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Electronic Cigarette

Vogue – img18749

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Vogue – img18863

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Coffee & Tea – img17520

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E-cigs and vapor liquids are available in a number of appealing flavors including coffee and tea. The flavored additives in the vape juice help mask the bitterness of tobacco and the nicotine serves to addict teens.

Popular flavors advertised include coffee, cappuccino, caramel mocha cappuccino, kona coffee, green tea, mint tea, and sweet tea. Advertisements in this theme seek to subliminally influence individuals that e-cigs should become part of a daily routine; to be enjoyed as you enjoy your coffee and tea. The ads also seek to influence individuals into believing nicotine is only as habit forming and harmful as caffeine.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held as a gateway product for children and teens. There is now growing concern that the use of flavored e-cigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. In a recent study, researchers at UCSF who analyzed data from the 2011 and 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that adolescents who used e-cigs were more likely to smoke cigarettes and less likely to quit smoking1. In another study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found rates of e-cig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used e-cigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an e-cig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried e-cigs2.

With the Federal Drug Administration opting not to ban flavored additives in e-cigs, advocates fear that flavored e-cigs will serve to entice a new generation of kids to become addicted to nicotine based products. Some public health advocates are calling flavored e-cigs the “Trojan horse” of nicotine addiction.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). E-cigarette use more than doubles among U.S. middle and high school students from 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0905-e-cigarette-use.html

Alcohol – img17522

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A patently obvious device used by e-cigarette (e-cig) companies to attract teens is the promotion of youth-oriented flavors. In its flavored product lines, e-cig manufacturers have far exceeded the flavorings used by the combustible tobacco industry. Almost every flavor addictive available in the market is available as a vapor juice. With many e-cig manufacturers allowing consumers to pick and mix their own flavorings, the possibilities are endless.

e-cigs and vapor juices are available in a number of alcoholic flavors including beer, pina colada, mojito, margarita, brandy, whiskey, gin & tonic, amaretto, wine cigar, and sangria. By advertising alcoholic flavored e-cigs and vapor juices, e-cig manufacturers are appealing to teenager to break two adult taboos at once — alcohol and smoking — in a single activity.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held as a gateway product for children and teens. There is now growing concern that the use of flavored e-cigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. In a recent study, researchers at UCSF who analyzed data from the 2011 and 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that adolescents who used e-cigs were more likely to smoke cigarettes and less likely to quit smoking1. In another study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found rates of e-cig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used e-cigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an e-cig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried e-cigs2.

With the Federal Drug Administration opting not to ban flavored additives, advocates fear that flavored e-cigs will serve to entice a new generation of kids to become addicted to nicotine based products. Some public health advocates are calling flavored e-cigs the “Trojan horse” of nicotine addiction.

1. UCSF: E-Cigarettes: Gateway to Nicotine Addiction for U.S. Teens, Says UCSF Study. Available at https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2014/03/112316/e-cigarettes-gateway-nicotine-addiction-us-teens-says-ucsf-study

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). E-cigarette use more than doubles among U.S. middle and high school students from 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0905-ecigarette-use.html

Vapor Couture – img18744

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating a distinct market pool for women. Vapor Couture is one of two e-cig brands operated and managed by VMR Products. Unlike the marketing of its sister brand, V2 Cigs, Vapor Couture exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity.

In it product design, advertising and marketing, Vapor Couture follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender, with a crystal tip, and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case. Additionally, Vapor Couture advertisements attempt to epitomize a woman-only product by emphasizing fashion, accessories, and makeup – all adorned in hot pink, royal purple, and crystal backgrounds. The e-cigs themselves and come in atypical flavor names such as “Bomb Shell” and “Rodeo Drive”. As is well known, “Bomb shell” is a term used to describe attractive women and Rodeo Drive is known as the embodiment of the glam, high-fashion lifestyle in Beverly Hills, California.

Ads for Vapor Couture often feature images of independent and successful women. The ads are accompanied by catchy slogans such as, “Womanly Vaping Experience” and “Made for Women” or “ Your Life. Your Style” and “What’s Your Style?” The slogans suggest the empowerment of women as well as feminine individuality. Vapor Couture’s marketing obviously tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Vapor Couture, its e-cigs serve as a chic fashion accessory.

