Opus X Maduro cigars

[Matt R]

lbrief is correct. Opus sit on the shleves now. Didn't used to be that way. Also, the rate at which a person can gouge on them has decreased ten fold over the last couple of years. The image of Fuente sells cigars, regardless of which cigars they are. That is part of the marketing. Granted though, the quality must also be there in order to keep the sales up. I have been around since early 1999. I've seen every aspect of what the marketing can do. They didn't get 10,000+ members just because it's a cigar bulletin board. The Fuente name brought them there.

 

[Tony Bones]

**Anthony pops bag of microwave popcorn and gets comfortable in chair**

Game on!

 

[moki]

Fuente has the luxury of a consistently predictable business model. They have they luxury of charging 2x and 3x the arguable value for their low-end cigars. Fuente knows that all of its inventory will move no matter what. And the demand all flows downward from the elusive Opus.

I agree it helps them with their prestige, etc, but have you looked at what they charge for their regular line? The 858s, Cuban Belicosos, etc, etc. are all very inexpensive cigars, and the Hemingway line is quite reasonable as well.

It just doesn't add up. It certainly helps them in terms of prestige, but that's not what we're talking about here.

I'd also argue that car company's do the same thing: Dodge has their viper, and they make few of them, charge a relatively reasonable price for what you get, and it is a prestige car for their company's image. That doesn't mean people buy Neons primarily because of Dodge's market savvy.

 

[moki]

lbrief is correct. Opus sit on the shleves now. Didn't used to be that way. Also, the rate at which a person can gouge on them has decreased ten fold over the last couple of years. The image of Fuente sells cigars, regardless of which cigars they are. That is part of the marketing. Granted though, the quality must also be there in order to keep the sales up.

Sure, and I'd buy just about any Padrón out there too (people who have skipped over Padron's mille line are missing out on inexpensive wonderful cigars... love the 5000s). That's because they make good stuff.

I also know plenty of people who say things like "I like Opus X cigars but the rest of Fuente's line is crap" (which I disagree with) -- but the perception doesn't work quite as well as you might think.

I for one am GLAD that Opus X's stay on the shelves now -- in our local area, they stay there for about a week before they are sold out though.

The point is that you stated marketing is the main reason why Opus X cigars are so popular. I just can't agree with that, the market is not as filled with sheep as you might imagine. Look at the blind taste test reviews of Opus X cigars -- they do extremely well.

Or look at a little colloquial story. While down in Dominica, I met up with an English guy who lives in Spain. He's an avid cigar smoker, but smokes absolutely nothing but Cubans. We kept in touch, and I sent him a couple of Opus X cigars, Padróns, and other "domestics" that he's never even heard of before. Clean slate, no preconceptions.

He was blown away. He wrote me to tell me that he didn't know a cigar could taste like that (both the Padrón and the Opus), and is now going nuts because he can't find them in Spain. They all go to the American market first. That's not marketing, that's a quality, unique product.

It certainly won't suit everyone's tastes -- but it sure suits a lot. This happens when anything gets extremely popular though, there's a section of the population that dismisses it as entirely marketing hype, not worth it. I submit to you that people are not _that_ susceptible to marketing, much as you marketing types out there would like that to be true (you know who you are ).

 

[lbrief]

I'd also argue that car company's do the same thing: Dodge has their viper, and they make few of them, charge a relatively reasonable price for what you get, and it is a prestige car for their company's image. That doesn't mean people buy Neons primarily because of Dodge's market savvy.

Your Viper v. Neon analogy is flawed. First, a viper has nothing to do with a neon in the sense that they are marketed to two completely different classes of consumers. Second, if someone wants a viper and can afford a viper they can have a viper.

The car analogy is workable however. Let’s say that Dodge introduces a new limited edition Opus Neon. It comes with leather dash, satellite radio, orgasmic vibrating seats, is invisible to police radar, etc. etc. Dodge prices the car quite reasonably, just slightly above what a regular Neon would sell for (it doesn’t matter what this represents in terms of profit, it may even represent a loss). Dodge then hypes the car to the point where every young couple and high school grad wants to get one. Problem is, there are only a limited number available. The retailers mark them up to triple MSRP, but they still fly off the lots.

