Captain Bob's Blend: I am dissapointed...
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"Yes... it is a shame that C&D has decided to replace the tin art with a more generic, branded label. It's tragic even. "
I loved the tin art and collected the labels. It sucks that they're changing it. Online to print them out would be a nice gesture.
I loved the tin art and collected the labels. It sucks that they're changing it. Online to print them out would be a nice gesture.
I disliked the old tin art, and honestly if they are trying a unified approach with the burgundy labels, they need to try harder. I think the old labels were puerile but the new are just cheap looking, and it would have saved money and discontent to stay with the old ones until they had a better effort.
The fortunes of war, I guess. Condor was wondering about the fate of the tobacco condor now that it has been
sold to another outfit. I think selling a brand and/or blend(s) always changes the supervision of blending, the
sourcing, the marketing and so on. The long-time owners have to work hard to maintain the character of a blend
with tobacco crop variations from year to year and price variations, so when a blend or line gets sold, it changes
everything. Back when C&D was under Tarler control, the description of Captain Bob led me to believe it was a
little too mild for me, but I don't know because I didn't try it. It has its loyalists. I liked the tin art; it wasn't
sophisticated, kind of folksy, but a plus in my book. I like some of the 1930-ish art on C&D tins like Riverboat
Gambler and others. I'd rather have distinctive, if unsophisticated, art rather than no art at all. McClelland does
well with its gilt and whale graphics, without buying new art for every blend.
sold to another outfit. I think selling a brand and/or blend(s) always changes the supervision of blending, the
sourcing, the marketing and so on. The long-time owners have to work hard to maintain the character of a blend
with tobacco crop variations from year to year and price variations, so when a blend or line gets sold, it changes
everything. Back when C&D was under Tarler control, the description of Captain Bob led me to believe it was a
little too mild for me, but I don't know because I didn't try it. It has its loyalists. I liked the tin art; it wasn't
sophisticated, kind of folksy, but a plus in my book. I like some of the 1930-ish art on C&D tins like Riverboat
Gambler and others. I'd rather have distinctive, if unsophisticated, art rather than no art at all. McClelland does
well with its gilt and whale graphics, without buying new art for every blend.
I liked the old Autumn Evening label better and I'm mad I didnt keep one. Ordered up my tin a few months ago and got the new one. Should have started collecting them sooner then I did.
I liked the Pennington Gap & Kajun Kake labels thankfully I have those.
I liked the Pennington Gap & Kajun Kake labels thankfully I have those.
I have tried Captain Bob's Blend just for a change of pace. It's pretty good -- and I'm a tobacco purist snob.
My only regret is that I won't be able to pull the captain's chain any more.
Oh well, I guess in a pinch I can always pick on Peck.
My only regret is that I won't be able to pull the captain's chain any more.
Oh well, I guess in a pinch I can always pick on Peck.
See this is why I don't like change. All in all though it's still being produced and it's out of your hands, so don't lose any sleep over it. If it was going to be discontinued it definitely wouldn't have undergone a new label.
I want to say thank you to all of you for the supportive comments. Tonight, I ordered a pound of CBB from smokingpipes.com. I want to see if it is still the same. I truly expect it will be. I will let you all know, either way. Below, I am mixing up a fresh batch in my kitchen. Thank you again. I love this forum and all of you folks are really cherished friends.
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Good to hear Captain Bob, I'm sure over time you'll get over it and people will realize that if the leaf is the same, the tin art is a secondary thing. I've never bought tobacco based on tin art. It comes down to the smoke, if that's the same then I'm sure this will pass and you'll be back to promoting Captain Bob's blend as your proud creation. I don't think many pipe smokers can say they created a blend that made it to production for a big tobacco company.
Why would you order an entire pound to see if it's still the same? Wouldn't an ounce be sufficient?
I'm not telling you what to do with your money, I just find it odd you would buy so much for a comparison check.
I'm not telling you what to do with your money, I just find it odd you would buy so much for a comparison check.
Bob I tried and liked your blend and liked the old C@D labels too . Remember the generic food that used to come in white cans don't see those much anymore now do you . Hint , Hint Sykes !
