Making Pipe Smoking Sexy??
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A couple of examples of niche market growth-
My son (who is a pipe smoker) just bought a $1,000 coffee roaster.
Straight razors are coming back in fashion at up to $1,200 for some of the best.
What do they have to do with pipe smoking? People are attracted to ritual. It's not about drinking a cup of coffee- it's about the ritual of roasting the beans, grinding the beans, using a overpriced siphon coffee maker, and enjoying the end result.
Pipe smoking is full of those rituals that bring importance to a simple act in a day when so much of our society is built around the cheap, the quick, and the disposable...
My son (who is a pipe smoker) just bought a $1,000 coffee roaster.
Straight razors are coming back in fashion at up to $1,200 for some of the best.
What do they have to do with pipe smoking? People are attracted to ritual. It's not about drinking a cup of coffee- it's about the ritual of roasting the beans, grinding the beans, using a overpriced siphon coffee maker, and enjoying the end result.
Pipe smoking is full of those rituals that bring importance to a simple act in a day when so much of our society is built around the cheap, the quick, and the disposable...
Thank you guys for the responses so far! I think that comments like all the above are reasons why I choose to read and participate (although read much much more than post) in this forum. The nostalgia I experience as an early asp Usenet poster reading this forum makes me smile. Civil, well thought out, intelligent responses...keep em coming guys and gals.
I switched to pipes from cigars partially because cigar smoking became "cool" again -- in our society cool = expensive. I know my objectives don't align with the people that need to sell these products for a living, but they really should look at their customer base before making assumptions like that. Any numbskull can light up a cigar and feel "cool". Most numbskulls are only going to light up a pipe once or twice and get frustrated then go back to cigars or quit altogether. I know this because I've tried (and failed) to introduce some numbskulls to pipe smoking. You have to WANT to smoke a pipe. I don't do it for status, because it's cool, or because it's sexy. I'm usually smoking a pipe alone, in my office -- maybe my dog at my feet. There's nothing sexy about smoking anything. It's harmful to your health. It should be about quality tobacco, a quality pipe, and those increasingly rare moments in our current society to relax, unwind, and be alone with one's thoughts. When we try to market that little sliver of nirvana into something cool and sexy, we bastardize it like we have so many other sacred things. With all due respect to Mr. Stokkebye, I couldn't disagree more.
Also, he/they should really dig deeper into current/recent stats. I firmly believe much of this "pipe boom" everyone loves to talk about is largely due to that fact that many RYO manufacturers are skirting tax laws by labeling their RYO trash as pipe tobacco. Think about it for a second. You go into a head shop, a cigarette shack, etc. and almost every type of loose tobacco is "pipe tobacco". But it's not. You don't buy it. I don't buy it. It's floor sweepings. The RYO college kids buy it because they can't afford their Marlboro Lights anymore; however, when they buy that tobacco, that is marked as a purchase of "pipe tobacco". We need to wake-up and look at the data objectively. Maybe I'm just jaded and skeptical because my background is in science/research so I always try to look at data critically, but I really don't think this pipe resurgence is there. I'm sure it's gone up, but not to the level some would have you believe. I also think the data is further skewed by all of us (myself included) hoarding tobacco -- whether it's the hard to find stuff or just leveraging our buying power against future taxation/legislation, I think tobacco purchasing is greatly outpacing consumption. At least for myself, I have been buying way, WAY more than I have smoked for the past 4-5 years in effort to build up a decent cellar. It's never going to be cheaper than it is today, as they say. If you've got room to store it, it will only get better with age, and the fresh stuff will be even more expensive.
Also, while the ladies above are attractive (with due respect) and I'm sure we all love to check out the "Pipe Babes" section of this site, smoking a pipe will never be as sexy as smoking a cigar. You are free to disagree, but a cigar is phallic, a pipe is not. Whether we want to admit it (or even realize it) there is a different psychological attraction to seeing a beautiful woman smoking a cigar that just won't happen when they are puffing on a pipe. When I think of a woman smoking a pipe, I think of granny clampett or some other mountain woman smoking a corn cob with a blend of her own baccy she grew on the back 40.
