Cigar Advisor

Operation Smokescreen

"Operation Smokescreen" was an exciting and dynamic movie trailer video campaign designed to relaunch the CigarAdvisor brand. I played a key role in crafting much of the campaign's compelling copy while collaborating closely with the video editor to bring the cinematic vision to life. The project also involved partnering with prominent cigar industry manufacturers and personalities, ensuring an authentic and engaging experience that resonated with the target audience. This high-energy campaign played a crucial part in revitalizing the CigarAdvisor brand, drawing attention and intrigue from cigar enthusiasts nationwide.

Instructional Video

As part of Cigar Advisor's effort to enrich cigar smokers' knowledge and build brand trust, I recorded an instructional video on blowing smoke rings. This video was one of several designed to offer valuable tips and techniques to enhance the smoking experience. I also appeared prominently in cigar review videos. By sharing my expertise and approachable style, I helped strengthen the CigarAdvisor brand’s reputation as a trusted resource in the cigar community, providing engaging and informative content that resonated with enthusiasts eager to learn more about their passion.

Articles

I worked hand-in-hand with strategists and art directors to create articles for the CigarAdvisor app, ensuring that both the content and design were fully aligned with the overall brand strategy. The articles covered a wide range of topics relevant to cigar smokers' lifestyle interests, from smoking techniques to cigar culture, helping to enrich the knowledge and experience of our audience. Each slide was designed as an individual piece to be easily digestible and visually appealing. Many of the articles also featured interactive elements, providing an engaging experience for users. While the interactive features aren't represented in this portfolio version, which is a static .pdf, the design and content structure still reflect the original vision to deliver an enriching and user-friendly experience.

I had the unique opportunity to ghostwrite a rant for Ernest Padilla, a popular cigar maker and the son of Cuban poet and dissident Heberto Padilla. The piece became one of the magazine's most popular regular features, resonating deeply with readers. The process behind it was collaborative yet streamlined, usually involving a couple of phone conversations with Ernest to capture his voice, some editorial sketches to lay out the structure and tone, and a round or two of edits to refine the content. It was a rewarding experience to bring his passionate perspective to life in a way that felt both authentic and engaging for the magazine's audience.