Lady – img18746

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Luli – img18750

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Cottien – img22451

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”

The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.

In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.

Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.

Mint – img20482

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A patently obvious device used by e-cigarette (eCig) companies to attract teens is the promotion of youth-oriented flavors. In its flavored product lines, eCig manufacturers have far exceeded the flavorings used by the combustible tobacco industry. Almost every flavor addictive available in the market is available as a vapor juice. With many eCig manufacturers allowing consumers to pick and mix their own flavorings, the possibilities are endless.

Like combustible tobacco products, a number of eCigs are available in menthol flavor. Menthol is a mint extract, which triggers a sensation of coolness when it comes in contact with the mouth and throat. Advertisers for these brands often tout menthols' coolness as a contrast to the bitterness of tobacco. Implicit in this advertising technique is the notion that vaping mentholated eCigs are cooler and better for the consumer. Since menthol reduces the harshness of cigarette smoke, it appeals to young, inexperienced smokers

The eCig industry markets menthol eCigs to consumers with messages of fresh/refreshing taste and sensation, youthfulness, fun, and healthful effects. Advertisements often show nature, coldness, springtime, water, and other refreshing qualities. Menthol cigarettes are disproportionately smoked by African Americans and youth.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held to be gateway products for children and teens. There is now a growing concern that the use of flavored eCigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rates of eCig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used eCigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an eCig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried eCigs1.

< p> With the Federal Drug Administration proposing not to ban flavors in eCigs, advocates fear that flavored eCigs will serve to entice a new generation of kids to become addicted to nicotine based products. Some public health advocates are calling flavored eCigs and vape juices the the “Trojan horse” of nicotine addiction.

Age Verification – img23314

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While it is very hard for youth to buy a combustible tobacco product from stores or online because of stringent regulation, the same cannot be said of their access to electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). While no national regulation as yet exists that regulates e-cig sales to minors (the Food and Drug Administration proposed minimum age limits in April 2014 deeming regulations), many states have imposed state laws that prohibit the sale of e-cigs to minors.

However, e-cig companies continue to target youth by following the regulation in letter and not in spirit. Most e-cig brand websites flash age verification pop-ups as a barrier to the site. But the process is farcical and extremely easy to bypass. For many brand sites, getting this “adult-only” product is literally as easy as a click of a button. Some age verifications simply ask the user to choose between an “Enter” and “Exit’ button while others ask that the user enter a birth date before entering. For instance, Green Smart Living has an age verification pop up with the two buttons for enter and exit. However, the age restriction for the site is written in much smaller letters at the bottom of the pop-up window. Most consumers will miss the fact that the product is intended only for adults. That by entering the website, the user certifies that he/she is of legal age to buy e-cigs in the state that they live in.

The two brands that have the most stringent restrictions to access their site and buy their products are MarkTen and Vuse, both of which are subsidiaries of large tobacco companies- Altria and RJ Reynolds respectively. To access these companies websites, individuals have to provide their social security number and verify questions that confirm age and address authenticity. One of the reasons for such stringency maybe that the e-cig brands of these leading tobacco companies want to portray themselves as responsible market leaders and thereby distance themselves from any blame that could have been assigned to them because of their manufacturers tarnished reputation. It could also be simply a ploy for e-cig brands to collect useful demographic information about their customers.

Lady – img18846

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Luli – img18865

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Vapor Couture – img23145

by

Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating a distinct market pool for women. Vapor Couture is one of two e-cig brands operated and managed by VMR Products. Unlike the marketing of its sister brand, V2 Cigs, Vapor Couture exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity.

In it product design, advertising and marketing, Vapor Couture follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender, with a crystal tip, and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case. Additionally, Vapor Couture advertisements attempt to epitomize a woman-only product by emphasizing fashion, accessories, and makeup – all adorned in hot pink, royal purple, and crystal backgrounds. The e-cigs themselves and come in atypical flavor names such as “Bomb Shell” and “Rodeo Drive”. As is well known, “Bomb shell” is a term used to describe attractive women and Rodeo Drive is known as the embodiment of the glam, high-fashion lifestyle in Beverly Hills, California.

