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Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising

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Max – img1042

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Max, a cigarette brand for women featuring cigarettes 120 mm in length, was introduced in 1975 by Lorillard on the heels of Liggett & Myers’ Eve 120s (1973) and R.J. Reynolds’ More cigarettes (1974). Featuring 20 mm of extra length beyond the 100 mm “king size” (which is already significantly longer than the 85 mm of a traditional cigarette), Max advertised a fashionable, sexy, “healthier” cigarette.

Ads from the 1970s featured stylish women who explained, “The longer they are, the fewer I smoke.” Because the statement is completely false, the woman goes on to say, “It’s wacky, but it works. Max 120’s take longer to smoke so you don’t light up as often.” The truth of the matter is that the human body will seek a certain amount of nicotine to feed addiction, regardless of the length of the cigarette.

Other Max ads marketed the brand as sexy, comparing Max cigarettes to an attractive man named Max: “Say hello to Max,” ads from 1975 read. “Hello long, lean and delicious.” Another ad urges the consumer to “Make friends with Max.” Still, other ads concentrated on the fashionable aspect of the cigarette, much like most women’s cigarettes. These ads, which reached into the 1980s, presented the cigarette as an accessory for any outfit, featuring fashion-forward models under a slogan advising consumers to “Wear a Max today.” Further, these “Wear a Max” ads spoke to feminine concerns with beauty, claiming that the cigarette is “long, lean” and “great looking,” insinuating that by smoking an attractive cigarette, the smoker will be attractive, too.

Marlboro – img1071

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This is an example of one of the earlier Marlboro ads, which marketed Marlboro cigarettes as being “Mild as May” to attract a female audience. This advertisement takes the next step by actually illustrating a fashionable woman smoking elegantly. In large letters, this ad mentions that Marlboros have “Ivory Tips” to “protect the lips,” targeting women who are concerned with protecting their lipstick. The woman pictured wears very dark lipstick, but her absurdly large cigarette is clean from any lipstick stains. Marlboro, the brand associated today with the rugged manliness of the “Marlboro Man” cowboy of later decades, was actually introduced to the market in 1927 as a woman’s cigarette. It wasn’t until 1954, after the war, that Marlboro underwent a sex change to compete with the three other top cigarette manufacturers.

More – img1077

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R.J. Reynolds introduced More in 1974 to take advantage of growing trends in “king size” cigarettes, especially among women. More was one of the first 120 mm cigarette brands on the market, featuring 20 mm of extra length beyond the 100 mm “king size” (which is already significantly longer than the 85 mm of a traditional cigarette). More advertisements heavily targeted women, making use of fashion-forward models and statements like “Experience the captivating color, the glamour, the excitement!” (1984).

The brand name itself, “More,” is not only representative of the fact that there is “more” length to the cigarette, but it also provides psychological associations for consumers as well, as is evidenced by ad slogans. For example, slogans like “Why be satisfied with less?” and “Never settle for less” (1987) appeal to the consumer’s sense of self worth, much like L’Oreal’s various “Because I’m worth it” slogans. Other More slogans actually work to convince consumers that they will improve by smoking More, through statements such as “I’m More satisfied” (1991) and “Dare to be More” (1986).

Another More slogan hits on the most common advertising technique among women-targeted cigarette brands: slimness. The cigarettes themselves are longer and narrower than average cigarettes, and the advertisements mean to imply that women who smoke a thin cigarette will obtain or maintain a thin figure as well. As one slogan explains: “It’s More you. It’s beige. It’s slender. It’s special” (1983).

Debs – img6969

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Women’s cigarettes from the first half of the 20th century often emphasized femininity. Perhaps the logic was that if a woman wasn’t interested in femininity, then presumably she would be fine with a cigarette targeting men. For example, early Marlboros featured “red beauty tips to match your lips and fingertips” and “ivory tips to protect the lips.” Similarly, Benson & Hedges released Debs Rose Tips, which included a red tip to avoid lipstick smudging and to avoid “unsightly” lipstick stains on cigarette butts which, supposedly, disturb “masculine sensibilities.” Quotes from the ads, such as “Men like women to smoke Debs” reveal the centrality of sex appeal and sexual attraction in cigarette advertising, even as early as the 1940s. The ads claim that “men like women to smoke Debs for nearly all men have an innate dislike of a cigarette with a lipstick-smeared end and lips with half-erased color.” If this statement sounds ridiculous to women, the ads poo-poo these doubts by explaining that “A woman would have to be a man to know how intensely he dislikes a smeared cigarette and messy lips—for he never will tell her.”

Though the ads do claim Debs are mild, they also claim that the cigarettes contain a “mannish tobacco blend that does not steal from taste to achieve mildness.” In fact, the ads clam that this “mannish blend” goes “straight to the spot of smoking pleasure.” The cigarette claims to have it all – allowing a woman to present an outward appearance of femininity and gentleness, while secretly enjoying the pleasures of a man.

