CPD at IPCPR 2011
Paul Palmer, Max Fernandez-Pujals and Master Blender Arsenio Ramos
The 79th Annual Convention & International Trade Show will be held July 17-21 in Las Vegas, NV and for Cigar Package Design, our first IPCPR trade show, we couldn’t be more excited to attend what is known in the cigar industry as the “Super Bowl” of sales. It is estimated that cigar manufacturers make 25% of their yearly sales at the multiple day event. We at Cigar Package Design cannot wait to hit the trade show floor and unveil, along with Toraño Family Cigar Co; the all new “Blends from the Vault A-008” and the new “Toraño Loyal”.
We are truly looking forward to making the trip to Las Vegas this year and be a part of the trade show. We as creative professionals spend countless hours sketching, drawing and ultimately creating all the digital artwork needed to produce all of the items consumers interact with. This year we will get to see first hand our work on display. Experience a trade show that is new to ur agency. Interact with retailers and get immediate feedback on our creative work.
This year our client, Toraño Family Cigar Co; came to us with a project close to their heart. A project that would celebrate the Toraño family’s legacy and highlight generations of family tobacco growing and manufacturing. Charlie Toraño, President of Toraño Cigars, retrieved a dusty cigar blend book the family had kept for years. This new project would be a series of cigar releases called “Blends from the Vault” and the first release we would work on would be A-008; a blend from August of 2008. The idea we pitched for the packaging drew inspiration from your standard bank safety deposit box. The wide and thin shape would yield a sleek looking cigar box. We also suggested getting rid of the standard hinges and clasp, and instead using a magnetic front flap, in order to achieve a sleeker design. For the cigar band, the concept and layout centered around a skeleton key icon, which symbolized the granted access to that blend. The band layout incorporated blind embossing, floral ornaments and a silver powdered ink which added additional depth. Our overall design incorporates modern typography, ornate graphic elements and a bold color palette which highlights the cigar’s beautiful Shade Grown Nicaraguan Colorado wrapper leaf.
Above: Original cigar band mockups created for the Torano – Blends from the Vault series.
Above: Final product packaging for the new Torano – Blend from the Vault series.
For the second project to be unveiled at IPCPR2011, Carlos Toraño Senior, wanted us to create an identity and packaging for a cigar line that would be one of Toraño’s valued-priced cigars. The Toraño’s have remained loyal to the philosophy of providing outstanding cigars at an affordable price. The family set out to create a blend which their followers can smoke any day of the week and not break the bank, while delivering the quality and flavor expected from a Toraño cigar. We were asked to create a design that captured and celebrated the spirit of hard working cigar lovers. Our design combined industrial patterns, chrome elements, retro-americana typography and a bold color palette which breaks through the clutter and makes the new “Loyal” a clear everyday smoke option.
Above: Original box mockups create for the Torano Loyal for client approval.
At the Toraño Cigar Hospitality Tent Party, we were joined by Ivan Ocampo from Cigar Snob Magazine, who filled us in on the growth and bigger distribution of the magazine. Barnes & Noble is now carrying the publication nationwide, and we have no doubt this will be an exceptional year for Ivan and the rest of the team at Cigar Snob. This year, we had our moment in the spotlight, as we met and chatted William Cooper from Cigar-Coop.com. Cigar-Coop.com is a website dedicated to provide cigar enthusiasts honest assessments of new cigars and latest happenings in the cigar industry, so make to check them out. William was kind enough to interview us regarding our new designs for Salutem and Master Maduro, as well as current and upcoming trends in cigar packaging and factors considered when creating a new identity for a new cigar blend. Check out the video interview below.
Above: Final product packaging for the Torano Loyal cigar line.
Above: Leccia Tobacco booth at IPCPR 2013 in Las Vegas, NV
We are Cigar Package Design are dedicated to listening to and servicing our clients – You as the client Make Cigars, We Design. It’s that simple. We would love to hear what you have in the works for next year’s IPCPR and how we could we be of service.
Above: American Caribbean Cigars’ 20′ x 30′ booth at this year’s IPCPR in Las Vegas
Also for the second year in a row, we get to work with Mr. Damian Tapanes, from American Caribbean Cigars (ACC). This year ACC went big with a 20’ x 30’ booth that housed four cigar brands: 1) La Rosa de Sandiego, 2) Don Gonzalez Cigars, 3) Tabacosta Cigars and 4) Cordoba & Morales. A design and floorpan layout was created in order to maximize the space, while giving each cigar line/brand their own area to shine. A 16’ tower graphic stood tall at the center of the floorplan and helped tie the booth space together. We look forward to helping ACC stand out once more at next year’s IPCPR in Las Vegas.
Above: Duran Cigars’ 20′ x 30′ booth at this year’s IPCPR in Las Vegas
We’ve been working with Mr. Roberto P. Duran of Duran Cigars since 2013. At the 82nd annual IPCPR trade show in 2014, our booth design won ’Best In Show for New Exhibitor’, a recognition we’re extremely proud of. This year, our booth design and approach combines a warm color palette, original and lifestyle images that showcased the art and craftsmanship of cigar making and manufacturing, all anchored by a 16-ft. tower that stands tall in the middle of the booth. In addition, four large display cabinets with custom graphics were positioned around the booth to display product plus served as storage space. In addition to the booth design and layout, we created packaging for the ’Azan Blue Connecticut’, ’Neya Texas Tactical’, ’NicaTabaco Blend No.5 Connecticut’ and a new ‘5-cigar sampler pack’ for Duran Cigars – all new releases at this year’s IPCPR.
So whether is your first year at the show, or the sixth like us, our goal is the same – Creating great work is not complicated, it’s simple. We work smart (and hard), play nice, and make our clients look good. So give us a shout out and let us know how we can help you get ready for next year’s show.