Ads for Vapor Couture often feature images of independent and successful women. The ads are accompanied by catchy slogans such as, “Womanly Vaping Experience” and “Made for Women” or “ Your Life. Your Style” and “What’s Your Style?” The slogans suggest the empowerment of women as well as feminine individuality. Vapor Couture’s marketing obviously tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Vapor Couture, its e-cigs serve as a chic fashion accessory.

Cottien – img23154

by

Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”

The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.

In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.

Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.

Pink eCigs – img24544

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are targeting women through female only brands such as Vapor Couture and Luli, as well as through dual sex brands such as V2 Cigs, Veppo, and Fin. In the case of the latter, some e-cig companies resort to advertisements that feature highly successful and independent women carrying out activities that have for long been considered the bastion of men. In the case of the former, e-cig companies market to women through advertisements that suggest girly, playful and stylish themes.

In these ads it is common to see pink e-cigs placed next to a bunch of red roses, or lipstick tubes, and compact containers. The intent of the imagery is to allow women to associate e-cigs as a harmless fashion accessory that is as important and essential as a makeup mirror or a tube of lipstick.

A common ploy adopted by many of the e-cig companies is to co-opt social /health causes for their own advantage. In 1992, the pink ribbon became the official symbol for breast cancer awareness. Since the adoption of the pink ribbon, the color pink has is often associated with support of breast cancer survivors, as well as women solidarity. By using the prink ribbon on their advertisements, many e-cig companies are attempting to earn goodwill from the public as well as suggest to potential consumers that there is nothing harmful about the product. For instance, an EverSmoke ad shows the torso of a woman with her breast covered by her hand and the pink breast cancer ribbon. The slogan reads “Save a Life. Save a Lung. Save a Boob.” At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of e-cigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people's fears of an often-fatal disease.

Recycling – img23017

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If you think about it, there is really nothing natural about an electronic cigarette (e-cig). The device contains plastic and metal and the nicotine used in the cartridges and vape juices is highly processed. Yet, many e-cigs companies market their devices as “natural” and “additive free.” The term “natural” is used in a positive manner and although the term is not related to “organic” there are studies to show that people imagine that natural products are regulated in a manner similar to organic products.

Electronic Cigarettes differ from traditional combustible cigarettes by material makeup. Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals in which about 50 of them are carcinogenic and 400 other toxic materials. Some of the well-known toxins are nicotine, tar, acetone, butane and carbon monoxide. None of which are earth friendly or recyclable. The actual materials that hold in these chemicals are composed of fibers that can be derived organically or manufactured. Examples include, clear cellulose, chalk, gum, starch, citrate, flax, rice hemp or cotton. It has been documented that cigarette butts make up 38% of the worlds litter and approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded each year.

Electronic cigarettes are comprised of completely different materials. A modern e-cig consists of a lithium battery, cartomizer, LED Lights, mouthpiece. Materials that make these elements are not environmentally friendly because of the non-compostable material makeup.

Chocolate – img17493

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The e-Cigarette (e-cig) industry zealously claims to target only adult smokers and established smokers. But as much as e-cig companies deny it, the plethora of vape juices in alcoholic or sweetened flavors and sugary names serve to make these products appealing to children and teenagers who are curious to experiment with tobacco products and are taken in by false notions of the “safe nature” of e-cigs.

Appealing to an almost universal love for chocolates by children and adults alike, e-cigs and ejuices are available in a number of chocolate flavors including milk chocolate, coffee chocolate, chocolate mint, chocolate caramel, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate banana and chocolate strawberry. The sweet flavored additives in the vape juice help mask the bitterness of tobacco and the nicotine serves to addict teens.

In advertising the chocolate flavored e-cigs, the images are primarily of decadent pieces of chocolate. Some of the imagery in the advertisement is heavily borrowed from the food industry and some of the packages are designed to closely resemble popular chocolate brands such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. In addition to these standard chocolate flavors, customers at online and retail “boutique” vape stores can mix any number of essences at a variety of nicotine strengths for a personalized vape. Some retail vape bars also have a “tasting bar” much like restaurants where consumers can try a variety of flavors.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held to be gateway products for children and teens. There is now a growing concern that the use of flavored e-cigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rates of e-cig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used e-cigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an e-cig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried e-cigs1.