Women’s cigarettes from the first half of the 20th century often emphasized femininity. Perhaps the logic was that if a woman wasn’t interested in femininity, then presumably she would be fine with a cigarette targeting men. For example, early Marlboros featured “red beauty tips to match your lips and fingertips” and “ivory tips to protect the lips.” Similarly, Benson & Hedges released Debs Rose Tips, which included a red tip to avoid lipstick smudging and to avoid “unsightly” lipstick stains on cigarette butts which, supposedly, disturb “masculine sensibilities.” Quotes from the ads, such as “Men like women to smoke Debs” reveal the centrality of sex appeal and sexual attraction in cigarette advertising, even as early as the 1940s. The ads claim that “men like women to smoke Debs for nearly all men have an innate dislike of a cigarette with a lipstick-smeared end and lips with half-erased color.” If this statement sounds ridiculous to women, the ads poo-poo these doubts by explaining that “A woman would have to be a man to know how intensely he dislikes a smeared cigarette and messy lips—for he never will tell her.”

Though the ads do claim Debs are mild, they also claim that the cigarettes contain a “mannish tobacco blend that does not steal from taste to achieve mildness.” In fact, the ads clam that this “mannish blend” goes “straight to the spot of smoking pleasure.” The cigarette claims to have it all – allowing a woman to present an outward appearance of femininity and gentleness, while secretly enjoying the pleasures of a man.

Satin – img9911

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In July of 1982, Lorillard introduced a new cigarette exclusively targeting women in test markets in Denver, Colorado, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The cigarette, dubbed Satin after its glamorous and luxurious satin tips, was then launched nationally on Valentine’s Day of 1983.

The initial slogan for Satin cigarettes, “Spoil Yourself,” encouraged women to treat themselves and indulge in a reward or a luxury, like a cigarette, or a favorite activity, like smoking. It positions smoking as glamorous, luxurious, and feminine.

Advertising for Satin appeared in a number of local newspapers as well as the following popular magazines: Time, Life, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Mademoiselle, Redbook, Vogue, Stagebill, Playbill, Essence, Ebony, Jet, Playgirl, and New Woman (1).

1. Mau, TH. Satin Cigarette Promotion. Lorillard. 18 July 1983. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xgc10e00/pdf

Capri – img9933

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Brown & Williamson launched Capri as the first ever “super slim” cigarette in 1987, targeting young women. Traditional cigarettes have a circumference of 25 mm, slim cigarettes 23 mm, and Capri Super Slims only 17 mm. Advertisements for Capri follow the logic that slimmer is better, apparently influenced by the assumption that women prefer to be physically slim, since a slender figure is often presented as more desirable in women’s fashion magazines and by models in the fashion industry. Slogans such as “The slimmest slim in town” (1988) and “There is no slimmer way to smoke” (1994) provides a not-so-subliminal message that by smoking Capri cigarettes, consumers can count on obtaining or maintaining a slimmer figure than everyone else.

Smoking Guns – img13981

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In a prime example of marketing wizardry, tobacco advertisements have simultaneously presented cigarettes as both sedatives and stimulants. Ads worked to convince consumers that cigarettes would calm the smoker when he felt nervous, or pep him up when he felt sluggish. This theme features ad campaigns from a variety of cigarette brands, all proclaiming cigarettes to be sedatives. Many of the ads in this theme are for Camel cigarettes, and claimed that only Camel cigarettes “do not upset your nerves.” This claim implied that other cigarette brands are stimulants and do cause people to get the jitters, but Camels are the exception. Though Camel was prolific in their anti-nerves campaigns in the 1930s, they were certainly not the only tobacco brand to approach this advertising technique, nor the first.

In 1918, Girard cigars claimed that their cigar “never gets on your nerves,” a slogan which Camel also used over a decade later in 1933. Girard’s ads pose questions that many readers would invariably answer in the affirmative: “Are you easily irritated? Easily annoyed? Do children get on your nerves? Do you fly off the handle and then feel ashamed of yourself?” The ad forces most readers to question their behavior and convinces them that they need intervention, when prior to reading the ad, they felt nothing was wrong. The ad posits Girard as at least one thing that won’t cause anxiety and as the solution to the problems people never even knew they had.

Other ads positioned also their products as relaxing agents. A 1929 ad for Taretyon cigarettes claims that “Tareytons are the choice of busy, active people. People whose work requires steady nerves.” Similarly, many of Camel’s ads explain that people in high pressure situations can’t afford to feel nervous or to have shaky hands (sharpshooters, circus flyers, salesmen, surgeons). The ads don’t provide the reader with the opportunity to think that avoiding cigarettes altogether would be an option if they were worried about the nervous effects of smoking; Instead, Camels are presented as the only “solution” to the nicotine-jolt problem. The ads target a wide variety of audiences, both male and female, young and old, daredevil and housewife. Camel ensures that everyone feels the need for a Camel fix, siting common fidgets like drumming one’s fingers, tapping one’s foot, jingling one’s keys, and even doodling as signs that someone has “jangled nerves.”

Still more brands took the anti-anxiety approach in their ads. In 1933, Lucky Strike advertised that “to anxiety – I bring relief, to distress – I bring courage.” One such ad features a man sitting nervously in the waiting room of a dentist’s office as a woman offers him a Lucky Strike to ease his nerves. Similarly, a 1929 ad for Spud cigarettes poses the question: “Do you smoke away anxiety?” Presuming you answered yes, the ad explains, “then you’ll appreciate Spud’s greater coolness.” The 1938 “Let up – Light up a Camel” campaign explained that “people with work to do break nerve tension” with Camels, and that “smokers find that Camel’s costlier tobaccos are soothing to the nerves!” Even 20 years later, in 1959, King Sano cigars advertised that “the man under pressure owes himself the utter luxury of the new ‘soft smoke’ King Sano.”