With the representation of Laudisi on these forums perhaps some further explanation will be forthcoming. I hope so else I am forced to chalk this up to the proverbial merger negative effects one reads about so often. The tin art, especially Bob's personally funded example, ARE part of the product we buy. Replacing it with such a dreadfully boring label cheapens the overall experience, IMO.
I am aware that Craig's policy of tinning bulk blends and selling them at lower prices than the regular tinned ones would become eventually problematic. Selling pressed bulks in less than one pound quantities was another. The result there was premium pricing on the former bulk presses - now sold in tins and pound BAGS at a higher price. I get the idea Laudisi prizes "order" and two pricing tiers on tinned product (as before) as well as Capt Bob's unique status just fell victim to the reordering. Sorry to ramble.
Should they proceed further and nix the labeling on the rest of the line, I will view that in a non-positive fashion. Oddly, sp.com just lowered prices across the board on nearly all tobacco.
I am aware that Craig's policy of tinning bulk blends and selling them at lower prices than the regular tinned ones would become eventually problematic. Selling pressed bulks in less than one pound quantities was another. The result there was premium pricing on the former bulk presses - now sold in tins and pound BAGS at a higher price. I get the idea Laudisi prizes "order" and two pricing tiers on tinned product (as before) as well as Capt Bob's unique status just fell victim to the reordering. Sorry to ramble.
Should they proceed further and nix the labeling on the rest of the line, I will view that in a non-positive fashion. Oddly, sp.com just lowered prices across the board on nearly all tobacco.
The "reality" is that these are/were both small businesses, not publicly traded companies. The owners can do whatever they want, including keeping the label. The choice to "streamline" and drop the tin art is a choice. By the way, is it the case that the old label is really gone for good, or just gone for now? Does Capt. Bob know either way? I couldn't figure that out from the thread or from previous comments.
Anyhow, for me, the folksy art was indeed part of their brand. Maybe we're using "brand" in different ways, here, sparks. I mean, it wouldn't be an ideal branding choice if you were a giant company trying to follow "best practices" or whatever. But for me, the "brand" of Cornell & Diehl included the fact that it was run out of a little warehouse building out in the sticks of N.C. and the fact that they used hokey tin art that would make the Madison Avenue boys cringe.
On this particular tobacco, I think the tin art is hugely important. To get me to buy a grape flavored English, I'm going to need more than a generic label.
derfargin, I ordered a pound of bulk because I will smoke it. And, it is less expensive the more you buy. I don't buy two ounce tins if it is a tobacco that I know I will smoke.
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"I am referring to a brand as a universally recognizable mark or symbol that would identify a company. "
The cartoon art WAS this..if anything they should have comissioned labels for the products that didnt have it. Yes, SP has grown into a largish company but its not like they're gonna be advertising on TV and naming stadiums..
The cartoon art WAS this..if anything they should have comissioned labels for the products that didnt have it. Yes, SP has grown into a largish company but its not like they're gonna be advertising on TV and naming stadiums..
"if anything they should have comissioned labels for the products that didnt have it."
Agree, said as much in the post you quoted.
Agree, said as much in the post you quoted.
Two things that immediately come to mind: The C&D line has lacked brand unity. A new customer couldn't go into a shop and quickly pick out the C&D blends from all the other brands. The other problem with the old tins was readability. With a majority of their customers in the failing eyesight age category, these tins need to be quickly readable in the dim light of the typical B&M.
So while some customers may find the cartoon art to be an integral part of why they buy C&D blends, I can assume with some confidence that Laudisi knows it's customers (and potential customers), and the cartoons weren't cutting it. Not to say that Laudisi is immune from bad decisions, but they sure aren't basing their marketing plan just on personal opinion. Change may rub you the wrong way, but I'm guessing that they simply want to sell more pipe tobacco and appealing to a more diverse customer base is part and parcel of that.
So while some customers may find the cartoon art to be an integral part of why they buy C&D blends, I can assume with some confidence that Laudisi knows it's customers (and potential customers), and the cartoons weren't cutting it. Not to say that Laudisi is immune from bad decisions, but they sure aren't basing their marketing plan just on personal opinion. Change may rub you the wrong way, but I'm guessing that they simply want to sell more pipe tobacco and appealing to a more diverse customer base is part and parcel of that.
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