Uniting Tradition and Digital Strategy: How We Helped CSWC Accelerate Its Global Growth

Date: September 1th, 2025

Introducing the Cigar Smoking World Championship

The Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) is unlike any other event in the luxury lifestyle and cigar industry. It brings together competitors from over 50 countries, thousands of participants, world-class sponsors, and a global audience of more than 200,000+ viewers (and growing fast).

The competition format is unique: each country hosts qualification events, followed by a National Championship, where the winner earns a ticket to the Grand Final in Croatia - held every year on the last weekend of August or the first weekend of September.

For 14 years, CSWC steadily grew into a respected global event. It attracted some of the best sponsors in the cigar world, from luxury watchmakers to iconic cigar brands. But despite this strong foundation, one crucial element was missing: branding and promotion that matched its true scale.

Enter BQUEST Agency: From Outsider to Insider

The story of how BQUEST Agency stepped in begins in 2022, when its founder was invited by Marko Bilić, president of Club Mareva and globally recognized as The Cigar Ambassador.

At that time, he admitted he knew nothing about cigars or the championship. But his words showed vision:

"I might not know anything about it at this very moment, but I feel I belong in this niche and this industry. We will make great things very soon.”

Instead of rushing in, he spent a full year immersing himself:

  • Learning from the founder and the club members

  • Traveling to international cigar events

  • Meeting the global community

  • Understanding the culture and philosophy behind both Club Mareva and CSWC

After this year of preparation came a decisive moment. In a meeting with the founder, he simply said:

"It's time.”

And that’s when the project began.

The State of CSWC at the Time

When BQUEST Agency joined, CSWC was already impressive:

  • 14 years of history and traditions

  • 41 participating countries

  • A strong community of competitors and fans

  • Elite partners and sponsors - the best of the best in the cigar industry

But there was a major gap: promotion and branding.

At that time:

  • Promotion was handled mainly by Cigar Journal Magazine, CSWC website, local cigar portals, and participating communities.

  • Branding was fragmented: each country created its own promotional materials, resulting in confusion and inconsistency. To outsiders, it almost looked like multiple different events.

  • CSWC itself had only a website and a single Facebook page as its “official” online presence.

The brand was growing - but slowly and without a unified identity.

Our Changes: One Global Brand, One Strategy

When BQUEST Agency took over branding and promotion, we implemented a full transformation:

  • Established official CSWC social media channels

  • Designed standardized promotional assets for each country

  • Created brand standards (fonts, colors, visuals, online processes)

  • Centralized control of promotions to ensure global consistency

  • Defined content standards for every participating country

  • Produced high-quality content for CSWC social media

  • Captured event content on-site in countries we traveled to

  • Managed sponsor communications for promotions and content

The goal was clear: show the world what CSWC had already built and strengthen the existing community while attracting a new one.

The Results: Exponential Growth

The impact of the new branding and social media strategy was immediate and powerful:

  • 20–30% year-on-year growth in global reach and engagement

  • Competitor base grew with 54 countries applying for the 2026 season

  • Sponsors - both large and small - became more interested and active

  • Global audience reached 200,000 viewers and growing fast

But the strongest proof came with ticket sales for the Grand Final in Croatia.

Historically, tickets sold out only a few days before the event. In 2025, that changed dramatically:

  • Tickets sold out within one week of launch

  • 60% were gone in the first 24 hours

This was the direct result of creating momentum, excitement, and the FOMO effect.

The Next Steps

The branding strategy is not yet complete - but everything is going according to plan.

The next goals are clear:

  • Expand CSWC in major markets and introduce it to new countries

  • Launch the Slow Smoking School in January 2026 to improve competitor skills and raise the level of the championship

  • Attract more sponsors, continuing to build a sustainable ecosystem for the event

Why This Matters

The CSWC is not just a competition - it’s a global lifestyle movement. It blends tradition, community, luxury, and experience into one of the most unique events in the world of cigars.

This case study shows what happens when a brand with strong foundations meets a marketing strategy built on storytelling, consistency, and experience-driven promotion.

Final Thoughts

At BQUEST Agency, we specialize in transforming brands into global success stories by promoting experiences, not just products.

What we offer to you:

  • Break free from the race to the bottom

  • Attract high-value clients willing to spend more

  • Create growth even in a declining market

If you want to grow your event or lifestyle brand with the same momentum we brought to the Cigar Smoking World Championship, let’s talk.

Uniting Tradition and Digital Strategy:

How We Helped CSWC Accelerate Its Global Growth

Date: September 1th, 2025

Introducing the Cigar Smoking World Championship

The Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC) is unlike any other event in the luxury lifestyle and cigar industry. It brings together competitors from over 50 countries, thousands of participants, world-class sponsors, and a global audience of more than 200,000 viewers (and growing fast).

