American Made Cuban Brands

[butternutsquashpie]

There is a lot of information available on this issues, but this particular article caught me eye!


Havana Times!

El Perro

Shant be too hard

Oi Dawgface,
im pretty sure even a squirrel would catch your eye

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[tommy]

Hmm sees a good reason to not lift the embargo to me. Huge companies like that have politicians in their back pocket. It'll be like non fossil fuel cars.

[sheppsea]

At first glance it seems that this will be a nightmare to sort out after the embargo ends - with both cigar brands and rum!

Is there any possibly that the ultimate compromise will be to keep the status quo and the NC brands are sold in the US and cuban everywhere else, or that General Cigars will gain the rights to the cuban brands? I suppose its very difficult to predict as the political situation would have to change completely for the embargo to end, and who knows what Cuba's priorities would be then and if the Cohiba brand would't be considered so important then

[ValeTudoGuy]

At first glance it seems that this will be a nightmare to sort out after the embargo ends - with both cigar brands and rum!

Is there any possibly that the ultimate compromise will be to keep the status quo and the NC brands are sold in the US and cuban everywhere else, or that General Cigars will gain the rights to the cuban brands? I suppose its very difficult to predict as the political situation would have to change completely for the embargo to end, and who knows what Cuba's priorities would be then and if the Cohiba brand would't be considered so important then

China and Russia possibly have too much economical say for Cuba to lose their brand rights. Both wold probably back Cuba and not be fussed about sticking it to the USA.

[PeeJay]

China and Russia possibly have too much economical say for Cuba to lose their brand rights. Both wold probably back Cuba and not be fussed about sticking it to the USA.

They would love to stick it to the USA more like

[searsa1]

I expect general will want a kings ransom for the brands. When the embargo is lifted I expect threats will be made and things will get settled out of court (after the suits have been filed). Congress passed a law in 1998 that denies Cuban companies the ability to renew or register trademarks in the US that have to do with expropriated property. There is a Havana Club sold in the US made by Bacardi. There was a legal battle here over the name when it came time to renew the trademark. The Cubans lost. Pernod Richard (marketers of Havana Club outside the US) basically said f#$% you and registered the name Havanista and will market Cuban rum under that name in the US when the embargo ends. If settlement can't be reached on the names they might just slap a new band on cigars headed to the US and send them in all the while letting the public know what it would be called outside of the US.

[butternutsquashpie]

Or not give them Cohiba/RyJ like the Mexicans can't have Montecristo or us Cans can't have Punch.

Mind you,Not sure how that'd work out.

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[ValeTudoGuy]

Perhaps Cuba should take to decision away and just refuse to sell there? .... yeah , not gonna happen.

[Habana-Habanos]

When cohiba has a red dot in the logo I know not to buy those fugazi pieces of ****...

[tippexx]

If settlement can't be reached on the names they might just slap a new band on cigars headed to the US and send them in all the while letting the public know what it would be called outside of the US.

What I would do. The cigar World isn't big, most of the Habanos branding is well overdue for a facelift anyway, and if the easy quick option was to re-name all the brands then do it, none of us would have a problem if Montecristo became Du Conde. Brands only have real significance in two things a) to maintain a buying habit b) introduction of new prospect buyers. But to achieve those things you need to actively promote the brand, which we all know is now in most countries not allowed. OK, it's nice to hold an historic 'good name' but if pride and attempting to hang onto that name is going to entail time and Court costs that are massively greater than the cost to re-brand, then re-branding is the sensible option.

At the end of the day it's Cuba that has the USP, a name is a name and Habanos could seize the initiative, because no matter what some NC brands care to call themselves their products aren't made with Cuban tobacco. If you went out into the street today and asked almost anyone, smoker or non-smoker where the best cigars come from, it's unlikely they would answer Cameroon, Sumatra or Dominican Republic, but ask them to name some Cuban brands and I bet you 99% couldn't.

And we should also ask ourselves, how much brand loyalty do we actually have, the answer is probably none because in common with most Cuban cigar smokers we like to try different things, we'll each have our favourites but we aren't generally fixed to one brand in the way cigarette smokers are. Forums, the Internet and C.Gars newsletters are great things, if Ramon Allones became Allones we'd soon know and adapt.

[monkey66]

The Mexico issue is misinformation. There is no problem with the Cuban Montecristo brand in Cuba. This story was made up and seems to have stuck. Let's not repeat it as fact.

The info below is paraphrasing from a CA interview with Max Guttmann.

Max Gutmann is the HSA importer to Mexico and the creator of the La Casa franchise.

When he wanted to do a regional he wanted something special. So he went with a unique Marca and blend. The 109 was intended to emulate his favourite cigar, the old party lusi (that was a 109) ...or as close as a young cigar can get.

If you invented the lcdh's concept and gave it to the Cubans you would probably get your own Marca too. Absolutely nothing to do with Montecristo!

On the copyright issue do not assume anything is a forgone conclusion. These are complex legal arguments. Speculation should never be absolute ...There are a lot of rich IP lawyers.

[PeeJay]

The Mexico issue is misinformation. There is no problem with the Cuban Montecristo brand in Cuba. This story was made up and seems to have stuck. Let's not repeat it as fact.

The info below is paraphrasing from a CA interview with Max Guttmann.

Max Gutmann is the HSA importer to Mexico and the creator of the La Casa franchise.

When he wanted to do a regional he wanted something special. So he went with a unique Marca and blend. The 109 was intended to emulate his favourite cigar, the old party lusi (that was a 109) ...or as close as a young cigar can get.

If you invented the lcdh's concept and gave it to the Cubans you would probably get your own Marca too. Absolutely nothing to do with Montecristo!

On the copyright issue do not assume anything is a forgone conclusion. These are complex legal arguments. Speculation should never be absolute ...There are a lot of rich IP lawyers.

Exactly, civil law favours lawyers not litigants greedy_smiley_2013_sticker-r3951ee61450e4106a95396fdbae54c41_v9waf_8byvr_512.jpg

[butternutsquashpie]

Paul: I did not know that. Naturally, I parrot what people with creds say (much like the lot of us in the cigar world) after enough people say it. I'm looking at who've told me that in the past and now that I see it, it seems like a very pronounced rumour.

Naturally, I'll do a little fact checking, now?

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[monkey66]

Wasn't directed at you I said exactally the same until I read the interview so don't sweat it.

The funny thing is that so many botl in the us have been to Mexico and seen Cuban montes for sale yet still the story was accepted as gospel.

[monkey66]

Found the link.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/9083/p/1