With the Federal Drug Administration opting not to ban flavors in e-cigs, advocates fear that flavored e-cigs will serve to entice a new generation of kids to become addicted to nicotine based products.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). E-cigarette use more than doubles among U.S. middle and high school students from 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0905-e-cigarette-use.html

Pink eCigs – img18024

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are targeting women through female only brands such as Vapor Couture and Luli, as well as through dual sex brands such as V2 Cigs, Veppo, and Fin. In the case of the latter, some e-cig companies resort to advertisements that feature highly successful and independent women carrying out activities that have for long been considered the bastion of men. In the case of the former, e-cig companies market to women through advertisements that suggest girly, playful and stylish themes.

In these ads it is common to see pink e-cigs placed next to a bunch of red roses, or lipstick tubes, and compact containers. The intent of the imagery is to allow women to associate e-cigs as a harmless fashion accessory that is as important and essential as a makeup mirror or a tube of lipstick.

A common ploy adopted by many of the e-cig companies is to co-opt social /health causes for their own advantage. In 1992, the pink ribbon became the official symbol for breast cancer awareness. Since the adoption of the pink ribbon, the color pink has is often associated with support of breast cancer survivors, as well as women solidarity. By using the prink ribbon on their advertisements, many e-cig companies are attempting to earn goodwill from the public as well as suggest to potential consumers that there is nothing harmful about the product. For instance, an EverSmoke ad shows the torso of a woman with her breast covered by her hand and the pink breast cancer ribbon. The slogan reads “Save a Life. Save a Lung. Save a Boob.” At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of e-cigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people's fears of an often-fatal disease.

Vaping Vamps – img18829

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Lady – img18847

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Cottien – img23155

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”

The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.

In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.

Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.

Road Shows – img19260

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The electronic cigarette (eCig) industry has taken a multipronged approach to build consumers, including aggressive advertising, celebrity endorsements, and sampling through road shows. It is well documented that sampling is one of the most powerful devices used by manufacturers to get their product into the hands of hundreds of potential consumers in a place where there are most likely to try it.

 

Electronic cigarette brands including NJOY, South Beach Smoke, BeautiCig, Fin, and VitaCig have all used road shows in the past year to promote their product. According to a Senate Report that examined eCig marketing of the 6 leading brands, in 2012-2013, the brands provided free samples at 348 events. Apart from offering free samples at these road shows, the brands also provide information on their product and offer additional freebies and incentives.

 

While eCig companies claim that they do not target youth, from posts on social media sites, it is patently obvious that they are using sampling as a device to hook teenagers. Sexily dressed women and men are recruited by these brands to offer free samples at crowded places frequented by youth including beaches and parks. Some of the trucks are also designed to appeal to kids and youth. For instance, VitaCig’s “vape truck,” looks very similar to an ice cream truck. It is a relief that the Food and Drug Administration, which set out to regulate the eCig industry for the first time with its proposed regulations in April 2014. While eCig companies may no longer use road shows to offer samples of their products, it is not hard to imagine that they will continue to use it to attract youth.

e-Pipes – ibg19481

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There are an array of electronic nicotine delivery systems(ENDS) on the market including e-pipes, e-cigars, and e-cigarettes. While the market for e-cigarettes (both cigalikes and the larger MODS) has grown exponentially, the market for e-pipes is still relatively small. E-pipes resemble traditional pipes but like other ENDS devices, they do not contain any tobacco. Instead, e-pipes contain a battery-operated atomizer that produces vapor on inhalation.

Pipes have traditionally been marketed to men as a ritual of relaxation. Most advertisements for pipes feature a man in the comfort of his large armchair smoking a pipe while enjoying his favorite drink. Few pipe advertisements feature women. Those that do, feature a woman in men’s attire to convey a woman of confidence and power.