Also of note, many of these ads claim that Camels provide their smokers with “healthy nerves,” misleadingly implying that Camel cigarettes themselves are healthy.

World War II – img5561

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A unique quality of both WWI and WWII armies was that a majority of their combatants were not professional soldiers but rather citizen conscripts1. Thus, habits the common soldiers picked up on the battlefield, such as smoking, were brought home after the war’s end3. WWII soldiers used cigarettes similarly to their WWI forbearers, smoking to escape the stress of battle and steady their nerves1. Soldiers had been rationed 4 cigarettes a day during WWI. In WWII authorities also saw tobacco as a necessity to the maintenance of fighting men, and actually added cigarettes into their daily K-ration before toilet paper2. K-rations provided a four pack per meal, meaning soldiers were issues a total of 12 cigarettes per day. Soldiers could also buy discounted twenty-packs at the army post exchange (PX) stations2. Hence, cigarettes were made readily available to men in the armed forces.
The army didn’t necessarily use one brand for rations, instead cigarettes came in sample packs of different brands, with the most common being Chesterfields2. Tobacco companies specifically targeted the troops stating that they used “personalities associated with the war” such as test pilot “Red” Hulse4. They also sent “cigarettes by millions to GI’s overseas” claiming that the Camel brand was “First in the Service.”4 WWII cigarette adverts focused on themes of smoking as patriotic, promoting solidarity between armed forces, relieving stress, increasing battle performance, encouraging romantic fidelity, and a connection to home. Even after the war was over, WWII continued to be used as an advertising strategy due to its role as a common relatable event among the cigarette consumers of the time.

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240820.php
2. http://www.kration.info/cigarettes-and-matches.html
3. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30034360
4. https://www.industrydocumentslibrary.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/#id=ksfy0061

Space – img5700

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In 1949, on the heels of Lucky Strike’s 1931 ad campaign, “Do You Inhale?” and Philip Morris’ 1942 campaign, “Inhale? Sure, all smokers do,” P. Lorillard released a campaign for Embassy urging smokers to “Inhale [Embassy] to your heart’s content!” Lorillard claimed that Embassy’s extra length provides “extra protection.” The faulty concept was that because the cigarette was longer, it was able to better filter out toxins, since it took more time for the smoke to reach the smoker’s throat due to the long length through which it had to travel. In 1950, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigators had decided that king-size cigarettes, like Embassy, contained “more tobacco and therefore more harmful substances” than are found in an ordinary cigarette.

Lorillard’s particular choice of cliché, “to your heart’s content,” was misleading at best . The phrase was meant to impart a sense of happiness and healthfulness. Of course, inhaling would not have made anyone’s heart content; Instead, smoking has been recognized as a major cause of coronary artery disease, responsible for an estimated 20% of deaths from heart disease in the United States. Most ironically in the context of this advertisement campaign, a smokers’ risk of developing heart disease is thought to greatly increase as his or her cigarette intake increases.

World War I – img10967

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WWI was the major event of the twentieth century that brought cigarette use to the forefront of tobacco use. Before WWI there were many popular anti-tobacco movements led by progressive religious organizations such as National Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) who advocated for policies banning tobacco sales1. Cigarette prohibition laws were even passed in several states such as Indiana, Nebraska, and Idaho1. This was all changed with the advent of WWI1.
Fighting in WWI was static, with soldiers switching between long waiting periods to battling through day-long artillery barrages in trenches filled with death and carnage2. For fighting soldiers smoking became a coping mechanism to handle both times of stress and boredom2. Leaders such as General John Pershing saw cigarettes as necessary to troop morale with Pershing claiming that the importance of tobacco to the war was equal to that of bullets2.
Pipe smoking had been more popular at the onset of the war as it was seen as more masculine with many armies even rationing loose-leaf pipe tobacco3. However, pipes were easily broken during battle and loose-leaf tobacco near impossible to keep dry in the trenches3. Thus, the convenient transportable design of the pocket cigarette made it the signature tobacco product of WWI soldiers3.
The American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) were at first supplied with cigarettes through canteens2. Canteens were stations that sold non-rationed goods and were manned by civilian organizations2. Cigarette companies soon developed ads in both newspapers and magazines to convince soldiers to buy their brand.1 Such advertisements often included patriotic themes to suit wartime customers1. These include portraying cigarette brands as strengthening bond between Allied troops, individual soldiers, and their families and sweethearts back home.
It was General March who would put canteens back under army control and create the official policy of rationing soldiers four ready-made cigarettes per day2. This ration would increase over time and by the Second World War soldiers had access to 12 to 28 army-provided cigarettes per day2. As men returned from army service once the Great War was over they brought their smoking habit with them1. The anti-tobacco movement lost following with the return of these veterans who were known to argue, “If cigaret[te]s were good enough for us while we were fighting in France, why aren’t they good enough for us in our own homes?”1 This initial popularity of the cigarette with the WWI generation would continue throughout the decades, further catalyzed during WWII before culminating into the smoking epidemics of the 1950s and 60s1.
1. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2000/complete_report/pdfs/chapter2.pdf
2. Bius, Joel. “The Damn Y Man in WWI: Service, Perception, and Cigarettes.” The YMCA at War: Collaboration and Conflict during the World Wars, Lexington Books 2018.
3. https://pointsadhsblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/wwi-part-5-tobacco-in-the-trenches/

Kamel Modern – img5934

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Marlboro has historically been the leading cigarette brand among youth, while Camel consistently pushes forward creative advertising concepts to gain youth market share from Marlboro and hook teens and young adults. The Red Kamel campaign of 1996 is just one of Camel’s many advertising techniques employed to target the previously uninitiated or new smoker. RJR’s “marketing objectives” with Red Kamel revolved around “adding new cutting edge associations to the Camel brand family” (1).