When Miffy shows up at the dealership (carrying a check from her daddy) she can’t find a new Opus Neon (they are all gone until next year). But, she has her heart set on getting a car, she has her check, and (thanks to all the Opus Neon marketing hype) she can’t get the idea of a “Neon” out of her head. So she buys a regular Neon and has a few bucks left over for spinners and a CD player. Anyway, this scene replays 50 times a day all over the country, and pretty soon Dodge is rolling in dough all thanks to the marketing of its limited edition Opus (which Ironically, they only sold a few of :0 ).

 

[lbrief]

. . . when anything gets extremely popular though, there's a section of the population that dismisses it as entirely marketing hype. . . . I submit to you that people are not _that_ susceptible to marketing, much as you marketing types out there would like that to be true (you know who you are ).

I think you misconstrue what marketing really entails. Marketing isn’t making fancy ads or catchy jingles. Marketing entails everything that you are crediting Fuente with.

Marketing is getting the public to equate your name with quality.

Marketing is creating an absolutely superior product even if it means devoting half your production efforts to making a woefully inadequate quantity of that product.

Marketing is getting people hooked on a sample of that limited supply (or sometimes it means just getting them hooked on the idea of someday sampling the limited supply), so that when it is exhausted, they will stick around and gobble up everything else you’ve got to offer.

In short. The Opus is itself marketing. Its great taste is marketing. Its superior quality is marketing. Its limited availability is marketing. And all that marketing translates into a huge loyal customer base for Fuente.

 

[PuroBrat]

I like to think that Carlito's goal with the OpusX Line was to create a Far Superior Product, the Best there is. And make it as available as possible.
**And I think he has come very close, if not right on target

I do not think his aim in creating the Opus was to further the rest of Fuente's lines.
**Though I will admit that it has, for the reasons stated

I also think that the reason the quantity is low, is to insure that the Quality is High.
**as is the case for a great many products, including other cigars

Saying that it is all about Marketing kindof paints Carlito as a "Bait and Switch" artist.
**I prefer to think of him as a Cigar Creation Artist

Having said all this, I would like to agree with and quote another fine BOTL:

He's a master at what he does in the fields, the barns, the rolling rooms and behind the desk

And that pretty much says it all :sign:

 

[moki]

I think you misconstrue what marketing really entails. Marketing isn’t making fancy ads or catchy jingles. Marketing entails everything that you are crediting Fuente with.

Marketing is getting the public to equate your name with quality.

Marketing is creating an absolutely superior product even if it means devoting half your production efforts to making a woefully inadequate quantity of that product.

Marketing is getting people hooked on a sample of that limited supply (or sometimes it means just getting them hooked on the idea of someday sampling the limited supply), so that when it is exhausted, they will stick around and gobble up everything else you’ve got to offer.

In short. The Opus is itself marketing. Its great taste is marketing. Its superior quality is marketing. Its limited availability is marketing. And all that marketing translates into a huge loyal customer base for Fuente.

I don't think I'm misconstruing it -- I've been doing marketing as part of my business for about 20 years. The Opus X's taste is not marketing, it is the product itself. Marketing is what makes people aware of the product, makes them want it, associates it with quality, etc.

I disagree that the Opus X cigar was created simply has a marketing ploy to get people to buy their regular line of cigars.

You're essentially saying to millions of people "Hey, you don't really like that product. You have no personal taste or opinions. It's all marketing, you were brainwashed into it" -- which is nonsense.

 

[lbrief]

You're essentially saying to millions of people "Hey, you don't really like that product. You have no personal taste or opinions. It's all marketing, you were brainwashed into it" -- which is nonsense.

:lookup: I don't recall saying that. ???

I said "Marketing is creating an absolutely superior product . . ."
I don't think you need to brainwash people into liking a superior product.