Advertisements for e-pipes are similar to conventional pipes in advertising imagery and thematic content. Most advertisements feature a man or the pipe itself. E-puffer, a retailer of e-pipes, in their introduction to the products, notes that “Pipes in general evoke an idea of a gentleman, a man in power, or a woman of confidence who knew what she wanted and could take what she wanted, when she wanted to.”1

For the majority of ENDS users, primary reasons for using an electronic device are 1) to try a safer alternative, and 2) to give up tobacco.2 E-puffer makes a health claim in marketing their products. While e-pipe companies are not allowed to advertise health claims or cessation efficacy, some of them do so. E-puffer website suggests “If you want to continue smoking pipes, but you still want to be prioritizing your health, there is another option that you can look into. You don’t have to quit cold turkey, as there is something else that you can try – you can consider E-pipes.”

1. E-puffer. (2017). E-pipes. Retrieved from https://epuffer.com/e-pipe-vape-pipe/.

2. Goniewicz, M. L., Lingas, E. O., & Hajek, P. (2013). Patterns of electronic cigarette use and user beliefs about their safety and benefits: an internet survey. Drug and alcohol review, 32(2), 133-140.

Candy – img17590

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The e-Cigarette (e-cig) industry fervently claims to target only adult and primarily established smokers. As much as e-cig companies deny it, the plethora of vape juices in alcoholic or sweetened flavors and sugary names serve to make these products appealing to children and teenagers who are curious to experiment with tobacco products and are taken in by false notions of the “safe nature” of e-cigs.

Appealing to an almost universal love for candy and sweets, e-cigs and ejuice are available in a number of childhood favorite flavors including bubble gum, gummys, Bazzoka, Kool-Aid, sweet tarts, cotton candy, gum balls, Swedish fish and cheerios. The images used in the ads are heavily borrowed from the food industry. Some e-cig companies (Mister Vapor) and vapor stores (Good Clean Vaoes) also use fairytale and anime characters to entice kids and teenagers to buy their products.

The sweet flavored additives in the vape juice help mask the bitterness of tobacco and the nicotine serves to addict teens. In addition to standard flavors, customers at retail “boutique” vape stores can enjoy the novel experience of working with a vapologist to create unique flavors by mixing any number of essences at a variety of nicotine strengths for a personalized vape. Some retail vape bars also have a “tasting bar” much like restaurants where consumers can try a variety of flavors.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held to be gateway products for children and teens. There is now a growing concern that the use of flavored e-cigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rates of e-cig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used e-cigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an e-cig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried e-cigs1.

With the Federal Drug Administration opting not to ban flavors in e-cigs, advocates fear that flavored e-cigs will serve to entice a new generation of kids to become addicted to nicotine based products.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). E-cigarette use more than doubles among U.S. middle and high school students from 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0905-e-cigarette-use.html

Pink eCigs – img18025

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are targeting women through female only brands such as Vapor Couture and Luli, as well as through dual sex brands such as V2 Cigs, Veppo, and Fin. In the case of the latter, some e-cig companies resort to advertisements that feature highly successful and independent women carrying out activities that have for long been considered the bastion of men. In the case of the former, e-cig companies market to women through advertisements that suggest girly, playful and stylish themes.

In these ads it is common to see pink e-cigs placed next to a bunch of red roses, or lipstick tubes, and compact containers. The intent of the imagery is to allow women to associate e-cigs as a harmless fashion accessory that is as important and essential as a makeup mirror or a tube of lipstick.

A common ploy adopted by many of the e-cig companies is to co-opt social /health causes for their own advantage. In 1992, the pink ribbon became the official symbol for breast cancer awareness. Since the adoption of the pink ribbon, the color pink has is often associated with support of breast cancer survivors, as well as women solidarity. By using the prink ribbon on their advertisements, many e-cig companies are attempting to earn goodwill from the public as well as suggest to potential consumers that there is nothing harmful about the product. For instance, an EverSmoke ad shows the torso of a woman with her breast covered by her hand and the pink breast cancer ribbon. The slogan reads “Save a Life. Save a Lung. Save a Boob.” At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of e-cigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people's fears of an often-fatal disease.

Vaping Vamps – img18830

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.

Lady – img18848

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Cottien – img23156

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”

The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.

In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.

Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.