The competition format is unique: each country hosts qualification events, followed by a National Championship, where the winner earns a ticket to the Grand Final in Croatia - held every year on the last weekend of August or the first weekend of September.

For 14 years, CSWC steadily grew into a respected global event. It attracted some of the best sponsors in the cigar world, from luxury watchmakers to iconic cigar brands. But despite this strong foundation, one crucial element was missing: branding and promotion that matched its true scale.

Enter BQUEST Agency: From Outsider to Insider

The story of how BQUEST Agency stepped in begins in 2022, when its founder was invited by Marko Bilić, president of Club Mareva and globally recognized as The Cigar Ambassador.

At that time, he admitted he knew nothing about cigars or the championship. But his words showed vision:

“I might not know anything about it at this very moment, but I feel I belong in this niche and this industry. We will make great things very soon.”

Instead of rushing in, he spent a full year immersing himself:

  • Learning from the founder and the club members

  • Traveling to international cigar events

  • Meeting the global community

  • Understanding the culture and philosophy behind both Club Mareva and CSWC

After this year of preparation came a decisive moment. In a meeting with the founder, he simply said:

"It's time."

And that’s when the project began.

The State of CSWC

at the Time

When BQUEST Agency joined, CSWC was already impressive:

  • 14 years of history and traditions

  • 41 participating countries

  • A strong community of competitors and fans

  • Elite partners and sponsors — the best of the best in the cigar industry

But there was a major gap: promotion and branding.

At that time:

  • Promotion was handled mainly by Cigar Journal Magazine, local cigar portals, and participating communities.

  • Branding was fragmented: each country created its own promotional materials, resulting in confusion and inconsistency. To outsiders, it almost looked like multiple different events.

  • CSWC itself had only a website and a single Facebook page as its “official” online presence.

The brand was growing - but slowly and without a unified identity.

Our Changes:

One Global Brand,

One Strategy

When BQUEST Agency took over branding and promotion, we implemented a full transformation:

  • Established official CSWC social media channels

  • Designed standardized promotional assets for each country

  • Created brand standards (fonts, colors, visuals, online processes)

  • Centralized control of promotions to ensure global consistency

  • Defined content standards for every participating country

  • Produced high-quality content for CSWC social media

  • Captured event content on-site in countries we traveled to

  • Managed sponsor communications for promotions and content

The goal was clear: show the world what CSWC had already built and strengthen the existing community while attracting a new one.

The Results: Exponential Growth

The impact of the new branding and social media strategy was immediate and powerful:

  • 20-30% year-on-year growth in global reach and engagement

  • Competitor base grew with 54 countries applying for the 2026 season

  • Sponsors - both large and small - became more interested and active

  • Global audience reached 200,000 viewers and growing fast

But the strongest proof came with ticket sales for the Grand Final in Croatia.

Historically, tickets sold out only a few days before the event. In 2025, that changed dramatically:

  • Tickets sold out within one week of launch

  • 60% were gone in the first 24 hours

This was the direct result of creating momentum, excitement, and the FOMO effect.

The Next Steps

The branding strategy is not yet complete - but everything is going according to plan.

The next goals are clear:

  • Expand CSWC in major markets and introduce it to new countries

  • Launch the Slow Smoking School in January 2026 to improve competitor skills and raise the level of the championship

  • Attract more sponsors, continuing to build a sustainable ecosystem for the event

Why This Matters

The CSWC is not just a competition - it’s a global lifestyle movement. It blends tradition, community, luxury, and experience into one of the most unique events in the world of cigars.

This case study shows what happens when a brand with strong foundations meets a marketing strategy built on storytelling, consistency, and experience-driven promotion.

Final Thoughts

At BQUEST Agency, we specialize in transforming brands into global success stories by promoting experiences, not just products.

What we offer to you:

  • Break free from the race to the bottom

  • Attract high-value clients willing to spend more

  • Create growth even in a declining market

If you want to grow your event or lifestyle brand with the same momentum we brought to the Cigar Smoking World Championship, let’s talk.

© 2019 BQUEST Agency.

All Rights Reserved.

BQUEST is a strategic marketing, concierge, and networking services firm. We are not a licensed travel agency, event planner, financial institution, or legal advisor. All services are limited to non-regulated activities such as brand storytelling, bespoke experience curation, and introductions to UHNW individuals. We do not negotiate, broker, or conclude deals on behalf of clients. Clients are solely responsible for their own decisions and should seek licensed professional advice where required.