Also, he/they should really dig deeper into current/recent stats. I firmly believe much of this "pipe boom" everyone loves to talk about is largely due to that fact that many RYO manufacturers are skirting tax laws by labeling their RYO trash as pipe tobacco. Think about it for a second. You go into a head shop, a cigarette shack, etc. and almost every type of loose tobacco is "pipe tobacco". But it's not. You don't buy it. I don't buy it. It's floor sweepings. The RYO college kids buy it because they can't afford their Marlboro Lights anymore; however, when they buy that tobacco, that is marked as a purchase of "pipe tobacco". We need to wake-up and look at the data objectively. Maybe I'm just jaded and skeptical because my background is in science/research so I always try to look at data critically, but I really don't think this pipe resurgence is there. I'm sure it's gone up, but not to the level some would have you believe. I also think the data is further skewed by all of us (myself included) hoarding tobacco -- whether it's the hard to find stuff or just leveraging our buying power against future taxation/legislation, I think tobacco purchasing is greatly outpacing consumption. At least for myself, I have been buying way, WAY more than I have smoked for the past 4-5 years in effort to build up a decent cellar. It's never going to be cheaper than it is today, as they say. If you've got room to store it, it will only get better with age, and the fresh stuff will be even more expensive.
Also, while the ladies above are attractive (with due respect) and I'm sure we all love to check out the "Pipe Babes" section of this site, smoking a pipe will never be as sexy as smoking a cigar. You are free to disagree, but a cigar is phallic, a pipe is not. Whether we want to admit it (or even realize it) there is a different psychological attraction to seeing a beautiful woman smoking a cigar that just won't happen when they are puffing on a pipe. When I think of a woman smoking a pipe, I think of granny clampett or some other mountain woman smoking a corn cob with a blend of her own baccy she grew on the back 40.
I agree with Pylorns to a degree when he says we need Hollywood to bring sexy back but nowadays the appeal isnt with a single big picture movie, its with a decent set of shows. Like Mad Men or Walking Dead. The appeal of cigars in the 90s was EASILY because of the action film scene but shows have become the go to source of entertainment for this era. Why settle with a two hour movie experience when you can become emotionally attached to the characters over DOZENS of hours. What we need is a single pipe-toting main character in a popular show and we will have people flocking to take up the pipe.
The problem with trusting LOTR to bring us pipe smokers is that it brings in the Renaissance Fair type people rather then the stunning good looks kind of people. Now, I'm not prejudiced against ANYONE but if you want to specifically bring SEXY back to pipe smoking, I'm tellin' ya now, that probably isnt the group to be pulling from. No offense intended to those who participate in those events of course.
The problem with trusting LOTR to bring us pipe smokers is that it brings in the Renaissance Fair type people rather then the stunning good looks kind of people. Now, I'm not prejudiced against ANYONE but if you want to specifically bring SEXY back to pipe smoking, I'm tellin' ya now, that probably isnt the group to be pulling from. No offense intended to those who participate in those events of course.
I'd rather put up with the Ren-Faire geeks than the Phoney "Flavor of the Month" types with more cash than sense.
Dont get me wrong Scrappy, I'm in the same boat as you. They most certainly hold conversation better! But the question was in regards making pipe smoking SEXY once again, and by doing so more popular in general and the Ren-Faire crowd just wont do it.
I hear ya, burl. My position is stated earlier in the thread. I don't want it to be sexier. Oh sure, from a business standpoint, it is desirable... but I'm not a businessman, I'm a consumer. As a consumer, the last thing I want is an influx of the 'in' crowd, driving up prices with their demand.
Well, of course marketing people would like to make pipe smoking sexier. They want to do that most everything.
In my day-to-day lifeI don't even want to spread the gospel of pipe smoking. I'm quite leery of those sherlockhobbits who are exited about pipes just because it looks cool. Only if someone is genuinely interested in it I will often explain and help.