The Red Kamel brand slogan clearly targeted youth irreverence: “Back After 80 Years For No Good Reason Except They Taste Good” (2). The Kamel brand was first introduced in 1913 and existed until 1936 when R.J. Reynolds replaced it with today’s Camel brand. The limited time “reintroduction” of Red Kamel in 1996 provided a retro-vintage appeal to the brand, and RJR designed the ads to be “innovative—new and old at the same time” (3). An RJR spokesperson explained that the characters portrayed in Red Kamel ads were presented as “interesting, independent people,” indicating that “the type of person who smoked Kamels in the early 1900s would still smoke them today.” The Red Kamel campaign offered RJR a new youth marketing technique to replace the Old Joe Camel campaign which had just been “voluntarily” withdrawn.

One internal document explains that the brand positioning was “lust for living,” and that the product was meant to appear “lustier” as well as “rebellious, adventurous, authentic,” with a “hip, unexpected” style clearly targeting youth markets (4).

 

1. “Red Kamel & Kamel Menthe (Men-Th) Factbook.” 07 Jan 1999. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/tqm72d00

2. “RJR Re-Establishes Red Kamel Brand February 1, 1996 (960201) Statement and Q&A for Response Only.” RJ Reynolds. 01 Feb 1996. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/oml13d00

3. “Red Kamel Is Back!” Caravan. 08 Apr 1996. http://tobaccodocuments.org/nysa_ti_s1/TI56580057.html

4. “1997 (19970000) Business Planning Meeting.” RJ Reynolds. 17 Sept 1996. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xyi72d00

Camel Pleasure to Burn – img5978

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In 1999, R.J. Reynolds developed the Camel “Pleasure to Burn” campaign to target young consumers. The campaign used a cheeky humorous approach to alert consumers of Camel’s modern appeal as well as its long history: The ads featured a painting of a model dressed in “iconic” clothing from a famous decade past, but with a modern twist, like the addition of nose rings for women or stud earrings for men, tattoos, advanced modern technology like headsets and remote controls, and other strange anachronisms. An internal RJR document reveals that this approach “juxtaposes the classic with the contemporary” in the hope of portraying the brand’s “heritage and history as well as the brand’s contemporary relevance and popularity” (1). The technique followed up on the Red Kamel campaign introduced in 1996 which used a similar retro-vintage technique to target youth.

1. “Camel ‘Pleasure to Burn’ Campaign.” RJ Reynolds. Aug 1999. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/aqs97c00

Kool Modern – img6115

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Recent Kool ads are clearly marketed toward a younger, urban demographic. Many of the ads feature models of a variety of ethnicities, and African Americans are particularly targeted. Kool’s advertisements from 2005 used the slogan “Be True,” which urged consumers “be true” to themselves and to “be true” and loyal to the brand. The “Be True” slogan was accompanied by variety of phrases such as “Be Passionate,” “Be Original,” “Be Smooth,” and “Be Bold,” all of which appeal to adolescents and young adults trying to “find themselves” and develop a sense of self. The “Be True” ads largely feature musicians, ranging from guitar players to disc jockeys, and their ethnicities are also noticeably diverse; Asians, African Americans, and Caucasians are all represented in the campaign. Other Kool campaigns from the 2000s, like “House of Menthol,” are more transparently urban-oriented, featuring boom boxes, speaker systems, microphones, graffiti, or skyscrapers. A subset of these ads features the “Kool Mixx” which claims to “celebrate the soundtrack to the streets” through limited edition cigarette packs. Urban youth were clearly a priority.

Kool utilized music in general (particularly jazz music in the 1980s and hip hop in the 2000s) as “an idea or symbol that was truly Pan-Racial… an idea that transcended the color of a smoker’s skin” (1). In a National Sales Meeting speech, a B&W exec explained their music-oriented approach as “not advertising for Blacks or Whites or Hispanics,” but rather as “advertising for everyone who likes music. And how many people do you know who don’t like music?” The exec goes on to explain, “Black smokers are very important to Kool, as you well know, and we could, like Salem, create a separate ad campaign to run in Black publications… with Black models only. But why should we? We don’t have to do that, we’re going to own the world of music, where the subject of Black and White don’t matter because the only real issue is one of pleasure. Musical enjoyment…linked to smoking satisfaction” (2).