Children – img25200

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Children have played a huge role in tobacco advertising over the decades and now appear in a number of electronic cigarette (e-cig) advertisements. The images of children fulfill multiple purposes for e-cig advertisers.

Depictions of children with their mothers or fathers in cigarette ads reinforced the respectability of smoking as a part of normal family life, a perception often promulgated by the tobacco industry. Further, the images of youngsters tended to send a reassuring message to consumers about the healthfulness of the product. For instance an ad for Flavor Vapes has the image of a mother blowing vapor from her e-cig into her baby’s carriage. The ad is intended to represent the purity and safety of the product- concepts, which can be dangerous when tied to e-cig products.

Finally, these depictions of children are an obvious ploy to attract females to smoking as part of the industry's campaign to expand the pool of women smokers. An ad for EverSmoke has a mother smoking in front of two children alongside the slogan, “ The Better Smoking Choice. Keep Yourself & Family Healthy.”

Cheaper Than Cigarettes – img19351

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One of e-cigarettes biggest advantage over traditional cigarettes is its price. Because e-cigs don’t contain any tobacco, they are currently only subject to sales tax instead of the hefty cigarette tax and state tax to which conventional cigarette products are subject. As e-cig manufacturers try to lure consumers away from conventional cigarette products and create new consumers, they hard sell the lower cost of vaping on their packs, displays, and in their promotional materials.

E-cigs are sold in the following pack sizes: single disposables, pack of 3 disposables, a pack of 5 e-cigs, and starter packs that includes a rechargeable pack, rechargeable batteries and at least 5 flavor cartridges. Manufacturers claim that each e-cig is equivalent to 1-3 packs of conventional cigarettes. An advertisement for Metro e-cigarettes suggests savings by stating that an e-cig is equal to three packs of conventional cigarettes. A blog for Blu e-cigs claim that those who switch from conventional cigarettes to e-cigs can over the long term see a savings of 50% with e-cigs. 21st Century Smoke claims that a 6 pack of Express cartridges is equivalent to 6 packs (each pack containing 20 cigarettes) of traditional cigarettes. According to the website, the cost of 6 packs of traditional cigarettes is approximately $ 300 while a six-pack cartridge of 21st Century Smoke is $ 15.99._

To encourage customers to discover their savings, many e-cig manufacturers and retailers offer a cost comparison between traditional cigarettes and e-cigs and some even have a savings calculator that lets the individual determine savings after taking into account how much the individual pays for a pack of cigarettes and how much they smoke a day. There are also several Apps that consumers can download on their phones that will estimate their savings by switching to e-cigs. However, these savings calculators do not provide a complete picture. For instance, they do not calculate the cost that vapors spend every month on buying vape juice, batteries or accessories.

The e-cig industry is built on the dynamics of the razor/razorblade model. As per this business model, the industry offers consumers their starter-kits and rechargeable packs at a lower rate but makes money by keeping consumers coming back for e-nicotine juices, batteries and specialized accessories. It is in selling these flavored cartridges, replacement batteries and accessories that e-cig manufacturers make the most money. For instance, a pack of five cartomizers from NJOY costs $ 21.99 while the total cost of 5 NJOY cigarettes is only slightly more at $ 29.99. A Fin e-cig starter case, which consists of a rechargeable battery, a flavored cartomizer, and a USB charger costs $ 15.99, the same cost as a pack of 5 Fin cartomizers. In employing this strategy and charging a premium for flavored cartridges, e-cig manufacturers are basing their pricing strategy on the premise of brand loyalty. Of course, for many this is a winning strategy.

But e-cigs are designed to accept flavor cartridges and vape juice prepared by any manufacturer. The downfall to using the razor/razor blade strategy as has been seen in the printer-ink business (people often buy cheaper ink cartridges for brand- named printers) consumers can choose to fill their more expensive Blu or NJOY e-cig cartridge with cheaper vape juices.