Hell, I don't even necessarily want pipe smoking gaining any more popularity. Especially among the young people. Here in Europe increased popularity could possibly have an actual danger to it.
There's a new EU directive proposition about banning any flavorings in tobacco products. For now, it exempts pipe tobacco:
In my day-to-day lifeI don't even want to spread the gospel of pipe smoking. I'm quite leery of those sherlockhobbits who are exited about pipes just because it looks cool. Only if someone is genuinely interested in it I will often explain and help.
Hell, I don't even necessarily want pipe smoking gaining any more popularity. Especially among the young people. Here in Europe increased popularity could possibly have an actual danger to it.
There's a new EU directive proposition about banning any flavorings in tobacco products. For now, it exempts pipe tobacco:
According to these idiots "substantial change" is:
They're only making plans for Nigel (and Nils).
Thanks for starting a great discussion BriarFanatic.
There are some interesting opinions here. There need not be any debate whatsoever whether pipe smoking has increased or not.
It has.
Please allow me to provide some facts.
1. There is IN FACT an increase in the amount of pipe smokers in the USA. It differs in other parts of the world. The uptick has been happening at least since 2003.
2. Yes, statistics regarding how many pounds of so called "pipe tobacco" are sold have become useless because of mis-labelled RYO. However, we have empirical evidence from the CDC that the numbers have increased.
There is also much anecdotal evidence as well. I have traveled all over the US going to pipe shows and retail tobacconist, as well as talking to pipe and tobacco manufacturers. From casual observations to specific conversations, nearly everyone in the business and pipe show organizers agree that there are more people partaking of the pipe. Almost everyone's sales are up.
3. Also, the traffic numbers and membership base for PipesMagazine.com, as well as the advertiser base continues to increase.
Here are a couple of articles. Neither are totally new, but they are still relevant. The first one is from 2012, authored by me. The other is from 2009 from The Wall Street Journal.
This Isn't Your Grandfather's Pipe
Also, linked in the above article -
The Latest Thing They're Smoking in Pipes on College Campuses: Tobacco
There are some interesting opinions here. There need not be any debate whatsoever whether pipe smoking has increased or not.
It has.
Please allow me to provide some facts.
1. There is IN FACT an increase in the amount of pipe smokers in the USA. It differs in other parts of the world. The uptick has been happening at least since 2003.
2. Yes, statistics regarding how many pounds of so called "pipe tobacco" are sold have become useless because of mis-labelled RYO. However, we have empirical evidence from the CDC that the numbers have increased.
There is also much anecdotal evidence as well. I have traveled all over the US going to pipe shows and retail tobacconist, as well as talking to pipe and tobacco manufacturers. From casual observations to specific conversations, nearly everyone in the business and pipe show organizers agree that there are more people partaking of the pipe. Almost everyone's sales are up.
3. Also, the traffic numbers and membership base for PipesMagazine.com, as well as the advertiser base continues to increase.
Here are a couple of articles. Neither are totally new, but they are still relevant. The first one is from 2012, authored by me. The other is from 2009 from The Wall Street Journal.
This Isn't Your Grandfather's Pipe
Also, linked in the above article -
The Latest Thing They're Smoking in Pipes on College Campuses: Tobacco
This is an opinion, but an educated one -
It is doubtful that there could ever be a pipe boom like the cigar boom.
There is too much involved in smoking a pipe for it to be as casual and simple an experience as smoking a cigar.
Anyone can become an instant cigar smoker. Not so much with a pipe.
Pipe smoking is experiencing what might be considered a micro-mini-boom, and it is happening more organically than artificially.
There are some hipsters that smoke pipes. So what. Get over it.
It is doubtful that there could ever be a pipe boom like the cigar boom.
There is too much involved in smoking a pipe for it to be as casual and simple an experience as smoking a cigar.
Anyone can become an instant cigar smoker. Not so much with a pipe.
Pipe smoking is experiencing what might be considered a micro-mini-boom, and it is happening more organically than artificially.
There are some hipsters that smoke pipes. So what. Get over it.