Now, if on the other hand, you are saying, that I am implying, that Fuente has brainwashed people into purchasing their "lower-end" cigars via the Opus mystique. . . Well, OK I did say that. :thumbs: But not so crudely, please.

I mean it’s not a black and white issue and I don't think any one has been "brainwashed" (as you put it). I’m sure some people would smoke a regular Chateau Fuente no matter what. And, I'm sure that most people know what they like, and that they do in fact, enjoy regular Fuentes. But, there would be far less “Fuente smokers” if it weren’t for the fact that they had at least heard about the elusive Opus.

 

[lbrief]

The Opus X's taste is not marketing, it is the product itself.

Actually, Marketing is the product. The product is marketing. The two are inseparably fused.

Marketing is what makes people aware of the product, makes them want it, associates it with quality, etc.

Wait, I see where you are coming from. You have confused Marketing with Advertising.

 

[Matt R]

Marketing a product is not a bad thing. You make it seem like we are saying something negative about the Fuentes because they are not only superior at blending and growing tobacco, but also at selling a product. I don't think anyone here has said that they make an inferior product, quite the contrary. Carlito is passionate about the business, yes. But, he is also a smart man and knows what sells his product(s).

 

[Matt R]

Wait, I see where you are coming from. You have confused Marketing with Advertising.

There you go....

 

[moki]

The Opus X's taste is not marketing, it is the product itself. 

Actually, Marketing is the product. The product is marketing. The two are inseparably fused.

Marketing is what makes people aware of the product, makes them want it, associates it with quality, etc.

Wait, I see where you are coming from. You have confused Marketing with Advertising.

No, I really don't think I have them confused... as I mentioned, I've been doing this for quite some time... I'm aware of marketing, branding, advertising, and the differences therein.

This has spiraled down into the minutiae and semantics, and is missing the point I'm trying to make.

Matt R asserted that the popularity of the Opus X cigar is mainly because of the marketing associated with it. I disagree.

 

[Tony Bones]

**Anthony thinks for a moment, "what's one more bag of Pop Secret going to hurt?" Anthony settles back in w/ his second bag of popcorn. This time w/ that funny cheese topping that you just know isn't really cheese**

 

[Kryo]

Anthony... pass some of that popcorn over here...

 

[lbrief]

**Anthony thinks for a moment, "what's one more bag of Pop Secret going to hurt?"  Anthony settles back in w/ his second bag of popcorn.  This time w/ that funny cheese topping that you just know isn't really cheese**

Anthony,

You are gonna get fat just sitting and watching. Put down the popcorn and that big foam finger, and get in the game.


Actually, maybe this game has been played out. Let's do another one. Somebody make a debateable (but not controversial) statement in the lobby, and I'll try to chew you up. :sign: :sign: :sign:

 

[sir-smokes-a-lot]

**Anthony thinks for a moment, "what's one more bag of Pop Secret going to hurt?"  Anthony settles back in w/ his second bag of popcorn.  This time w/ that funny cheese topping that you just know isn't really cheese**

Anthony,

You are gonna get fat just sitting and watching. Put down the popcorn and that big foam finger, and get in the game.


Actually, maybe this game has been played out. Let's do another one. Somebody make a debateable (but not controversial) statement in the lobby, and I'll try to chew you up. :sign: :sign: :sign:

can do!


just have to get thru my popcorn first.


won a charity auction rescently and got a 28-pack box of mircowave stuff.

:thumbs:

 

[JonB]

i went to a cigar shop today and they had a couple different boxes of opus x. i picked up a fuente fuente for 12 bucks (about to go smoke it now). i cant remember what the other models were but i know they were priced about 18 and 21 dollars.

 

[JonB]

that was pretty good. it was too light for me but it did get me a little high .

 

[moki]

that was pretty good. it was too light for me but it did get me a little high .

An Opus X too light for you? Interesting... a lot of the objections I hear to them is that they knock people on their asses.