1. Cunningham & Walsh Advertising Agency. “Kool: The Revitalization of an Image.” B&W. 1 July 1981. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/leb91d00

2. Lewis, LR. “Speech for National Sales Meeting.” B&W. Oct 1981. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/crj40f00

Winston Modern – img6164

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In 1997, Winston adopted the slogan “No Additives – No Bull,” and claimed that laboratory tests revealed that the top ten non-menthol U.S. brands of cigarettes contain 6% additives, and only 94% tobacco, whereas Winstons are 100% tobacco. This ad technique is surprisingly reminiscent of those used during the infamous “tar derby,” in which cigarette brands competed with one another for the lowest tar and nicotine levels. However, the benefits behind 100% tobacco as opposed to 94% are unclear in this case. Consumers are meant to infer that they somehow benefit from the lack of additives, though a warning box clarifies that “No additives in our tobacco does NOT mean a safer cigarette.” In Winston’s case, smoking 100% tobacco is meant to make the smoker feel more “hardcore” or serious – a true smoker – “No Bull.” Other Winston ads from the late ’90s render Winstons as a “Real Cigarette,” presumably as opposed to a sissy cigarette, and some use the simple slogan, “Straight up” a slang term connoting both honest, straight-talk and something that isn’t watered down (as in an alcoholic beverage with no ice). Later Winston ads from 2003 take a similar approach, advising young people to “Leave the Bull Behind” and opt for a “naturally smooth” Winston.

Overseas, particularly in Russia, Winston is owned by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JTI). The product “Winston XS” is a superslim cigarette (as in extra-small). Winston XS uses the slogan “Xsence of me,” a word-play on “essence.” The ads for Winston XS are futuristic.

Silk Cut Modern – img6177

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In 1984, the Gallaher Group hired Charles Saatchi’s ad agency to design an innovative ad campaign which would obey U.K. cigarette advertising restrictions while still promoting the Silk Cut product. The new ads, which circulated for over a decade, created a visual pun by utilizing purple silk in the ads, representing the royal purple silk ribbon which seals each Silk Cut cigarette box. (1). The ads flip around the product name and literally Cut through the purple Silk, often in a manner with sexual undertones. For example, the spout of a tin oil can penetrates a hole through a piece of silk, or a trio of open scissors slice through the fabric, the blades like the open legs of can-can dancers. Many of the ads have a surreal effect, and cause the viewer to pause and ponder over them. The viewer puzzles over the image, and when he figures out the joke, he feels rewarded – directly correlating a positive feeling with the brand (2). The viewer also develops an association between the color purple and Silk Cut cigarettes, much like the association between red and Marlboro (3). The ads particularly allow Silk Cut to continue marketing its product in a brutal advertising environment which prohibits such classic methods as using attractive models. Some sources have indicated Silk Cut’s behavior as a warning or lesson to other countries who may attempt restrictions on cigarette advertising in the future; The U.K. restrictions definitely “triggered a burst of creativity that has produced a new genre of subtle, sophisticated ads” and stimulated “unconventional approaches” to advertising (4).

Warner, F. Brandweek. 28 June 1993. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/toy70e00

Bates, A. 30 Jan 1997. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/owm70g00

Statement by Ronald Davis. 30 Sept 1997. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/woo16c00

Parker-Pope, T. 9 Oct 1996. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/jlq08d00

Bizarre Modern – img6250

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New tobacco advertising rules were established in the United Kingdom in 1975. Soon after, multiple British cigarette brands began issuing creative solutions to skirt the restrictions (1). In 1977, Gallaher created a surrealist campaign for its B&H brand in the UK (2). The ads offered a strange, enigmatic image coupled with the Tar Banding and Health Warning baseline that the UK mandated for cigarette ads. These ads were meant to demonstrate the industry’s longevity, due to its intense creativity, even in the face of government restrictions. Soon after B&H’s creative solution, Silk Cut and Marlboro took a similar approach in the UK, eliminating the image of cigarettes from the ads altogether, making tenuous connections to the cigarette brand through “visual puns and color” (3). In 1983, the popular UK brand Rothmans also created 2-page spread ads which relied upon the health warning to demonstrate the advertising was for cigarettes, and included the brand’s classic slogan, “Rothman’s – The greatest name in cigarettes” to communicate branding. The images in the Rothmans ads featured futuristic structures of little apparent connection to the product (4).

In 1994, Benson & Hedges made fun of clean air laws and no-smoking rules with an absurd, tongue-in-cheek campaign. The slogan created a play-on-words between “the length you go to for pleasure” and the extra length of its 100mm cigarette. Print ads for the campaign depicted smokers solving no-smoking rules, such as those existing on airplanes and in museums, with utterly ridiculous or literal interpretations of the laws. For example, one ad asks, “Have you noticed all your smoking flights have been cancelled? For a great smoke, just wing it.” The models are shown sitting on the wing of a plane, enjoying their cigarettes. Philip Morris VP of Corporate Affairs, Ellen Merlo, explained, “We understand the pressures and constraints placed on smokers today, and the length they must go to in order to exercise their right to smoke. Because of the absurdity of some of the situations, we hope everyone will understand that accommodation of smokers and non-smokers alike is a much better alternative” (5). This logic bases itself in the fabricated tobacco industry mantra that smoking is a choice and that there are smoker’s rights. Cigarettes are the only product that when used as directed results in fatal illness. Additionally, there are many factors, especially manipulative advertising, which complicate the meaning of “choice” in starting to smoke.

