Despite being a specialty segment within the tobacco space, the cigar industry is thriving, particularly in the mass market segment. According to market research conducted by Precision Reports in June 2024, the global cigar and cigarillos (smaller cigars) are set to grow by 3.9% over the next four years; this is part of an international trend of smokers shifting from regular cigarette smoking to more sporadic cigar smoking, which many people are discovering as a personal indulgence they can enjoy in certain occasions.
The expansion of the global cigar market has been organic and pleasantly unexpected. As mentioned above, the trend of cigarette smokers trying out cigars has boosted the industry in recent years, but we can’t ignore the role that marketing has played in this regard. Cigar smokers are no longer confined to people who subscribe to Cigar Aficionado magazine; many of them are warming up to rolled tobacco now because of greater accessibility, meaning that it is easier than ever for them to get a box of Backwoods, for example, through online ordering.
With all the above in mind, let’s take a look at some marketing campaigns that have been helping the cigar industry thrive in recent years:
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The Strong Allure of Nostalgia
In 2017, the online edition of Cigar Aficionado posted an article from its print Winter Issue 1992-1993, and the topic was on marketing campaigns of the time. That republished article, which describes cigars on the runways of Donna Karan fashion shows, coincided with the November-December 2017 print issue featuring Michael Jordan on the cover, and it has become one of the most widely shared online for the magazine.
What is interesting about the article is the market analysis of the early 90s, which compared cigar enjoyment to occasionally drinking champagne for breakfast, or perhaps a craft beer while taking a shower. At the time, rolled tobacco products were not only on the cover of Cigar Aficionado; they were on the covers of other magazines such as GQ and Esquire. Celebrities from Michael Jordan to Candice Bergen and from Michael Douglas to Linda Carter were prominent cigar enthusiasts of the 90s, and many people are feeling nostalgic about those times even if they weren’t even born then.
It is not surprising to learn that nostalgia-themed marketing is helping the cigar industry thrive, and the 90s is the perfect decade to fuel this trend. Through vintage aesthetics and brand storytelling, cigar brands are incorporating old-fashioned design elements and packaging reminiscent of the 90s. As for social media content, cigar marketing highlights brand history and heritage. New brands that don’t have seasoning as an advantage are nonetheless creating a sense of nostalgia and exclusivity for younger smokers who are interested in the pop culture and socioeconomic history of the 90s, which many people feel was the “last great American decade.”
Experiential marketing for cigars is also getting a shot of nostalgia. In jurisdictions that allow cigar lounges, operators are introducing membership programs and leveraging nostalgia by offering experiences that evoke a sense of the 90s. Think neo-lounge music nights, arcade video game tournaments, or themed events inspired by popular 90s movies. The social media pages of these lounges often connect younger smokers with older folks who can answer questions about life in the 90s.