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Smoke Anywhere – img20834

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Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22440

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Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

Freedom Brand Names – img22444

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Branding, which includes names and symbols, is an integral function of marketing as it helps confirm the credibility of the product, connect the company with potential consumers emotionally, and deliver a clear message about the product.

Like other consumer products, electronic cigarette (eCig) manufacturers too name their brands and products with deliberation to ensure that a clear message about the product is delivered to consumers. For instance, the brand name GreenSmoke conveys a natural and environmentally conscious product. Advertising images for the company echo this environmental concept. Many of the ads are in lush locations and the green color in the images is accentuated. In an ad for Green Smoke, a woman wearing a bright green lipstick is seen taking the eCig to her lip. The obvious message in this ad is that GreenSmoke is a harmless product that is as safe as your everyday fashion accessory. In it’s branding, NJOY pushes for a product that is “fun.” The brand name “NJOY” reminds consumers of this marketing angle every time it is mentioned.

Freedom based themes is a marketing ploy often used by eCig companies to target teens and youth. Brand names under this category are focused towards appealing to a sense of freedom: freedom of place, i.e. the freedom to use the device unrestricted by any regulation including smoke free policies, and, rebellion from authority. Some of the obvious freedom based brand names include Freedom Vapes” and “Freedom Smokeless.” However, some eCig companies opt for a more subtle nod to freedom such as “Revolution E-Cigarettes,” which promotes the tagline “Join The Revolution”.Teens in particular are attracted to freedom based appeals. Having freedom appeals to teens as it represents an attractive maturity that teens wish to have as young adults, and being rebellious is a natural part of adolescence.

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

Celebrity Vapors – img22245

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The growing popularity of e-cigarettes has led its manufacturers to leave no stone unturned in marketing to consumers. Taking a page out of the tobacco advertising playbook used in the mid 20th century, e-cigarette (e-cig) manufacturers are using celebrity endorsements to drum up enthusiasm for their products and hook teenagers. With celebrities endorsing e-cigs, billed as the “healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes,” smoking or in this case vaping of e-cigs has become a fashion statement once again.

As there are no marketing restrictions on e-cigs, slick television ads of celebrities puffing away on their personal vaporizers frequently bombard the airwaves. In Blu’s campaign, Stephen Dorff and Jenny McCarthy urge people to take back their independence with the slogan “Rise from the Ashes.” The Blu ads featuring Dorff are so popular that he has become synonymous with the brand. In a recent interview, he said that people come up to him all the time and ask about the Blu e-cigarette. “I’m like the Blu man group,” Dorff said in the interview. In the ad featuring McCarthy, black and white shots of her exhaling smoke, highlight the blue tip of Blu e-cigs and make the entire experience look cool. In the ad, she goes on to say the best part of her e-cigarette is that she can use it ‘‘without scaring that special someone away’’ and can avoid kisses that ‘‘taste like an ashtray’’ when she’s out at her favorite club. Ads for e-cig manufacturer NJOY feature rocker Courtney Love, in an expletive-laced ad, in which supporters of indoor smoking bans are portrayed as “stuffy” and “stuck-up,” while
the rocker is portrayed as free-spirited and independent. e-cig companies have even photoshopped yesteryear celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, John Lennon using their products in ads.

Apart from direct endorsements by celebrities, there have also been subtle attempts by celebrities to promote e-cigs in movies and television shows. In an appearance on the David Letterman show, Katherine Heigl was seen vaping a Smokestik and proclaiming that she was addicted to the product, but it “wasn’t bad for you”. When CBS’s Two Broke Girls accosted their new, noisy upstairs neighbor, they were greeted at the door by Jennifer Coolidge with an e-cig in hand. Sean Penn was seen vaping an Njoy while talking about his work at Haiti at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Much like big tobacco in the past, e-cig companies are exploiting their association with Hollywood. e-cig manufacturers waste no opportunity in posting pictures of celebrities and films that use their products through their social media channels and websites. For instance, Blu e-cig’s Facebook page has a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio smoking what they claim is a Blu e-cig while filming Django Unchained. Blu e-cig’s website asks its customers to take a look at a film called “Plurality” because of the use of their e-cig in the film and provide a web link to the film’s trailer as well as a synopsis.

The insidious practice by big tobacco companies to use celebrity endorsements and testimonials for hawking their products was the norm during the 1920s to 1960s. The practice ended only in 1964 when the FDA banned it.