1. Parker-Pope, T. The Wall Street Journal. 9 Oct 1996. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/sdk93c00

2. BATCo. Aug 1981. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/syt01a99

3. Beatt, A. 1994. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/vib31a99

4. BATCo. May 1983. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/shl11a99

5. Philip Morris. 29 March 1995. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/udm40b00

Lucky Strike Modern – img12615

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When Brown & Williamson took over the Lucky Strike brand in 1995, they sought to reposition the brand toward a younger demographic by introducing the “Spotlight” campaign. The new campaign featured the classic Lucky Strike roundel in full-color super-imposed onto the floor or wall of a scene, while the rest of the environment was depicted in low-saturation colors or even black and white to convey a sense of the classic(1). The campaign incorporated the slogan “An American Original” to convey the product’s authenticity, but juxtaposed this sentiment with modern scenes and models to provide the ads with a sense of timelessness. The campaign targeted “urban, hip, individualistic free-thinking” young males (2) and used models who evoked a “cool, laid back, even arrogant” personality (3).

1. B&W. 13 May 1999. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/dvt12d00

2. Cheyne, S. 4 Nov 1998. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/wgo02d00

3. B&W. 24 Apr 1996. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/reb77a00

Salem Modern – img12790

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Recent Salam ads blatantly target youth. Earlier Salem ads (“Salem Spirit”) from the 1980s used a technique largely reminiscent of Newport’s long-lived “Pleasure” campaign, spotlighting groups of young friends having fun in athletic, outdoorsy settings. The 1990s saw Salem’s “Refreshest” campaign, which targeted teens and adolescents with mind-boggling images like a woman relaxing on a pool floatie inside of a grand piano filled with water, or, similarly, a couple lounging in the pick-up of a truck, also filled with water. Some Salem ads from the 2000s feature the slogan, “Stir the senses,” and each ad depicts a model smoking in green, mentholated ecstasy. These scenes appear drug-induced, and even RJR’s description of the ads brings into question recreational drug-inspiration: “One ad pictures a woman extending her arm to interact with two dragonflies that are swirling around a burst of light. Another execution features a man gazing at a swirling green galaxy, with the reflection of the galaxy appearing in his sunglasses”.

Other Salem ads from the 2000s reveal clear youth targeting through a risk-taking appeal with the slogan, “Step Inside. It’s Not What You Expected,” or “There’s More To It.” This slogan invites uninitiated youth to try smoking. For example, one of the ads presents an “underground” party, another presents a couple with an intertwining, extreme tattoo, and a third presents a scantily clad woman riding on the back of a man’s motorcycle – all in urban settings. The ads are complex and difficult to capture in 1-dimensional scans on our Web site, as they often consisted of 4-page spreads. The front cover of the spread would show a “familiar image” with a cutout window revealing a small part of the next page. When the front cover is flipped over, the full spread originally indicated by the cutout is revealed to be “an entirely different design, unexpected by the reader” (2). This type of innovative print advertising is even more appealing to youth.

1. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/gkc87h00

2. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ofi60d00

American Spirit Modern – img45066

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Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company’s advertising strategy targets the young, progressive and environmentally conscious, by promoting the “organic” and “additive free” nature of its tobacco products. Most of the ads for the tobacco company, contain a combination of these key phrases: “100% additive free”, “made with 100% organic tobacco”, “natural tobacco”, and “natural tastes better.”

The Natural American Spirit ads are designed to communicate to the viewer that there is nothing synthetic or artificial about their cigarettes thereby encouraging tobacco users to believe that the cigarette is superior to others. In reality, there is nothing natural or pure about how the tobacco is processed in cigarettes. The ads rely on a palette of mild, pastel shades that are meant to resemble natural dyes. Most ads display one or more cigarette packs surrounded by a rural setting. For example, several of the ads are of a farm where everything, from the roots and soil to a field of bright sunflowers, is crafted from colored tobacco leaves. Others show green pastures or barren farms with a few tobacco sprouts pushing out of the dirt. In one dramatic version, the cigarette packs themselves are sprouting like crops. These pictures draw nostalgia for the once simple way of life.

The tobacco company also heavily advertises itself to environmentalists through buzz word such as “eco-friendly” and “sustainable.” For instance, ad copy for a Natural American Spirit ad says, “”We grow our premium natural tobacco in a responsible, sustainable way through our earth-friendly and organic growing programs…. Protecting the earth is as important to us as it is to you.”

Santa Fe Natural Tobacco company has faced legal action a few times over its advertising claims. In 2000, the Federal Trade Commission filed a deceptive advertising campaign arguing that through their advertisements, “Santa Fe represented that because Natural American Spirit cigarettes contain no additives, smoking them is less hazardous to a smoker's health than smoking otherwise comparable cigarettes that contain additives.” This led to Santa Fe adding the following disclaimer on its packets, “No additives in our tobacco does NOT mean a safer cigarette.” A decade later, attorneys general from 33 states and the District of Columbia, reached an agreement requiring Santa Fe to add a disclaimer stating, “Organic tobacco does NOT mean a safer cigarette.” The hope was that this warning would alert consumers that natural tobacco does not mean safer tobacco.

