Brand Environment Case Study: Foundry Tobacco Company

LOCATIONSands Expo Center, Las Vegas

SCOPE Custom Exhibit Feature Area
Rental Brand Environment Extension
Custom Product Display
Accent Lighting
Prop Sourcing

TIME TRAVELING THROUGH FOUNDRY'S
IPCPR TRADE SHOW DISPLAYS

Foundry Tobacco Company is a pioneer in the tobacco industry known for innovatively challenging traditional cigar approaches, and they took that same methodical approach to creating the design of its booth. Although still under the General Cigar Company's umbrella, Foundry collaborated with the creative team at Hill & Partners on its three-year journey and to break away from General Cigar's exhibit as a stand-alone space in a 20x40 square foot setting to coincide with its ongoing "Beyond the Unexpected" mantra that began in 2011.

2012: SETTING THE STAGE

The story began in 2012 when Hill & Partners first worked with Foundry, a brand of the General Cigar Company, to create a custom 20x20 display at the Annual IPCPR Trade Show. The Foundry feature area within General Cigar's 100'x110' booth space was a big hit, focusing on the past in an essence of mad science and the innovative 1800's steampunk era. The exhibit featured quality wood construction, unique accent lighting, smoke machines, and authentic cigar roller amongst other props sourced to support the time frame and the story.

2013: STAGING
THE MADNESS

"This year, it was more macabre with skulls and bones and pickled brains in jars. Stepping into that portion of the booth was like stepping onto a movie set. Giannini pointed to a table full of odd tools and dubious-looking instruments. 'I imagine this was Jack the Ripper's table,' he said with a laugh." - Gregory Mottola, Senior Editor of Cigar Aficionado

Each year of exhibiting at the IPCPR show adds to the evolution of the Foundry brand. The 2013 version upped the madness with even more props to transform the space into a Mad Scientist Laboratory complete with glass lab beakers, real cat skulls, and even an embalming table.

2014: LAUNCHING
THE FUTURE

"The coolest looking booth has got to go to Foundry Tobacco Co. They had their steampunk stuff out there but it was dilapidated and run down. There were busted signs hanging from the eaves, the steam boiler was hissing out at times trying to release the overpressure and the equipment was dirty and beat up. But you pass through the back door and you're in the 1960's. As you wind through the corridor you see a wall filled with posters showing timelines, from 1914 to 1964 to 2014 to 2064. The booth was the progression of the Foundry lines with the breaking down of the old Foundry and breaking in of the new." - ArnaudMCK, Blogger for The Humidor Blog

At the 2014 IPCPR Trade Show, Foundry made its debut as a larger autonomous booth space, breaking from the massive General Cigar Company estate on the show floor. The new design was inspired by the rollout of a cigar product named Worm Hole.

"A great cigar transports us through the glowing moments of our past into the unlimited possibilities of tomorrow." - Michael Giannini

Chapter three of the Foundry IPCPR story is best described by this quote from the Foundry website: "The pioneering mad scientists that took you on a whirlwind tour through history with steampunk, electricity, and the study of scientific elements are now ready to transport you to the future."

The original 400 square foot exhibit doubled in size, extending the original steampunk laboratory portion into a trip down the worm hole and establishing that Foundry's intention for the future of tobacco is about to shake the industry norm. To begin this journey, we blew up the booth, caution tape strewn about and smoke machines filling the stage periodically to give the feeling of a place that once was and is no more.

Entering through the "blasted" hole in the back of the original exhibit, you enter into the 1964 era, complimented by Retro decor and the Ed Sullivan show playing on a 1960s black and white television set. This section reveals the history from 1914 to 1964 on a wall-mounted timeline and displays the retro packaging of the 1964 cigar blends, that remind us to "Expect the Unexpected".

DID YOU KNOW? The Foundry 1964 Expect/Unexpected Blend is inspired by the World's Fair. Fifty years ago, General Cigar constructed an entire 15,000 square foot building at the legendary 1964-65 World's Fair in New York City. A giant outdoor smoke machine blew smoke rings 10 feet in diameter into the open sky every 20 seconds.

The 2014 portion enters into the realm of sleek and modern taste with contemporary textured walls and lighting effects. This high-end cigar lounge brings you into the "here and now" of the Foundry brand then prepares to launch you into the Worm Hole, displaying the new cigar product by this name on the majestic glowing shelves.

The exhibit ends 50 years into the future in 2064, displaying cigars made from Martian Tobacco. Giannini believes cigars are best tasted without the preconceived notions from detailed descriptions of the blends. Since no one has tasted a Martian cigar before, who's to say if this may be it? He urges to let the imagination run free beyond the expected.

Giannini brings about a good point: "If you can't imagine the future, the future is unimaginable. You're never going to get there." In collaboration with the creative mind of Giannini and the designers and executers of Hill & Partners, imagination became reality at the IPCPR show and the glimpse into the future of one brand was brought to life.

THE RESULTS

Exhibit traffic increased by 45% compared to previous year's booth. Attendance was down at the IPCPR show by 20% but booth rate increased by 10% (as a new standalone booth).