1. Eliott, S. (2013, August 29). E-Cigarette Makers’ Ads Echo Tobacco’s Heyday. New York Times.
Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/business/media/e-cigarette-makers-ads-
echo-tobaccos-heyday.html.

2. Johnson, G.A. (2013, October 16). Stephen Dorff: Actor a hot commodity in ads, films. San
Francisco Chronicle. Available at http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Stephen-Dorff-Actor-a-
hot-commodity-in-ads-films-4901477.php

Targeting Teens – img20120

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Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23296

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As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

Freedom Health Consequences – img22441

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Freedom from health consequences is a common theme that appears in many electronic cigarette (e-cig) advertisements. A major distinguishing factor between e-cigs and combustible cigarettes is that the electronic version does not contain tobacco and therefore does not produce any tar, a deadly substance produced as a by product in conventional cigarettes. In their advertisements, e-cig brands heavily emphasize the electronic devices as a solution to the ills that accompany combustible cigarette products.

The brands primarily advertise the following freedoms from health consequences: freedom from the harmful substances found in traditional cigarettes (e.g. tar), freedom from the harmful effects of smoking (eg. freedom from disease); and freedom from fear.

Many brands advertise their e-cigs as being free from various substances. The most common may be “tar free,” “smoke free,” “tobacco free,” “free of ash,” or “carcinogen free,” but some online advertisements have gone so far as to name the chemicals found in conventional cigarettes as a scare tactic to lure more customers. For instance, an ad “Enjoy Freedom from Acetic Acid, Ammonia, Arsenic, Butane” and eight other chemicals that may be found in cigarettes.

Some brands reference the absence of consequences of vaping. These claims can be as specific as “breathe freely” and “odor free” or as broad as “guilt free smoking” or the freedom from fear, implying the most ominous health consequences. For instance, V2 Cigs ads often appear with the slogan, “Smoke Free – Odor Free – Guilt Free,” and White Cloud e-cigs ads appear with the tagline, “ Guilt Free Smoking.”

The freedom from health consequences ads suggest to users that vaping liberates them from regulation as well as ill-health consequences.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22505

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Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

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.

Targeting Teens – img20124

by

Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23305

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

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.

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.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22506

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Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

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

Targeting Teens – img20126

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Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23306

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As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

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.

Smoke Anywhere – img20835

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Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

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

Targeting Teens – img20121

by

Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23307

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As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

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.

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.

Smoke Anywhere – img16990

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Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

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.

Targeting Teens – img20122

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Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23308

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22509

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Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

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

Targeting Teens – img20123

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Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Games – img23309

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

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.

Smoke Anywhere – img16992

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Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22510

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Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

Games – img23310

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

Targeting Teens – img25695

by

Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Smoke Anywhere – img16993

by

Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

Freedom Lifestyle – img22511

by

Freedom marketing is pervasive in electronic cigarette (e-cig) marketing because unlike combustible tobacco products, the electronic devices are not regulated. A freedom based advertising theme that is consistently advertised by e-cig companies is free lifestyle.

Many e-cig brands through images and slogans evoke the emotion of “moments” of freedom and offer the promise of a free lifestyle and the freedom to smoke anywhere, without the worry of smoke-free policies. For instance, an ad for Veppo that features an open stretch of an empty road contains the tagline, “personal vaporizers, the pursuit of true freedom.” An ad for Smoko features a woman in a carefree pose with her head up and arms help open as she enjoys the sea breeze. The ad says, “enjoy your freedom wherever you are.” An ad for Blu has a carefree woman balancing herself on a ledge, which says, “freedom for the taking.”

E-cig brands market freedom based messages both through traditional advertising in magazines and billboards and through direct consumer interactions through social media channels. Blu Cigs frequently posts on its Facebook page with images associated with a free lifestyle and with posts asking followers to comment on their own “freedom stories.” VaporFi has a post that shows the wide open landscape and a man on top of a mountain. The image has nothing to do with the product but is just another example of e-cig brands trying to associate nothing to do with their product, but simply an association of this “free moment” and vaping.

Many e-cig brands aggressively attempting to capture the youth market are using freedom based advertising messages. Scientific studies1 have shown that adolescents desire autonomy and the ability to live life on their own terms. e-cig advertisements with images of free lifestyle and rebellion are just a few of the advertising techniques used by the e-cig companies to court adolescents.