However, If popular culture is any clue to how persuasive these disclaimers really are, the answer is no; As recently as 2008, the female protagonist, April (Isla Fisher), in the romantic comedy “Definitely, Maybe” discusses the health benefits she feels she receives when smoking Natural American Spirit cigarettes over Marlboros, the choice of the male protagonist, Will (Ryan Reynolds). When will asks incredulously why she is willing to pay so much for a pack of cigarettes, April responds that “They don't put as many chemicals in them.” He pushes, “So those are healthy cigarettes,” and she says, “Something like that.” She also tells him, as he holds a pack of Marlboros tightly, “They put saltpeter in your cigarettes, which make them burn faster, which make you smoke more.” Clearly, perceived health benefits of natural cigarettes are still rampant in mainstream popular culture, a dangerous misconception.

Marlboro Modern – img46195

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Marlboro’s latest campaign, “Be Marlboro” is replete with youth-oriented images and themes that strongly suggest to young people that they should smoke Marlboro cigarettes.

The “Be Marlboro” campaign was launched in Germany in 2011 and has now spread to more than 50 countries including Brazil, Indonesia, China, Japan, Israel, Russia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In 2013, it was banned from Germany on the grounds that the advertisements were “designed to encourage children as young as 14 years of age to smoke.”

The advertising campaign is filled with images of attractive people taking risks, asserting their freedom, exploring their limits and defying authority. The central message of the ads is that individuals need to shake off their inhibitions to achieve their goals. A good way to do is to “Be Marlboro.” For instance, an ad has the image of a person high on his motorbike (Maybe I will take the challenge”), a profile of a macho man lighting his cigarette (Maybe never lights up the night), an old lady with a raised fist (A Maybe never made history… Don’t be a Maybe), a young woman pressing against a man in an alley (“Maybe never fell in love”), and a guy hopping a chain link fence (“Maybe never found a way”).

Other marketing tactics used by the Be Marlboro campaign include sponsorship of parties and concerts, online promotional videos, exciting point of sale displays and interactive promotional booths.

The use of aspirational imagery and values has been a tactic often used by the tobacco industry to market to youth. Internal tobacco documents by Philip Morris itself describes smoking as an activity that can be “linked to adult initiation, risk taking, bonding with peers and the need for youth to feel like they belong to a group that can partake in an ‘adult activity’.”1,2

In a report by Philip Morris, referred to by the tobacco company as the Archetype Project, it stresses that in advertising the product, the marketing department should stress that “smoking is for people who like to take risks and are not afraid of taboos, using images of an American identity and emphasizing the ritualistic elements of smoking.” It is clear that many ads of the Be Marlboro campaign are reflective of the guidance provided in the Archetype Project.

1. Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. “Maybe You’re The Target.” New Global Marlboro Campaign Found to Target Teens. Retrieved from http://global.tobaccofreekids.org/content/what_we_do/industry_watch/yourethetarget_report.pdf?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=youre-the-target-new-global-marlboro-campaign-found-to-target-teens-pdf-2
2. Levy C. Archetype project summary (internal industry document.) 1991. Bates No. 3990758331/3990758346. http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid//zra21j00/pdf.

Murad – img6289

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. The New York-based Greek tobacconist Soterios Anargyros produced the hand-rolled Murad cigarettes, made of pure Turkish tobacco. P. Lorillard acquired the Murad brand in 1911 through the dissolution of the Cigarette Trust, explaining the high quality of the Murad advertisements in the following years.

Murad, along with other Turkish cigarette brands referenced the “Oriental” roots of their Turkish tobacco blends through pack art and advertising images. They also capitalized on the Eastern-inspired fashion trends of the time, which were inspired by the Ballets Russes (1909-1929) and its performance of “Scherazade.” The vibrant colors, luxurious jewels, exoticism and suggestive nature of the images in these advertisements contributed greatly to their appeal.

Women drenched in pearls, jewels and feathers, wearing harem pants or flowing dresses, were paired in the ads with men in expensive suits or in exotic turbans. The Orientalism, exoticism and luxury are evoked through Eastern-inspired garb accentuated the Turkish origins of the tobacco and presented it in an alluring, modern light. Indeed, the women in these ads, in particular, is seen as less of a reflection on Victorian femininity than a fantasy of an exotic enchantress from a foreign land or a modern woman shedding the shackles of Victorian propriety.

Helmar – img6368

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Helmar cigarettes were part of the Turkish and Egyptian cigarette movement of the early 1900s. First produced in 1902 by the Egyptian Ideal Cigarette and Tobacco Works, Helmar was originally named Ramleh. In 1907 when the brand was taken up by S. Anargyros, a subsidiary of The American Tobacco Company, the name was changed in order to avoid confusion with Ramly, a similar cigarette produced by the smaller Mentor Co. in Boston. The name was changed to Helmar, which is simply Ramleh spelled backwards. Unlike most straight-Turkish tobacco cigarettes, Helmar experienced a long life on the market until it was finally discontinued in the mid-1960s.

Mogul – img6377

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. One of the earlier straight-Turkish tobacco cigarettes, Mogul was introduced in 1892 by the New York-based Greek tobacconist Soterios Anargyros. After the dissolution of the Cigarette Trust, P. Lorillard took over the production of Mogul cigarettes. Though likely made of a Turkish blend, Moguls were advertised as “Egyptian Cigarettes.” Many of the Mogul ads presented upper-crust models in Western apparel, positioning the cigarette as a luxury good, while some of the ads incorporated Egyptian motifs or models dressed in Middle Eastern garb.