Thanks for posting the links Kevin. They make good reading. I'm amazed how concerned people seem to be about what other people do and how it affects their health (like in the Wall Street Journal article). I mean, you risk skin cancer from spending time outside, a broken leg from hiking, a bad back from lifting things, but you dont see people hootin' and hollorin' over that. There are risks in everything we undertake as human beings and it is that individuals duty to determine whether or not the risk is worth the reward. At what point in the modern era did one man look at his neighbor and think "I should make all of his decisions for him"? Anyway, thats enough for my semi-on topic but mostly off topic rant. Sorry guys.
I was thinking of that when I wrote my reply - the LOTR brings in a certain type of demographic.
I'd be interested to know how traffic has increased to this site over the past couple of years. Ie - can you give us an idea?
Here I thought you wanted me to smoke in my BVDs !!!
Great articles. One of these days I'm going to do a field trip to Rich's Cigar Store in Portland, OR. I hear that it's a great B&M.
zack, good point about the appeal of ritual. I think that operates at both the high price end of piping -- the artisan pipes,
the custom rack, tampers, a selection of choice tobaccos, and a place to store these and to smoke -- and as well, at the low
end, simply having a cob or basic briar, maybe in your jacket pocket, and time and place for a puff, on the tailgate of your
pickup or wherever. If I were the owner or staff in a pipe store, I would certainly keep an eye out for the man or woman who
wanted to go upscale. One high-end customer can provide a whole day's profit to the small business person.
Kevin, thank you for a little perspective. Excellent point about the difference between the cigar boom and pipes. Cigars are
easier to get into, and out of, until you stock an expansive humidor. Also, the actual smoking has a steeper learning curve.
Just lighting up doesn't end the process. To me, the selection of tobacco is more complex, although that is debatable; cigars
can be a deep study. Pipes are far more interesting to me, but that is also the sculptural aspect of the pipes themselves, even
though I have mostly mid and lower level pipes -- industrial design and design influences at work, rather than the hand of
the artist (except in about ten of my pipes which are hand-crafted).
the custom rack, tampers, a selection of choice tobaccos, and a place to store these and to smoke -- and as well, at the low
end, simply having a cob or basic briar, maybe in your jacket pocket, and time and place for a puff, on the tailgate of your
pickup or wherever. If I were the owner or staff in a pipe store, I would certainly keep an eye out for the man or woman who
wanted to go upscale. One high-end customer can provide a whole day's profit to the small business person.
Kevin, thank you for a little perspective. Excellent point about the difference between the cigar boom and pipes. Cigars are
easier to get into, and out of, until you stock an expansive humidor. Also, the actual smoking has a steeper learning curve.
Just lighting up doesn't end the process. To me, the selection of tobacco is more complex, although that is debatable; cigars
can be a deep study. Pipes are far more interesting to me, but that is also the sculptural aspect of the pipes themselves, even
though I have mostly mid and lower level pipes -- industrial design and design influences at work, rather than the hand of
the artist (except in about ten of my pipes which are hand-crafted).
@pylorns
I will list different years, followed by the number that represents the average daily unique visitors. This is where we ended each year at.
- 2009 = 1,500 (Daily unique visitors on average)
- 2010 = 5,000
- 2011 = 7,000
- 2012 - 10,000
Now, here are the same numbers per month for 2013.
Jan - 11,403
Feb - 11,288
Mar - 13,509
Apl - 13,834
May - 14,838
Jun - 14,337
Jul - 13,186
Aug - 15,450
Sep - 13,912
Oct - 13,982
Nov - 14,023
Sure.
I will list different years, followed by the number that represents the average daily unique visitors. This is where we ended each year at.
- 2009 = 1,500 (Daily unique visitors on average)
- 2010 = 5,000
- 2011 = 7,000
- 2012 - 10,000
Now, here are the same numbers per month for 2013.
Jan - 11,403
Feb - 11,288
Mar - 13,509
Apl - 13,834
May - 14,838
Jun - 14,337
Jul - 13,186
Aug - 15,450
Sep - 13,912
Oct - 13,982
Nov - 14,023
- Status