Bow Tie Cigar Company PR Plan

Transcription

1 Bow Tie Cigar Company PR Plan Logan Fox Chelsea Sullivan Sidney Rehg Kelci Jones

2 Index Situation Analysis Company Bio Objectives, Strategies and Tactics Objectives Strategies Tactics Increase Publication Exposure Increase Twitter Followers Bow Tie Cigar Company Event Evaluation Index

3 Situation Analysis Bow Tie Cigar Company was founded by Billie King Jr. in It is a boutique cigar brand providing quality brand cigars and cigar packages that are accessible to customers at a reasonable price. Bow Tie Cigar Company prides itself by adding an extra touch of sophistication and charm, while remaining simplistic and economical at the same time. As of now, Bow Tie Cigar Company is pending the release of their platinum cigar label. Bow Tie Cigar Company s aim is to increase awareness and promote the upcoming platinum label. In the past, Bow Tie Cigar Company has teamed with other organizations such as Urbansoulcial.com, Cigar Aficionado s and The Distinguished Gentlemen Cigar Club. Bow Tie Cigar Company seeks to establish new connections for the company to generate press and create brand awareness. This document outlines a public relations plan designed to increase the general awareness of Bow Tie Cigar Company and sales.

4 Demographics Trends The Midwest and South smoke the most out of any region, both around 21%. The West is the lowest at 15.9% Age range of cigar smokers % have college degrees 71% are executives, managerial and professionals Cigar smokers are becoming more popular among Renn Festival and Celtic Festivals Traditionally, it was thought to be more popular among motorcycle riders Craft beer and wine drinkers smoke more cigars than commercial beer drinkers. Male Male smoking rates are % higher than females Female 25% of cigar smoking customers are women The average female cigar smoker is 40 and smokes anywhere between 3-5 cigars a month. 59% because of the taste 25% because it is attractive 22% because they think it is rebellious Most women buy cigars online because they feel they are treated as amateurs in cigar stores

5 Company Bio Company History Bow Tie Cigar Company is currently located in Belleville, Il and sells premium cigars. By 2008, the company launched a total of 4 cigar blends ranging from mild to medium. In 2013, the company transitioned to producing the Metallic Series, beginning with the already released Copper Label. Bow Tie Cigar has been featured in one of the largest cigar magazines in the world, Smoke Magazine. Entrepreneur (magazine) also listed the company as a strong branding example in a list of ten upcoming entrepreneurs. They have also been featured in Cigar Inspector, Cigar Geeks, and other tobacco related publications. Branding Bow Tie Cigar Company's branding focuses on the bow tie as a central theme. The banding on all their products is created in the shape of a bow tie. Different blends are created in different colors, with the current cigar line focusing on metallic bands. The company uses the image of a bow tie to create a memorable label that can be recognized by the image and color of the bow tie alone. The bow tie also appears on cigar boxes, packaging, and cutters. The concept of using the bow tie stems from Billie King Jr.'s favorite accessory. Billie King Jr. said, "I injected my personality into as many aspects of my business as possible. This is evident from the cigar bands to the website design, to the all-inclusive packaging concept, and my moniker. Bow Tie Cigars is me, and I am Bow Tie Cigars." The use of the bow tie as a central theme is also seen in the company's slogan, "What color is your bow tie? Production Bow Tie Cigar Company purchases all materials from growers located in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Production of the cigars also occurs in Santiago. Currently, their cigar line uses a mix of Brazilian, Dominican, Columbian, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian tobaccos. Distribution Bow Tie Cigar Company primarily sells and distributes online. The company also began selling in retail locations in They are currently distributing the Copper Label. Currently the Gold Label and the Platinum Label are being developed.

6 Objectives, Strategies and Tactics Objectives 1. Increase general awareness of the Bow Tie Cigar Company 2. Increase publication exposure 3. Increase sales Strategies 1. Increase social media presence 2. Host Bow Tie Cigar Company events Tactics Increase Publication Exposure 1. Press kit creation and submission a. The press kit is designed for distribution to multiple media outlets. The goal of this outreach is to gain publication regarding review of the Bow Tie Cigar Company Copper Label cigar. This method has produced success previously, leading to publication in Smoke Magazine and Entrepreneur.com. b. Press kit will include: i. Company bio ii. Fact sheet iii. Brochure iv. Primary news release v. Copper Label cigar specifications card vi. Copper Label cigars 2. News release a. Hometowner - A news release focusing on the St. Louis metro area and Bow Tie Cigar Company s presence as a local business. Due to the unique nature of a cigar company operating out of St. Louis and the new Copper Label launch, the press release will focus on these two main components. b. Release - A news release focusing on Bow Tie Cigar Company releasing the new metallic series cigar line. The story will primary focus on the Copper Label, upcoming products and previous recognitions.

7 Increase Twitter Followers 1. Twitter Brand Analysis a. Analysis to determine areas of opportunity to increase brand image. 2. Twitter Network Research and Outreach a) Research of the Twitter network to determine major players in the cigar industry, along with mid-level followed Twitter accounts. Hashtag research will also display key hashtags to include in future posts b) Outreach post-research includes reaching out to major and mid-level twitter accounts in an attempt to gain followers and retweets. Use of key hashtags will expose Bow Tie Cigar Company to a larger audience. 3. Twitter Offers a) Offer a discount to consumers that visit Bow Tie Cigar at an event if they follow Bow Tie Cigar on Twitter b) Host a Twitter event that offers a free cigar, matches and cutter to the individual that tweets the best picture of someone smoking a Bow Tie Cigar c) Create promotional material (matches, cutters, etc.) that include tag Bow Tie Cigar Company Event 1. Platinum Line Release Party a. With the pending release of the Platinum line, an event plan will prepare guidelines for hosting a release party in the St. Louis area. The plan will include possible locations, event structure, timeline, estimated cost and evaluation procedures. 2. Copper Label Six Month Anniversary Party - November 17 a. November marks the six month anniversary for the Copper Label. An event plan will prepare an event in the St. Louis area to celebrate the success of the Copper Label. The plan will include possible locations, event structure, timeline, estimated cost and evaluation procedures.

8 Evaluation The campaign will be evaluated by the following: 1. Obtain 2.4 follower per Tweet ratio on Twitter 2. Increase in cigar sales by 10% 3. Three press releases published 3. Minimum of 40 attendees at events 4. General impression of increased awareness of Bow Tie Cigar Company