HGTAG

The project

Cruz Canela is, since more than ten years ago, the Habanos exclusive distributor for Costa Rica and Nicaragua markets. With its own stores such as La Casas del Habano in San Jose or the Habanos Specialist
at the Marryott San Jose hotel, and with distribution in more than 400 points of sale, Habanos cigars can be found throughout the country.

Due to the global pandemic by COVID19, for a time tourism in Costa Rica was greatly reduced and consequently the sale of cigars destined for this sector, which this market represents a very significant percentage. This motivated the company to look for new marketing tools whose main objective is to capture and engage more local consumers, especially among the young public.

In the words of the company’s president, Mr. Luis Garcia,

“The sale of counterfeit Habanos in the Costa Rican market is also a fact that must always be considered when analyzing threats in our business. For this reason we have committed to the use of new technologies not only in our marketing campaigns to attract and retain customers, but also in new solutions that allow us to give confidence in the originality of the product and authorized points of sale.”

Turn the product into a digital platform

Interactive product and Cross selling

We have created an interactive product incorporating a fully custom SMART TAG in the exclusive Edición Regional for the Costa Rica market. Simply by placing the mobile device closer the cigar box, the consumer will be able to access to products interactive content: product authentication, description of the cigar, tasting notes, pairings, ratings, social media access, etc.

In the same digital experience, the customer is offered other products that are also sold in the same establishment that pair with this cigar, in this case the Cruz Canela Gourmet coffee.

Confidence in the originality of the product

Product authentication

Through the use of our Smart Shop interactive labels, a product authentication point has been created in all authorized establishments. By simply placing your mobile at the authentication point, the consumer will directly access the Habanos verifier:http://verificacion.habanos.com

After verifying the product, in the same digital experience, consumers will be able to access relevant information about the store, the distributor or the brand, such as special promotions, information on new releases, social media access, etc.

Customer acquisition

Hot spot interaction

Cruz Canela currently sells its Habanos in a specialized Habanos Specialist store in the Marriott hotel. This store is promoted in the hotel parking lot by means of a light box.

A Smart Shop Interactive label has been included in the light box, with a message encouraging the consumer to interact with it. Simply by placing the mobile on top of the sticker, the digital experience will be accessed where the customer will be informed of the location of the store as well as the extra benefit if they go to the store at that time, such as a promotion, take advantage of the new launch, enjoy of a free glass of cava, etc.

In the words of Luis García,

“for our stores and authorized points of sale, it has been very easy to integrate into HumidifGroup’s Smart Shop system. Through the HTAG digital platform offered by the supplier, our shop are able to manage the design of interactive labels and their content, as well as the measurement of consumer interactions with them. With no doubt, we have innovated in the shopping experience by offering exclusive and digital content besides to collected traffic data at points of sale as measuring the impact of our sell actions”