Dear Celebrity, Please Stop.
Look, you’ve had a successful career. I may have enjoyed watching you.
Maybe you sold millions of albums, starred in blockbuster movies, won championships, or even have a tequila. Hell, maybe you just have a protein powder or a candle line.
I say this as someone who genuinely wants you to enjoy cigars. Smoke them. Collect them. Visit factories. Attend events. Buy boxes. Support retailers. All of those are good things. Hell, I might even be excited to smoke a cigar with you.
But just because you enjoy cigars does not mean you need a cigar brand.
Why Celebrities Keep Launching Cigar Brands
Somewhere along the way, celebrities, or perhaps Ego cutting in line, became convinced that every hobby requires a product line.
The premium cigar industry is already overflowing with personalities. We are not experiencing a shortage of interesting people.
Spoiler Alert:
We are not experiencing a celebrity shortage, and the strange part is that the logic never seems to apply anywhere else.
Nobody buys a fishing rod and immediately starts a boat company. Nobody joins a golf club and launches their own line of golf balls six months later. Nobody eats a steak and announces plans for a cattle ranch (ok, I thought about that last one but I’m not a celebrity, so it is ok).
Yet a celebrity smokes a handful of cigars and suddenly there’s a press release, a logo, a lifestyle brand, and a cigar named Legacy Reserve Black Platinum Chairman Edition (and whatever other words someone pulled off an American Express ad).
The Tobacco Doesn’t Care How Famous You Are
You are not going to want to hear this but cigar smokers are probably the least impressed audience on earth when it comes to celebrity status. Most smokers don’t care how many albums you’ve sold, how many championships you’ve won, or how many movies you’ve starred in. They care whether the cigar burns straight, draws properly, and tastes good.
The tobacco itself is equally unimpressed. Your social media following cannot fix a poor draw. An Oscar nomination doesn’t improve combustion. A Grammy has never helped a poorly fermented wrapper leaf. Tobacco remains one of the few things in life that doesn’t care who you are.
The Difference Between a Cigar Brand and a Licensing Deal
The people who actually make cigars spend decades learning their craft. They grow tobacco, ferment tobacco, sort tobacco, age tobacco, blend tobacco, and obsess over tobacco in ways that would drive most people to daily therapy, or an unhealthy relationship with bacon.
Then a celebrity arrives, spends an afternoon smoking samples, and explains their vision for the brand.
Their “vision.”
That’s always my favorite part.
The vision usually sounds something like: “I want it smooth, but bold.” Or perhaps, “Rich, but approachable.” Sometimes they really get creative and request a cigar that “everybody can enjoy.”
Thank goodness they were there. The industry had somehow overlooked that possibility for the last hundred years.
Then comes the press release announcing a lifelong passion for premium cigars. Curiously, this lifelong passion often becomes public around the same time the cigar launches, but perhaps that’s just a coincidence.
Now, before my inbox fills with mad famous people…
Why Guy Fieri Gets a Pass
Actually, Guy gets extra credit.
The reason isn’t that he’s famous. The cigar industry has plenty of famous people…It’s because he shows up.
He’s at events. He’s promoting Knuckle Sandwich during appearances unrelated to cigars. He gives retailers shout-outs. He talks about the brand. He supports the people selling it.
In short, he acts like someone who owns a cigar company. Crazy, right?
A lot of celebrity cigar projects feel like somebody licensed a name and moved on to the next business venture. Guy treats Knuckle Sandwich like an actual brand. Heck, he is the brand.
If you’re a celebrity determined to launch a cigar line, don’t ask yourself whether your name belongs on a cigar band. Ask yourself whether you’re willing to work as hard promoting it as Guy Fieri does.
If the answer is no, save yourself the trouble. The cigar industry already has enough orphaned celebrity projects collecting dust on retailer shelves.
And if the answer is yes? Welcome aboard. Just don’t disappear after the launch party.
All my love,
Questions We Can Already Hear Coming
No, Guy Fieri is not going to call me…we have never spoken to each other. Someone give him my phone number…I have a spice question for him :)Â
Do celebrity cigar brands actually sell?
Some do, especially when the celebrity actively promotes the brand and supports retailers. Others generate initial interest but struggle to maintain long-term sales.
Why are cigar smokers skeptical of celebrity cigar brands?
Most cigar smokers care more about construction, flavor, and consistency than celebrity endorsements. A famous name may attract attention, but the cigar still has to perform.
What makes a successful celebrity cigar brand?
The most successful celebrity cigar brands are backed by quality tobacco, strong retail relationships, and ongoing involvement from the celebrity behind the project.
Why is Guy Fieri’s Knuckle Sandwich often viewed differently?
Guy Fieri actively promotes the brand, attends events, supports retailers, and treats Knuckle Sandwich as a real business rather than a licensing opportunity.
Do celebrities help grow the cigar industry?
They can. When celebrities genuinely engage with cigar culture and support retailers, they can introduce new smokers to premium cigars and help expand interest in the hobby.
