PURO In The News

Kansas City, Mo. (April 29, 2003) ñ "Smoke ëem if you got ëem," thatís the message PURO Humidors will be sending to the competition as it launches a provocative new brand-positioning effort and extensive, integrated marketing-communications campaign May 1, 2003. At the same time, the PURO campaign will introduce a new creative approach to the cigar humidor category by emphasizing a luxury-lifestyle positioning, along with superior product benefits and features.

"Frankly, the category has been kind of boring," said Deon Rasmuson, PUROís international sales director. "Messages out there right now are either about boxes and tobacco leaves, or cigar collecting and smoking as a hobby. Our campaign will set the creative bar much higher by positioning PURO as a manufacturer of high-end humidors, which understands that enjoying the good life includes owning an heirloom humidor."

PURO Humidors is a Kansas City-based company that sells a luxury-line of cigar humidors handcrafted in Argentina. Each humidor is fashioned as a stand-alone, fine-furniture piece and is made of unique solid woods such as Brazilian cedar and Italian Birdseye maple. Prices range from $3,150 to $10,500 per unit.

The PURO campaign, crafted by Gragg Advertising, a Kansas City-based agency, goes right for the gusto. Under the headline, Puro Joy, the PURO magazine ad features a sensuous image of a successful man and attractive females enjoying the good life, and a good cigar. Supporting copy relates the experience directly to readers and draws them in with the lead line: "Youíre living the life that most people can only imagine."

And because it is a lifestyle most people cannot afford, the creative was developed to reach a highly defined target audience. "The campaign is aimed at premium cigar smokers who do not view cigar collecting and smoking as their only hobby," said Mike Young, Gragg Advertising account director. "PURO prospects are those who smoke and collect cigars as just one part of their overall pursuit of getting the most out of life, and who want to display symbols of their taste and style."

Gragg Advertising developed the PURO campaign around the new PURO brand identity platform: PURO sells heirloom humidors for the gentleman who lives a luxury lifestyle. The campaign will build brand awareness through a multifaceted, integrated marketing-communications effort that features print advertising, direct marketing, public relations, industry and private events, as well as customer-relationship-management components. Special emphasis has been placed on the redesign of the PURO Humidors web site to support the brand theme and to enhance the site as a primary point of product information and purchase.

Gragg Advertising, located in Kansas City, Mo., is a creative direct response agency specializing in advertising that is memorable and measurable. By combining the persuasive power of brand-level creative with the quantifiable results associated with direct response marketing, Gragg clients enjoy a maximum return on their investment.