Need member input. Habanos Marketing Proposal

[Matthew]

» looks like a cologne add

Thought that too.

"Sport" name is terrible - has no historical value or meaning; heck, it isn't even spanish.

Packaging is terrible - unattractive and demotes the value of the standard Monte brand.

Aren't Diplomaticos already thought of as Monte-lites? Why not just revitalize a dying Marca?

[Thomas]

It seems like a "on the go" type branding effort, smoke em with the top down or at the beach. A vacationers smoke, a cook out brand.

I like Monte's a great deal and I would try them.

No need to stagnate for the sake of tradition, I hope they keep the originals though.

I vote yes, although I think some marketing rep is getting his ass kicked over this.

[Claudius]

1/ Montecristo is too mild, not too strong.

2/ If HSA want to expand on the great image of the Montecristo brand, they should make a stronger blend and call it "Veteran" or "Traditional" or "Pinar del Rio" or something like that.

3/ Adding an even milder blend to the Montecristo range of cigars will weaken and dilute the brand image

4/ If they make Montecristo Sports, I will not buy any. Ever. Not even to try.

[GP012]

Holy butt ugly batman! What's next, you need to be slathered in Davidoff Cool Water to buy these things?

They look & feel like CAO/Gurkha marketing gimmicks gone wrong. If you're going to cheapen an HSA brand, do it to one of the lesser brands (Guantanamera Cristal Sport, anyone?), but definitely not with Montecristo.

[Morientes50]

» » looks like a cologne add

»

» Thought that too.

»

» "Sport" name is terrible - has no historical value or meaning; heck, it

» isn't even spanish.

»

» Packaging is terrible - unattractive and demotes the value of the standard

» Monte brand.

»

» Aren't Diplomaticos already thought of as Monte-lites? Why not just

» revitalize a dying Marca?

I hate this idea personally. I hate the name and packaging. it betrays the tradition of Cuban tobacco. They got it right with "unique since 1492". This new smoke seems to say "receive a free box of Montecristo Sport with any 10 dollar purchase of cologne at Walmart." :-(

[smokum]

I don't see a big seller here. If it's a flop it only cheapens the good name on MC. Why dont they fark around with Veguero.

[lusitanias]

dear Prez,

i think this new line will have a great success all over the world and will not interfere with montecristo classic line.

in fact, the new line will be milder in taste (read, for people who don't usually smoke cigars) and won't be confused with the classic one;

the vitolas are totally different from the classic line ones: these shapes are probably very close to aficinados' needs in terms of smoking time and aromatic fullness (reyes, robusto, petit campana).

last the packaging: modern with new colours but similiar to the classic line. it's immediately a Montecristo.

i don't know if aficionados will ever buy the new line, but i think that "normal" smokers will appreciate the new line with its cool tubes and comfortable formats.

ciao, marcello

[Colt45]

I've got a concept proposal for HSA. It may never see the light of day either, but I'll propose it nonetheless:

I propose concentrating on producing cigars that consistently taste great and draw properly.

[Ginseng]

» Personally I don't like it for the reasons that it confuses and cheapens

» the brand. I don't like the packaging and I don't like the name which

» sounds like something designed by British American Tobacco.

Absolutely in full agreement.

» I believe a line extension of this magnitude and change will cannibalize

» sales from Montecristo rather than create sales. I don't believe

» Montecristo needs a new "lighter blend". The marketing spiel looks like

» gobly **** to me. They have cliches coming out of thier arse.

Fully agree yet again. You could have asked an undergraduate marketing class to mutate an HSA brand along the Polo Sport model and gotten this tripe.

» MONTECRISTO SPORT PROPOSAL

» 1.- A new line created in order to broaden the range of consumers, to

» renew and rejuvenate the brand image trying not to have a negative effect

» on traditional consumers.

» 2.- Searching for complicity in sports which point out to life styles

» 3.- Representative launchings with trendy sizes

» 4.- By creating new communications codes but connected with the tradition.

» 5.- Providing a milder blend –medium flavoured- in keeping with the

» features of this line

Rob, when you go over there and talk with these guys, I guess what I'd like to know is how well they understand this particular segment they're hoping to penetrate and whether they can justify that this makes sense in light of the global situation of smoking bans. Is this real or just wishful thinking 10 years too late?

Also, if they want to create a brand extension, I would drop the traditional Montecristo trade dress and create a new one, perhaps "Monte." This is after all how we refer to the cigar and shorter is snappier. "Monte" is at the same time clearly from Montecristo root stock but of a scion with fresh growth and thus provides some grounding but the freedom to dress in shorts and polo without looking silly. You know what I mean. :wink:

Best of luck in that meeting and I look forward to hearing your impressions of the BAT effect on HSA.