Some other unique ways in which e-cig manufacturers advertise savings include a “home delivery” service. In this service, just as you would order monthly refills for household staples, you can pre-order monthly refills of e-cigarette cartridges. SouthBeach Smoking and Eversmoke, two e-cigarette manufacturers that offer this program, offer a 20% discount to customers for sign up for this loyalty program. Of course, while it offers savings for the individual, it is also a great ploy to build brand loyalty and gain the higher margins from repeated sales of the more expensive e-cig cartridges. _

Other savings that e-cig manufacturers promote in their promotional materials include the savings incurred by not having to buy room fresheners to remove smoke odor from indoor spaces, money saved by not having to buy chewing gum to freshen a smoker’s breath, and gas savings because e-cigarettes last longer than a conventional cigarette.

Smarter – img18464

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Brand names take on a pre-eminent role in communicating to potential consumers something of value about a company. As is the case with the majority of products on the market, many brands of e-cigarettes (e-cigs) are named in order to send particular messages to consumers.

Many brands of e-cig companies use variations of the word “smart” in their ad brand names (e.g. intellicig, smart e-cigarette, Kanger e-smart). The choice of the brand names also extends to tobacco companies' efforts to ease the concerns of worried smokers In this case it is clear that the brand name is intended to convey to potential users that they are smart/smarter for picking the digital product over conventional cigarettes.

E-cig companies frequently also use positive imagery and slogans that shift the attention away from the negatives of smoking- the implied message is that you would be smarter/more intelligent to use an e-cig that a convention cigarette. Thus an ad for Veppo has the image of Albert Einstein accompanied by the following text, “Weak People Smoke. Strong people Smoke Less. Intelligent People Vape.” Visual images containing symbols of health, pleasure and social desirability also convey images of a healthful product. An ad for Vaposs e-cig has the image of a money smoking a combustible cigarette and a macho man smoking a cigarette. The brand names and messages are intended to convey to consumers that they can depend and trust the brand.

Pink eCigs – img18026

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are targeting women through female only brands such as Vapor Couture and Luli, as well as through dual sex brands such as V2 Cigs, Veppo, and Fin. In the case of the latter, some e-cig companies resort to advertisements that feature highly successful and independent women carrying out activities that have for long been considered the bastion of men. In the case of the former, e-cig companies market to women through advertisements that suggest girly, playful and stylish themes.

In these ads it is common to see pink e-cigs placed next to a bunch of red roses, or lipstick tubes, and compact containers. The intent of the imagery is to allow women to associate e-cigs as a harmless fashion accessory that is as important and essential as a makeup mirror or a tube of lipstick.

A common ploy adopted by many of the e-cig companies is to co-opt social /health causes for their own advantage. In 1992, the pink ribbon became the official symbol for breast cancer awareness. Since the adoption of the pink ribbon, the color pink has is often associated with support of breast cancer survivors, as well as women solidarity. By using the prink ribbon on their advertisements, many e-cig companies are attempting to earn goodwill from the public as well as suggest to potential consumers that there is nothing harmful about the product. For instance, an EverSmoke ad shows the torso of a woman with her breast covered by her hand and the pink breast cancer ribbon. The slogan reads “Save a Life. Save a Lung. Save a Boob.” At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of e-cigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people's fears of an often-fatal disease.

Vapor Couture – img18763

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating a distinct market pool for women. Vapor Couture is one of two e-cig brands operated and managed by VMR Products. Unlike the marketing of its sister brand, V2 Cigs, Vapor Couture exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity.

In it product design, advertising and marketing, Vapor Couture follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender, with a crystal tip, and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case. Additionally, Vapor Couture advertisements attempt to epitomize a woman-only product by emphasizing fashion, accessories, and makeup – all adorned in hot pink, royal purple, and crystal backgrounds. The e-cigs themselves and come in atypical flavor names such as “Bomb Shell” and “Rodeo Drive”. As is well known, “Bomb shell” is a term used to describe attractive women and Rodeo Drive is known as the embodiment of the glam, high-fashion lifestyle in Beverly Hills, California.

Ads for Vapor Couture often feature images of independent and successful women. The ads are accompanied by catchy slogans such as, “Womanly Vaping Experience” and “Made for Women” or “ Your Life. Your Style” and “What’s Your Style?” The slogans suggest the empowerment of women as well as feminine individuality. Vapor Couture’s marketing obviously tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Vapor Couture, its e-cigs serve as a chic fashion accessory.

