PCA 2021: Day 2 Recap

I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve attended just enough trade shows to stop losing count of them; I believe this is my 11th, with my first being in 2010 and not having one in 2020.

I bring that up because as I reflect on Day 2 of the 2021 PCA Convention & Trade Show, as everyone has been talking about how different this year’s show is, for most of Sunday it felt largely the same. There are booths, there are many of the people in the cigar industry here who I have gotten to know over the years and who I generally speak to throughout the year. There are the usual complaints, there are the usual optimistic outlooks, there’s been the usual chatter in the aisles, and so on.

So as I sit down in our empty bunker to think about what has made day two stand out, much of it feels like the kind of things that have stood out in years past. However, a few things—most notably one that happened after the show closed—immediately come to mind.

1. This Might Well Be the Put Up or Shut Up Year — After the show concluded, many of the brand owners held a meeting just outside our booth to talk about the need to support CRA and its legislative efforts, and specifically for the need to help spread the cost around. I haven’t dug into the numbers enough, but there certainly seem to be some companies doing more of the heavy lifting than others, and just using this show as an example, there are some companies who are putting their money towards the fight by showing up and buying booth space, while other companies aren’t and, yet will seemingly be reaping the benefits of the legal fight and other efforts that said monies goes to support. It led me to wonder if there might come a deeper fracturing between those who actively—meaning monetarily—support the PCA, and those who do it with simple lip service, and then those that don’t even do that much. That also goes for retailers and those who smoke cigars as well. And I’d be inclined to say the PCA needs to invest in outreach even more when it comes to the wins it is getting to continue to show the real, tangible benefits of supporting the organization that defends the cigar industry from the vast numbers of individuals and organizations who want to put the cigar industry out of business.
2. Getting Back to Booth Basics — I’ve said this in a number of my booth posts, but a lot of companies are eschewing the big, elaborate booths this year in favor of more stripped-down approaches. For some, it’s cost savings, for others it’s a matter of not wanting to be as flashy in a year when things are just generally more toned down. Some companies cut down the number of spaces they’ve taken as well. And you know what? It doesn’t seem to have affected sales. I’ve held the belief that a bigger booth is not always a better booth, if it puts a company behind the financial 8-ball or if it does nothing but becomes a contest to see who can be the tallest, brightest, loudest or whatever-est. There have been plenty of orders written in this more simple setting, and I hope it encourages other companies to come back with a more simplified approach and knowing that they don’t have to spend tons to make a big impact.
3. The J.C. Newman Booth — With the above being said, I feel compelled to highlight J.C. Newman for its booth, which is one of the more elaborate ones. Our bunker is right next to theirs, which is anchored by a replica of the company’s El Reloj factory in Tampa, Fla. Made from recycled cardboard and created by GOKARTON, this has easily become my favorite booth on the show floor. You can walk through part of it that replicates the real factory’s museum, and just seeing the 26-foot-tall clock tower puts a smile on my face, bringing back great memories from my visits to the real thing. For my money, this is easily the most impressive booth on the floor and one that brings the flavor of Tampa and J.C. Newman to Las Vegas. Update: the booth won Best In Show in the large booth category.
4. The Shift in Energy Today — Sometime in the middle of the afternoon, it seemed that the energy of the show floor decreased rather noticeably, which is concerning. I get this is a smaller and less-attended show than in years past, but Day 1 had enough energy that I would call it somewhat familiar—at least in terms of retailers wanting to get to certain booths and getting their orders in for the show exclusives and other limited items. Day 2 started off feeling not too far off, and in some ways better because the energy seemed to be more evenly spread around the show floor. But by about 3 p.m., I began to feel a shift, and enough of one to leave me a bit apprehensive and concerned for what Day 3 will feel like.