1. Daddis, C. (2011), Desire for Increased Autonomy and Adolescents’ Perceptions of Peer Autonomy: “Everyone Else Can; Why Can’t I?”. Child Development, 82: 1310–1326. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01587.x

Berries – img17684

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The e-Cigarette (e-cig) industry zealously claims to target only adults and 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.

E-cigs and ejuice are available in a number of fruit flavors including banana, watermelon, pineapple, and grape. In addition to these flavors, many ejuices are available in exotic flavors such as passion fruit, mango and lychee as well as in a cocktail of fruit flavors. The fruit flavored additives in the vape juice help mask the bitterness of tobacco and the nicotine serves to addict teens. Advertisements for fruit flavored e-cigs and ejuices include bright backgrounds that seek to draw all the attention to the fruits. Images of fruits slicing through water much helps convey a sense of freshness and purity to the product. If not for the brand name or the image of ejuice bottle by the side of the fruit, it would be easy to mistake many of the ads under this theme for ads by the food industry.

Flavored cigarettes and flavored tobacco have long been held to be 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. 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 proposing 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. Some public health advocates are calling flavored e-cigs and vape juices 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

Tobacco – img18588

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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

Games – img23311

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

Targeting Teens – img25696

by

Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

Children – img25202

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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.”

Smoke Anywhere – img16994

by

Freedom is possibly America’s most treasured value. Protected in the “Bill of Rights,” it is a deeply held core belief that to many Americans was a birthright and to some a hard fought victory. Given its hold on the American psyche, it has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom,” to getting a good night’s sleep with Dacron pillows, which is “America’s Freedom Fabric,” to the freedom to discover the road ahead with Chevrolet’s “Find New Roads,” and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.

E-cigarette (e-cig) companies have jumped on the freedom bandwagon and promise many kinds of freedom to vapers. A key selling point touted by e-cig companies is that their products can be used in places where smoking of traditional cigarettes is banned, like bars, restaurants, on flights, and in entertainment and sporting venues. An ad for Vapestick shows a woman vaping her e-cig in bed. The slogan of the ad reads, “Looks, Feels, and Tastes like a Real Cigarette That You Can Smoke Anywhere!”. A Cannastick ad shows people enjoying a concert under the caption “The Freedom to Vape Anywhere.” An ad for Cigana has the image of an airplane and is accompanied by the following text, “Smoke without the smoke…. Smoke like no one is watching.” A Vega Vapor ad tells consumers that many “local establishments are vapor friendly.”

The Smoke Anywhere theme is also widely publicized on brand websites. For instance, Blu e-cigs, says on its website, “blu e-cigs® electronic cigarettes are not traditional cigarettes and do not burn tobacco, so they can be smoked in bars, restaurants, offices and other places where normal smoking bans are in effect.” Fin e-cigs on its website says the brand is for individuals “…who want the freedom to smoke in places where traditional cigarettes are not permitted.

While e-cigs offer many freedoms to its users, a freedom that it cannot offer but it often promises is the freedom to smoke anywhere. Despite ads, eg. Blu and Vapestick, that show individuals vape on airplanes, the US Department of Transportation has issued guidelines restricting the use of e-cigs on flights. More restaurants are also coming forward to ban vaping on their premises. For instance, fast food giant Taco Bell has banned vaping in its premises.

Coffee & Tea – img18525

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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 – img18569

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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

Geek Look – img20951

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The word “geek” was originally used to stereotype eccentric on non-mainstream individuals. However, these days, the word is being used more often to describe people who are very enthusiastic or passionate about a particular subject. Companies spanning various industries are attempting to reach this market, to appeal to their social sensibilities. The word “geek” is being used as a marketing buzzword by companies such as “GeekSquad” (a mobile tech support team) and “SeatGeek” (an event ticket aggregator) to capture this considerable market. It is no surprise that the manufacturers of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are also appealing to this specific target audience in package design, brand names and advertising images to appeal to a specific “geek” target audience.

The most blatant example is the e-cig forum called “Vapegeek”, which both sells products such as flavors, cartridges, and assorted accessories, as well as hosts an online community for discussing e-cig products. “Vapegeek” plays into the “geek” marketing angle by utilizing the technological and online-based curiosity of this subculture, by creating this place for e-cig users to share their passions on the Internet. Another very direct example is the near-identical “Vaporgeek”, an exclusively online e-cig accessories retailer. Many of the advertisements in this theme contain images of individuals intensely studying the product. Some of the advertisements are in a scientific setting.

Games – img23312

by

As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.

White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.

The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.

While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.

1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.