Wilkey

[fugwumpy]

» I propose concentrating on producing cigars that consistently taste great

» and draw properly.

I'm with Colt.

I think it might hurt the image of Monte more than it helps sales. If they think they need to have a product on the table that's lighter/milder why don't they do something with QdO?

[perfectform]

Adding a new line to the existing brand will only dilute and cheapen it

Agreed 100% This idea IMO would help to water down, perhaps, Habanos' most revered line of cigars. It's on the verge of already being diluted with the Edmundo Dantes regional brand. I know, technically it's not a Montecristo. In a world where smokers want a more full bodied smoke, this would be a bad decision IMO, and I would not purchase these new cigars, though I believe they would have strong sales in the beginning just for novelty purposes.

[patrick]

I will have to echo what some of the members aid already. The packaging looks cheap and they are probably going to be the same or even more than a "regular" monte, plus if you did not know any better you would think that they were fakes or a knock off. If they want to do lighter smokes, make a new name, don't mess with one that is pretty good already.

[pnutbutrsangwich]

I know that, unfortunately, this is not the case, but this looks to me like an April Fool's joke. The design of the box looks like a cheap cigarette design, the names of the vitolas are laughable, the blend sounds useless, placeless in the range of all the other Habanos blends, and downright uninteresting.

This is an absolutely useless addition to the Montecristo line. Beyond that, the marketing is terrible. WTF does "Sport" have to do with cigars? Why does everything have to be watered down? Honestly, this is infuriating.

[mkz]

Like most of us here I´ll say:

NO! NO! NO!

DON´T do this to the Montecristo brand (or any other Habanos-brand)!!!

STOP this insanity!!!

[Mel]

» I've got a concept proposal for HSA. It may never see the light of day

» either, but I'll propose it nonetheless:

»

» I propose concentrating on producing cigars that consistently taste great

» and draw properly.

What a dumb ass idea.:-P LOL way to plain and simple mate. Why the Montecristo and not the Vegeros or Qd Orsay? Simple they need the name recognition to make the thing go. Who thinks highly of the other two? They are poor sellers for many reasons and one of them is that the names themselves are whimpy.

[Tampa1257]

Rob,

The Idea of branching off a well established “Brand Name” of “Montecristo” is what I believe that HSA is hoping for and to gain immediate world wide acceptance and sampling. This also leads to building the pipe line up to supply the distribution channels with product. These are lofty goals for HSA as they now know that the Limitada Edicions functionality is declining and are in need for a new world wide appealing shining star.

I believe that the “Sport” moniker is a liability as where it seems to be the goal to have a milder or lighter bodied cigar that has selling appeal to “those on the go” type lifestyle and as such, the “Sport” term would be considered a healthy indulgence, which every human knows that smoking is not, so lets not pretend!

Just my humble opinion, but I do not agree with Marcello that this is something that will be a hit for HSA. What are the Marketing Departments short term (6 months to 3 years) goals? What are the 3-5-7-10 plans for distribution, marketing support and back up plans for lacking customer interest? What HSA is heading toward is extreme niche marketing. They are moving toward the way of the C.A.O. Skimpy Clad cigar bunnies that travel around promoting a product that is for the most part a piece of crap, yet because you looked at a set of **** while you were making a buying decision, you just don’t want to say that the cigar tastes like something on the ground of south end of a north bound horse.

HSA states “Buscando la complicidad de deportes que implican ¨estilos de vida”, which they translate into English as “Searching for complicity in sports which point out to life styles”. I miss something, in today’s social environment, we see smoking targeted and banded from nearly everyplace a trendy cigar smoker would have as a place to lite up. What type of sporting event is there available to smokers? Horse Racing is becoming a smoke free environment as is Baseball, Basketball, Football, Golf, Soccer, and Hockey, as are many other non-traditional type of American Sporting events like NASCAR. I just went to Daytona Coke 400 over the 4th of July and while I did enjoy a Partagas Serie P No.2, I was looked at like I was a social monster. My whole point is that no mater where in the world you go today, the social issues are becoming difficult for cigar smokers to indulge in our chosen hobby. Linking a Universally Known Brand Name to a Monte “Lite” because you believe that the trend setters will try a mild cigar as they are in route to the stadium or a night out on the town around the Cote Azure in the convertible is a farce, face it this is simply a new way of attempting to persuade women to become cigar smokers.

The packaging needs something besides the green dangle as the green and yellow do not go together well as a marketing aspect. Again, this has been done to enhance the new “Lite” cigars off of a world wide Brand Leader Montecristo. I disagree with Marcello that acceptance will be immediate and successful. I agree with Claudius that the Brand of Montecristo is lite now, and that they should consider making a stronger Montecristo, not a weaker one. I just do not see an upside to this marketing approach.

