What an absolute amazing opportunity to catch up with Eddy Guerra, the Sr. Brand Manager of Davidoff. Being a brand manager is not all glamour and free cigars, but more about up keeping with the traditions and values that has kept the Davidoff brand as the leader in the tobacco industry. Not an easy task for any manager but one Eduardo does not shy away from. Read his full interview below.
Eduardo, let’s start from the beginning. Who are you and what is your role for Davidoff?
E: I am the Senior Brand Manager at Davidoff of Geneva USA. Currently I manage Davidoff, Avo, Camacho, S.T. Dupont as well as the rest of our portfolio brands.
Give us the rundown of what your daily days are like.
E: That would be a very hard question to answer in a short paragraph lol, I can give you the cliff notes though. After meeting with my team members first thing in the morning, I like to break up my days in blocks as it is the only way for me to manage everything and give the equal amount of energy, importance and love to all the brands and my team. My team is everything to me, without them I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. Mornings are for creativity; I try as much as possible to do all innovation planning before lunch. Whether that is Social media ideas, packaging, marketing activations, new products etc. I get the fun stuff that needs the most energy banged out at the beginning of the day when I have the most energy. After lunch I focus on 2 -3 hours of emails and when I’m done with that it’s just straight work. Putting briefs together, making plans, having meetings etc. I use this time to either execute the creative sessions from earlier or complete whatever task is needed from the email sessions. Granted, I also have meetings throughout the day, but I try to schedule them either as early as possible or late as possible, so it does not interrupt my workflow.
Eddy you work for one of the most reputable and prestigious cigar brands in the world. Do you find your job intimidating or do you live for the spotlight?
E: I definitely don’t live for the spotlight but at the same time I do not find it intimidating. I will say that I have a profound respect for the company I work for and I am honored and humbled to be able to currently have the position I have. To be able to innovate on such iconic brands is a dream come true for me. That being said, I truly love what I do and will have to agree with what people say when they say, “Do what you love and never work a day in your life”. That is why I am not intimidated; I’m just doing what I love to do and taking some creative chances along the way. The spotlight is on the products and I’m just lucky enough to work with them.
Everyone knows the Davidoff cigars, but under the Davidoff umbrella there are many more brands that many people might now know much about. Give us some of your favorites and some that are flying under the radar but a must try for cigar enthusiasts.
E: Oh man, that’s a tough one as I have quite a bit, so I will tell you about some that are in my current rotation of daily smokes. Let’s break it down by brand and reasons why I like them.
AVO
- Classic – Great flavor but not strong at all. I can smoke 10 of these in a day and be good.
- XO – Elegant, creamy, refined and not to strong. Perfect morning to mid-day cigar.
- Heritage- Hidden gem with Peruvian tobacco, very aromatic and not too strong
- Syncro Ritmo – Yummy Yummy Yummy, rich flavorful tobacco perfect medium to full bodied cigar that is great after dinner.
Camacho
- Ecuador BXP – Probably the most underrated Camacho and in my opinion it’s a contender for the best Camacho blend out there (but that’s my pallet) it’s a perfect medium to full cigar and really tasty.
- Triple Maduro – Because double maduro isn’t enough lol. No seriously, this is super rich and delicious yet strength wise it does not overwhelm you.
- American Barrel Aged – It’s just ridiculous. Eat a meal and smoke this and then you will understand what I mean. Complexity, quality tobacco and perfect amount of strength.
Tell us, what does it mean to be a gentleman in the modern age?
E: I believe a gentleman is a gentleman and its definition doesn’t change because of day in age. To me one of the core pillars of being a gentleman is to treat everyone fairly and equally regardless of their age, race, gender, ethnicity or social standing. Show respect and be honorable. Know that anything worth having is worth working hard for (you get what you give). Always be open minded, be confidant not arrogant, mean what you say and say what you mean. Help others and pay it forward. Lastly, take good care of yourself, dress the part and always be presentable.
Whether it’s smart or casual, you always dress to impress. Do you follow current trends or base your looks on personal preference and style?
E: Honestly, I would say it’s a bit of both. Ever since I was young, I have always made it a point to dress the way I wanted but also to stand out and be different. However, as trends come and go, I see things I like and incorporate them, so I guess I follow trends without trying to. One thing for sure is, I love suits and proper menswear. Nothing feels like a well-tailored suit when you put it on. Also, classic gentleman attire will always be around and never will go out of style.
If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
E: Never be afraid to fail, actually failure is a must as failure is the path to success and if you have never failed then you are not trying hard enough.
Do you have any other hobbies apart from cigars and style?
E: Fitness and eating hahaha. I typically run 3 – 6 miles every day in the morning before work and followed by bootcamp in the evening after work. I also ride about 60 miles a week between my bike and Peloton. Sounds like I would be ripped right??? Well I’m not because my other hobby is eating, like A LOT , so you know…. Balance.
Now that many companies are going into the Direct to Consumer Cigar Subscription box business, do you think it will only help increase the brand awareness of the Davidoff brand, if so how?
E: We are selective about Davidoff being in subscription boxes as this brand is only available at a select network of retailers. That being said, you can find Camacho and Avo in subscription boxes from time to time. I think these are good programs to get the product into people’s hand to try for the first time.
For anyone who is new to cigars, what tips would you offer them to enjoy the smoothest transition into the cigar world?
E: Aside from the obvious cigar 101 tips you will find online and in magazines. It’s best to start mild and build up your tolerance, no need to jump into something story right away. Also visit your local brick and mortar shops as the employees there will help guide you through brands and flavor profiles and you can buy singles of a few cigars before getting immediately into box purchases.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
E: Absolutely, in July we are officially releasing the highly anticipated Camacho Nicaragua, which is one phenomenal cigar. We are very proud of how this cigar came out; I can’t wait to see the reaction when people start smoking it. Also, if you can find them the new Davidoff Special <<53>> Limited Edition is out now for the first time in 18 years and well it is a very very special cigar so don’t miss the opportunity to get some if you can.