An Open Letter to Celebrities Who Want Their Own Cigar Brand
Dear Celebrity, Please Stop.
Look, you’ve had a successful career. I may have enjoyed watching you.
Maybe you sold millions of albums, starred in blockbuster movies, won championships, or even have a tequila. Hell, maybe you just have a protein powder or a candle line.
I say this as someone who genuinely wants you to enjoy cigars. Smoke them. Collect them. Visit factories. Attend events. Buy boxes. Support retailers. All of those are good things. Hell, I might even be excited to smoke a cigar with you.
Why Celebrities Keep Launching Cigar Brands
Somewhere along the way, celebrities, or perhaps Ego cutting in line, became convinced that every hobby requires a product line.
The premium cigar industry is already overflowing with personalities. We are not experiencing a shortage of interesting people.
Nobody buys a fishing rod and immediately starts a boat company. Nobody joins a golf club and launches their own line of golf balls six months later. Nobody eats a steak and announces plans for a cattle ranch (ok, I thought about that last one but I’m not a celebrity, so it is ok).
Yet a celebrity smokes a handful of cigars and suddenly there’s a press release, a logo, a lifestyle brand, and a cigar named Legacy Reserve Black Platinum Chairman Edition (and whatever other words someone pulled off an American Express ad).
The Tobacco Doesn’t Care How Famous You Are
You are not going to want to hear this but cigar smokers are probably the least impressed audience on earth when it comes to celebrity status. Most smokers don’t care how many albums you’ve sold, how many championships you’ve won, or how many movies you’ve starred in. They care whether the cigar burns straight, draws properly, and tastes good.
The tobacco itself is equally unimpressed. Your social media following cannot fix a poor draw. An Oscar nomination doesn’t improve combustion. A Grammy has never helped a poorly fermented wrapper leaf. Tobacco remains one of the few things in life that doesn’t care who you are.
The Difference Between a Cigar Brand and a Licensing Deal
The people who actually make cigars spend decades learning their craft. They grow tobacco, ferment tobacco, sort tobacco, age tobacco, blend tobacco, and obsess over tobacco in ways that would drive most people to daily therapy, or an unhealthy relationship with bacon.
Then a celebrity arrives, spends an afternoon smoking samples, and explains their vision for the brand.
The vision usually sounds something like: “I want it smooth, but bold.” Or perhaps, “Rich, but approachable.” Sometimes they really get creative and request a cigar that “everybody can enjoy.”
Thank goodness they were there. The industry had somehow overlooked that possibility for the last hundred years.
Then comes the press release announcing a lifelong passion for premium cigars. Curiously, this lifelong passion often becomes public around the same time the cigar launches, but perhaps that’s just a coincidence.
Now, before my inbox fills with mad famous people…
Why Guy Fieri Gets a Pass
Actually, Guy gets extra credit.
The reason isn’t that he’s famous. The cigar industry has plenty of famous people…It’s because he shows up.
He’s at events. He’s promoting Knuckle Sandwich during appearances unrelated to cigars. He gives retailers shout-outs. He talks about the brand. He supports the people selling it.
In short, he acts like someone who owns a cigar company. Crazy, right?
A lot of celebrity cigar projects feel like somebody licensed a name and moved on to the next business venture. Guy treats Knuckle Sandwich like an actual brand. Heck, he is the brand.
If you’re a celebrity determined to launch a cigar line, don’t ask yourself whether your name belongs on a cigar band. Ask yourself whether you’re willing to work as hard promoting it as Guy Fieri does.
If the answer is no, save yourself the trouble. The cigar industry already has enough orphaned celebrity projects collecting dust on retailer shelves.
And if the answer is yes? Welcome aboard. Just don’t disappear after the launch party.
All my love,
Questions We Can Already Hear Coming
No, Guy Fieri is not going to call me…we have never spoken to each other. Someone give him my phone number…I have a spice question for him :)Â
Do celebrity cigar brands actually sell?
Some do, especially when the celebrity actively promotes the brand and supports retailers. Others generate initial interest but struggle to maintain long-term sales.
Why are cigar smokers skeptical of celebrity cigar brands?
Most cigar smokers care more about construction, flavor, and consistency than celebrity endorsements. A famous name may attract attention, but the cigar still has to perform.
What makes a successful celebrity cigar brand?
The most successful celebrity cigar brands are backed by quality tobacco, strong retail relationships, and ongoing involvement from the celebrity behind the project.
Why is Guy Fieri’s Knuckle Sandwich often viewed differently?
Guy Fieri actively promotes the brand, attends events, supports retailers, and treats Knuckle Sandwich as a real business rather than a licensing opportunity.
Do celebrities help grow the cigar industry?
They can. When celebrities genuinely engage with cigar culture and support retailers, they can introduce new smokers to premium cigars and help expand interest in the hobby.
About the Author: Fred Rewey