Targeting Teens – img25697

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Sponsorship of music and sporting events and the free distribution of cigarette products to lure teenagers to try the product was a technique often used by cigarette companies till tobacco branded sponsorship and the associated distribution of free samples were banned by the Tobacco Control Act. However, in the absence of regulation, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are adopting this ploy to target teens. For instance, the top 6 e-cig companies in 2012 to 2013, provided free samples at 348 events, many of which appear geared toward youth.

In order to lure youth to try the product, samples are distributed at popular music concerts, outside stores that are obviously teen-oriented, and even during the Superbowl. Various props are used to make the sampling more appealing. For instance, Vita Cigs offered free samples to passersby outside a store of the retail apparel giant “Forever 21.” The roadshow van closely resembled an ice-cream truck. Logic offered free samples along with free macaroons, and NJOY had a slew of sexy, well-toned, beach boys handing out their samples. The offer of free samples is well promoted through e-cig brands’ social media channels. Photos of the sampling events are posted on the various social media channels.

The deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in early 2014, proposed a ban on the distribution of free samples. However, given that the regulations may not come into effect for at least a year or two, it gives e-cig companies several opportunities to continue to get yet another generation of teens nicotine addicted.

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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.”

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The growing popularity of e-cigarettes has led its manufacturers to leave no stone unturned in marketing to consumers. Taking a page out of the tobacco advertising playbook used in the mid 20th century, e-cigarette (e-cig) manufacturers are using celebrity endorsements to drum up enthusiasm for their products and hook teenagers. With celebrities endorsing e-cigs, billed as the “healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes,” smoking or in this case vaping of e-cigs has become a fashion statement once again.

As there are no marketing restrictions on e-cigs, slick television ads of celebrities puffing away on their personal vaporizers frequently bombard the airwaves. In Blu’s campaign, Stephen Dorff and Jenny McCarthy urge people to take back their independence with the slogan “Rise from the Ashes.” The Blu ads featuring Dorff are so popular that he has become synonymous with the brand. In a recent interview, he said that people come up to him all the time and ask about the Blu e-cigarette. “I’m like the Blu man group,” Dorff said in the interview. In the ad featuring McCarthy, black and white shots of her exhaling smoke, highlight the blue tip of Blu e-cigs and make the entire experience look cool. In the ad, she goes on to say the best part of her e-cigarette is that she can use it ‘‘without scaring that special someone away’’ and can avoid kisses that ‘‘taste like an ashtray’’ when she’s out at her favorite club. Ads for e-cig manufacturer NJOY feature rocker Courtney Love, in an expletive-laced ad, in which supporters of indoor smoking bans are portrayed as “stuffy” and “stuck-up,” while
the rocker is portrayed as free-spirited and independent. e-cig companies have even photoshopped yesteryear celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, John Lennon using their products in ads.

Apart from direct endorsements by celebrities, there have also been subtle attempts by celebrities to promote e-cigs in movies and television shows. In an appearance on the David Letterman show, Katherine Heigl was seen vaping a Smokestik and proclaiming that she was addicted to the product, but it “wasn’t bad for you”. When CBS’s Two Broke Girls accosted their new, noisy upstairs neighbor, they were greeted at the door by Jennifer Coolidge with an e-cig in hand. Sean Penn was seen vaping an Njoy while talking about his work at Haiti at the Clinton Global Initiative.

Much like big tobacco in the past, e-cig companies are exploiting their association with Hollywood. e-cig manufacturers waste no opportunity in posting pictures of celebrities and films that use their products through their social media channels and websites. For instance, Blu e-cig’s Facebook page has a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio smoking what they claim is a Blu e-cig while filming Django Unchained. Blu e-cig’s website asks its customers to take a look at a film called “Plurality” because of the use of their e-cig in the film and provide a web link to the film’s trailer as well as a synopsis.

The insidious practice by big tobacco companies to use celebrity endorsements and testimonials for hawking their products was the norm during the 1920s to 1960s. The practice ended only in 1964 when the FDA banned it.

1. Eliott, S. (2013, August 29). E-Cigarette Makers’ Ads Echo Tobacco’s Heyday. New York Times.
Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/business/media/e-cigarette-makers-ads-
echo-tobaccos-heyday.html.

2. Johnson, G.A. (2013, October 16). Stephen Dorff: Actor a hot commodity in ads, films. San
Francisco Chronicle. Available at http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Stephen-Dorff-Actor-a-
hot-commodity-in-ads-films-4901477.php