Lady – img18849

by

Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Cottien – img23157

by

Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”

The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.

In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.

Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.

Tobacco – img24490

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In its flavored product lines, e-cig manufacturers have far exceeded the flavorings used by the combustible tobacco industry. Almost every flavor addictive available in the market is available as a vapor juice. With many e-cig manufacturers allowing consumers to pick and mix their own flavorings, the possibilities are almost endless.

e-cigs and vapor juices are available in a number of flavors including tobacco flavor. Wanting to borrow from the prestige of well-established combustible tobacco brands such as Marlboro and Camel, a number of e-cig companies offer Camel and Marlboro flavored vapor juices. In addition to naming their vapor juices after these established brands, the advertising of these products also imitates the original brand ads. These tobacco flavored vapor juices also make for an easier transition for committed, brand loyal, smokers who are looking to vape.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held to be gateway products for children and teens. There is now a growing concern that the use of flavored e-cigs by youth could lead to them experimenting with regular cigarettes. A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rates of e-cig use among U.S. youth more than doubled from 2011 to 2012, with 10 percent of high school students admitting to having used e-cigs. Almost 76% of youth who had tried an e-cig had also tried a regular cigarette. Altogether, in 2012 more than 1.78 million middle and high school students nationwide had tried e-cigs1. The use of flavored e-cigs by teens seems so widespread that some public health advocates are calling it the “Trojan horse” of nicotine addiction.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). E-cigarette use more than doubles among U.S. middle and high school students from 2011-2012. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0905-ecigarette-use.html

Pink eCigs – img18027

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are targeting women through female only brands such as Vapor Couture and Luli, as well as through dual sex brands such as V2 Cigs, Veppo, and Fin. In the case of the latter, some e-cig companies resort to advertisements that feature highly successful and independent women carrying out activities that have for long been considered the bastion of men. In the case of the former, e-cig companies market to women through advertisements that suggest girly, playful and stylish themes.

In these ads it is common to see pink e-cigs placed next to a bunch of red roses, or lipstick tubes, and compact containers. The intent of the imagery is to allow women to associate e-cigs as a harmless fashion accessory that is as important and essential as a makeup mirror or a tube of lipstick.

A common ploy adopted by many of the e-cig companies is to co-opt social /health causes for their own advantage. In 1992, the pink ribbon became the official symbol for breast cancer awareness. Since the adoption of the pink ribbon, the color pink has is often associated with support of breast cancer survivors, as well as women solidarity. By using the prink ribbon on their advertisements, many e-cig companies are attempting to earn goodwill from the public as well as suggest to potential consumers that there is nothing harmful about the product. For instance, an EverSmoke ad shows the torso of a woman with her breast covered by her hand and the pink breast cancer ribbon. The slogan reads “Save a Life. Save a Lung. Save a Boob.” At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of e-cigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people's fears of an often-fatal disease.

Vape Goddess – img18757

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

< Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pintrest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pintrest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.

Vapor Couture – img18764

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Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating a distinct market pool for women. Vapor Couture is one of two e-cig brands operated and managed by VMR Products. Unlike the marketing of its sister brand, V2 Cigs, Vapor Couture exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity.

In it product design, advertising and marketing, Vapor Couture follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender, with a crystal tip, and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case. Additionally, Vapor Couture advertisements attempt to epitomize a woman-only product by emphasizing fashion, accessories, and makeup – all adorned in hot pink, royal purple, and crystal backgrounds. The e-cigs themselves and come in atypical flavor names such as “Bomb Shell” and “Rodeo Drive”. As is well known, “Bomb shell” is a term used to describe attractive women and Rodeo Drive is known as the embodiment of the glam, high-fashion lifestyle in Beverly Hills, California.

Ads for Vapor Couture often feature images of independent and successful women. The ads are accompanied by catchy slogans such as, “Womanly Vaping Experience” and “Made for Women” or “ Your Life. Your Style” and “What’s Your Style?” The slogans suggest the empowerment of women as well as feminine individuality. Vapor Couture’s marketing obviously tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Vapor Couture, its e-cigs serve as a chic fashion accessory.

Vaping Vamps – img18832

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Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.

Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.

In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.

Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.