Thursday, June 12 2008
Richmond, VA — Select retail tobacconists are gearing up to celebrate the birthday of the premium cigar category's one-and-only pot-bellied, trash-talking character, Mr. Punch. The caveat is that Mr. Punch isn't exactly cooperating.
The promotion will take place during the month of July at tobacco retail stores throughout the U.S. and will feature Mr. Punch's irreverent brand of commentary.
At retail, consumers will receive a Punch® birthday card that plays off of the brand's ad campaign by featuring Mr. Punch and his snarky remarks. Upon opening the card, customers will learn if they are a winner. At each store, there will be one first prize winner who walks away with a 100-count Punch humidor and a 25-count box of Punch cigars. In addition, there will be five second prizes who will each win a 10-count box of Punch cigars. Fifty customers will receive the third prize -- a Punch cigar. Non-winning cards will use Mr. Punch's inimitable style to encourage consumers to try again.
Rich Chandler, director of marketing for Punch cigars comments, "The Mr. Punch birthday promotion will help to bring Mr. Punch's character to life at retail, while stimulating consumer trial and purchase. Of course, it wouldn't be Mr. Punch if he sat idle and didn't weigh in with an acerbic salvo. In-store POS materials will allow Mr. Punch to speak his mind with sentiments like ‘It's MY birthday – why should YOU get a gift?'"
There will be one first-prize winner per store, plus five second place winners and fifty third-place winners. Punch Magnum cigars and Punch Gran Puro Rancho cigars, both 54 ring gauge cigars favored among devoted Punch smokers, will be the cigar prizes given away during the month-long birthday celebration.
During the promotion, retailers will also offer an assortment of special 10-count boxes of the best-selling Punch expressions, allowing consumers to sample an array of Punch cigars. £
® Punch is a registered trademark of General Cigar Co. Inc.
