Comments on: Stogie Commentary: Making Sense of the Hype http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html Blowin’ Smoke on Everything Cigars - cigar reviews, news and commentary 7 days a week Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-29626 Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:21:00 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-29626 [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...] [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...]

]]> By: Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-29628 Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:21:00 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-29628 [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...] [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...]

]]> By: Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-29627 Stogie Reviews: Don Tomás Candela Robusto Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:20:59 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-29627 [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...] [...] nothing. Boxes of 25 Robustos sell in the $49 to $69 range. Still, the company employs a typical, hyped-up marketing strategy to push its product: “Some months ago, among a supply of Cameroon wrappers, [...]

]]> By: Jon N. http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-28353 Jon N. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:59:08 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-28353 B Casanova: You raise an interesting question, actually. Do they think we're a bunch of suckers? I don't think so, per se. I think what's going on is that most catalogs -- and the ads they contain -- are aimed at newbies: people who've made one or two purchases online, but who aren't yet hooked on cigars as a hobby or lifestyle. These are the kinds of people who won't know any better when they stumble across an appealing tall tale. They'll read about the magical pre-embargo leaf, and they'll think, "Wow. I bet this is going to be crazy!" And it IS crazy -- just not in the way they're probably anticipating. Now, I get a few catalogs here and there. And I'm on a few e-mailing lists. But I mostly just look at the pretty pictures and avoid the copy. I'm like the one honest Playboy reader out there: I'm NOT reading it "for the articles." I mean, sure, I'll read the ads and the stories and all that. But always as entertainment, and seldom as truth. B Casanova: You raise an interesting question, actually. Do they think we're a bunch of suckers?

I don't think so, per se. I think what's going on is that most catalogs — and the ads they contain — are aimed at newbies: people who've made one or two purchases online, but who aren't yet hooked on cigars as a hobby or lifestyle. These are the kinds of people who won't know any better when they stumble across an appealing tall tale. They'll read about the magical pre-embargo leaf, and they'll think, "Wow. I bet this is going to be crazy!" And it IS crazy — just not in the way they're probably anticipating.

Now, I get a few catalogs here and there. And I'm on a few e-mailing lists. But I mostly just look at the pretty pictures and avoid the copy. I'm like the one honest Playboy reader out there: I'm NOT reading it "for the articles."

I mean, sure, I'll read the ads and the stories and all that. But always as entertainment, and seldom as truth.

]]> By: Jon N. http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-28352 Jon N. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:48:13 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-28352 Rocky V: As Furious so humorously (but, sadly, accurately) points out, the treasure trove myth usually involves "pre-embargo Cuban tobacco" that has somehow survived since pre-1962 in abandoned warehouses and has recently been rediscovered. The pre-embargo myth is sketchy at best, given that tobacco, like any plant-based organic material, decays under everyday conditions (such as those in an abandoned warehouse). Unless kept in a tightly controlled environment, tobacco and tobacco products will deteriorate rather rapidly. There is basically no way that unaccounted-for, untouched, un-cared-for leaf from 1962 or earlier would be suitable for use in a cigar today. And yet, somehow, boutique manufacturers seem to stumble across pre-embargo tobacco on a monthly basis. But the myth isn't limited to magical Cuban leaf. Often it involves "lost" supplies of tobacco at Nicaraguan or Dominican factories that, when rediscovered, always turn out to be far superior to their accounted-for counterparts. If we really wanted to be mean, we could call out specific producers for their overuse of the treasure trove story. But I'm not that mean. :) Perhaps someone else is? Rocky V: As Furious so humorously (but, sadly, accurately) points out, the treasure trove myth usually involves "pre-embargo Cuban tobacco" that has somehow survived since pre-1962 in abandoned warehouses and has recently been rediscovered. The pre-embargo myth is sketchy at best, given that tobacco, like any plant-based organic material, decays under everyday conditions (such as those in an abandoned warehouse). Unless kept in a tightly controlled environment, tobacco and tobacco products will deteriorate rather rapidly. There is basically no way that unaccounted-for, untouched, un-cared-for leaf from 1962 or earlier would be suitable for use in a cigar today. And yet, somehow, boutique manufacturers seem to stumble across pre-embargo tobacco on a monthly basis.

But the myth isn't limited to magical Cuban leaf. Often it involves "lost" supplies of tobacco at Nicaraguan or Dominican factories that, when rediscovered, always turn out to be far superior to their accounted-for counterparts.

If we really wanted to be mean, we could call out specific producers for their overuse of the treasure trove story. But I'm not that mean. :) Perhaps someone else is?

]]> By: furious http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-28351 furious Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:05:50 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-28351 The most common of these fairly tales would be the magical location of a stash of pre-embargo Cuban tobacco in some old forgotten warehouse in Ohio. As the tobacco somehow escaped the ravages of time and humidity in an unaltered and pristine state, we are now able to offer to you, lucky smoker, a sample 5-pack of robustos for ONLY $59.99!!! Can you believe this deal??? The most common of these fairly tales would be the magical location of a stash of pre-embargo Cuban tobacco in some old forgotten warehouse in Ohio. As the tobacco somehow escaped the ravages of time and humidity in an unaltered and pristine state, we are now able to offer to you, lucky smoker, a sample 5-pack of robustos for ONLY $59.99!!! Can you believe this deal???

]]> By: Rocky V http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-28346 Rocky V Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:36:56 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-28346 I'm a noob, Jon, so I haven't heard/read any of these fables yet. Can you give us a few examples? I'm a noob, Jon, so I haven't heard/read any of these fables yet. Can you give us a few examples?

]]> By: B Casanova http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html/comment-page-1#comment-28343 B Casanova Mon, 24 Mar 2008 08:25:05 +0000 http://www.stogieguys.com/2008/03/03242008-stogie-commentary-making-sense-of-the-hype.html#comment-28343 Well said Jon. I can't say that I ever paid much attention to the stories like I did the cigar itself. Do they really think we are just a big bunch of stogie smokin suckers? Oh well... still makes for a good fairy tale! Well said Jon. I can't say that I ever paid much attention to the stories like I did the cigar itself. Do they really think we are just a big bunch of stogie smokin suckers? Oh well… still makes for a good fairy tale!

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