Yep Gurkha makes some crappy cigars, but they sell like crazy.

Dave (A.K.A. Homebrew)

[diggityderp]

Opus X and Davidoff have built tremendous brands, and unlike Ghurka I still buy a few from time to time.

[luv2fly]

You want to see a cigar marketing genius? Look no further....

Brilliant if you ask me...