As I stated earlier, what are the goals as far as distribution, and sales with advertising and promotional support over the next few years, HSA can make a grand appearance and make a Global distribution of the Lite (I refuse to call it a Sport, as when I am smoking a cigar, I want to be relaxed).

What I would suggest is to pick another Brand to piggy back the new Lite Cigars on, not to tarnish a World Wide Name such as Montecristo. HSA needs clear and obtainable 3-5-10 year goals. Wanting to increase the cigar smoking population is not a bad thing; always mindful of whom the consumers are is prudent business. Adding product diversification to a saturated Brand name makes no sense other than to piggy back on the name, I call Bull ****!:-|

[Colt45]

» » I've got a concept proposal for HSA. It may never see the light of day

» » either, but I'll propose it nonetheless:

» »

» » I propose concentrating on producing cigars that consistently taste

» great

» » and draw properly.

»

» What a dumb ass idea.:-P LOL way to plain and simple mate.

Allow me to add something sillier. I feel that opening up the production of Cuban cigars to

companies other than HSA (competition) would be a great benefit to all who enjoy them.

[havanaclub7]

» Allow me to add something sillier. I feel that opening up the production

» of Cuban cigars to

» companies other than HSA (competition) would be a great benefit to all who

» enjoy them.

I agree with you, Colt. Can you imagine the cigars that would be produced if you put a guy like Hendrik Kelner in charge? Let's bring back Cuban Davidoffs now! :-D

[anacostiakat]

Geez. What a bad idea.

They do not need milder cigars. Even if they do want to market that kind of stuff the name is horrible. And why would you do something like that to an established marca?

What are you smoking? A Sport!

[winelover]

The Monte Sport Idea has the smack of being dreamt up by a marketing dept that has no appreciation of the traditions of the brand. Perhaps if they wanted to be cool, like Wilkey has said before, they could have a seperate Monte rather than Montecristo brand, and even a Monte Sport model. Still, get rid of that horrible greenness. If they want to sell more of these on the golf courses to people who wanna be cool, then golfers can already look the part with a Siglo VI tubos.

[trumpetchris]

Remember all the discontinued Diplomaticos? Aren't they supposed to be milder versions of Montecristo? How about all the discontinued La Glorias? They were milder too. I think Habanos best bet is to bring back some retired brands. Call them "retro releases" or something like that- make them limitadas if they want. I think people buy habanos not only for the taste, but for the history, classiness, etc. Don't cheapen a brand just to be "hip." We have enough CAOs in the world.

[Colt45]

» Can you imagine the cigars that would be produced

» if you put a guy like Hendrik Kelner in charge?

Kelner would be right at the top of my list as well - at least for quality of construction.

As we've discussed here briefly in the past, it could also be someone already entrenched

in the Cuban cigar industry. Let's call this imaginary new company "Horatio Cigar Co".

Their top priority would be making cigars. The best cigars they possibly could.

They would recognize that their employees and customers are of great importance.

Catering to stock holders would follow a distant last.

[ccsmoker]

Just say NO!

[crazypoet]

I'm not adverse to "boutique" lines of cigars, but not under the marque of an established and respected brand like Montecristo.

I'd rather see them launch a new brand entirely, than dilute the repuation of their existing lineup.

Just my $.02 (before taxes...) :-D

[Trevor2118]

» 1.- A new line created in order to broaden the range of consumers, to renew and rejuvenate the brand image trying not to have a negative effect on traditional consumers.

Why the hell would HSA feel the need to regenerate their largest selling brand? Try regenerating some of their more stagnate brands.

» 2.- Searching for complicity in sports which point out to life styles

I can see the anti-smoking brigade hopping onto this. A bad move in the wrong direction.

» 3.- Representative launchings with trendy sizes

HSA can produce new sizes ("trendy" or otherwise) without diluting their top brand.

» 4.- By creating new communications codes but connected with the tradition.

????? this is pure marketing crap........means nothing.

» 5.- Providing a milder blend –medium flavoured- in keeping with the features of this line

Well this is clear??? is it milder........or is it in keeping with the features of this line?? Can't have both ways,Guys.

Packaging - different packaging is pointless....if HSA wants to benefit from the Montecristo Brand position, it makes no sense for it to look different.

New Sizes - As others have said....try a new brand, get rid of some of the non-performing brands.

Finally - If it must be a Montecristo and if it must be Sports, why not go the Cohiba Siglo way. Introduce a Montecristo Sports I, II, III, VI keeping the current branding / design etc.

This sounds like the same marketing team that brought us "New Coke".