Deities – img6396

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. The New York-based Greek tobacconist Soterios Anargyros produced the hand-rolled Egyptian Deities cigarettes, and claimed that the higher price was due to the expensive center leaves of the Turkish tobacco plant, known as “Ghyubek.” P. Lorillard acquired the Murad brand in 1911 through the dissolution of the Cigarette Trust, explaining the high quality of the Murad advertisements in the following years. Interestingly, most Egyptian Deities ads did not evoke Eastern exoticism, but rather focused on American and European fashions and luxury. The brand’s slogan also appealed to the high-brow: “People of culture, refinement and education invariably prefer Deities to any other cigarette.” Some ads for the brand did indeed reference Egyptian antiquities and splendor.

Rameses – img6411

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In 1895, the Stephano Bros. of Philadelphia introduced Rameses II cigarettes, named after the great ancient Egyptian pharaoh. Most of the ads for Rameses II featured Egyptian themes, from images of scarab beetles to depictions of Rameses’ actual temple in Abu Simbel. Other ads for Rameses depicted luxurious vacationing in order to market the large “week-end tins” ideal for short trips. The brand capitalized on aristocracy, glamour and luxury in its advertising. Rameses appear to have been discontinued in the late 1990s.

Other Early Ads – img6418

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian style cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands, inspiring the invention of many new brands, including Camel. These brands often referenced the “Oriental” roots of their Turkish tobacco blends through pack art and advertising images. They also capitalized on the Eastern-inspired fashion trends of the time, which were inspired by the Ballets Russes (1909-1929) and its performance of “Scherazade.” The vibrant colors, luxurious jewels, exoticism and suggestive nature of the images in these advertisements contributed greatly to their appeal. Women drenched in pearls, jewels and feathers, wearing harem pants or flowing dresses, were paired in the ads with men in expensive suits or in exotic turbans. The Orientalism, exoticism and luxury are evoked through Eastern-inspired garb accentuated the Turkish origins of the tobacco and presented it in an alluring, modern light. Indeed, the women in these ads, in particular, is seen as less of a reflection on Victorian femininity than a fantasy of an exotic enchantress from a foreign land or a modern woman shedding the shackles of Victorian propriety.

Other brands of the time, like London Life and Herbert Tareyton shirked the new-fangled Eastern trends in favor of the Victorian propriety of yesteryear. Gentlemen and proper ladies were featured prominently in these ads, and provided an heir of luxury and affluency without the bawdy pleasures of “Orientalism.” Still, most cigarette ads at the time, regardless of approach, involved an overarching theme of glamour and enjoying the finer things in life.

Omar – img14009

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. In 1911, The American Tobacco Company introduced Omar, a premium Turkish blend cigarette, in order to compete with other leading Turkish brands like Murad. The cigarette was named after the medieval Persian poet Omar Khayyám, who experienced a resurgence of popularity from 1900-1930 during an “Omariana” fad. Ads for Omar cigarettes referenced Khayyám’s famous poem, The Rubáiyát , and focused on themes of pleasure, leisure, and luxury. Early Omar cigarette ads featured an older, rotund sultan figure, who appears to indulge in a range of life’s pleasures, and a beautiful maiden, referred to as Angel Shape. In some ways, the ads border on stereotypical parodies of Eastern life and culture, yet they speak to the luxurious aspect of Omar cigarettes all the same. Later ads for Omar revealed that “Omar spells Aroma” when Omar is repeated twice: omAR OMAr. This pun speaks to the American Tobacco Company’s desire to extend the relevancy of Omar cigarettes beyond Omariana as the fad slowly died out. Clearly, tobacco companies and their advertising agents are able to create extreme elasticity with their products in order to attract consumers.

Fatima – img21035

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In the early 1900s, manufactures of Turkish and Egyptian cigarettes tripled their sales and became legitimate competitors to leading brands. Liggett & Myers’ Fatima cigarettes, named after the common first name for Arabic women, was one of many cigarettes developed at this time which received wide success. The pack art featured a veiled woman, the Turkish crescent moon with stars, and the iron cross, the symbol of the Ottoman empire. Advertising for Fatima was discontinued during the Great Depression. The cigarette received a modern makeover after WWII, becoming a King Size cigarette to compete with other popular brands of the era. It was phased out in the 1980s.

Abdullas – img45768

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Though certainly capitalizing on the Eastern allure of their name and the popular Turkish and Egyptian cigarette trend, Abdulla cigarettes were available in Egyptian, Turkish, or Virginian blends. They were first produced in London in 1902 by Abdulla & Co., Ltd.. The company was later quietly taken over by Godfrey Phillips in 1927, which was subsequently purchased by Philip Morris International in 1968. Abdulla advertisements focus on glamour and luxury rather than exoticism. This approach allowed them to successfully market all three of their blend varieties, especially the Virginian in later decades. That said, ads like “Abdulla in Arcadia,” which features a veiled woman wearing a turban and excessive jewelry, utilized the stereotypical Eastern fashions to heavily market the Egyptian and Turkish varieties.

Medicinal – img17272

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In another example of marketing wizardry, e-cigarette (e-cig) advertisements simultaneously present their product as both a sedative and a stimulant. Ads under this theme work to convince consumers that e-cigs have many medicinal properties and could both calm the vaper when he was tired or nervous or pep him up when he felt sluggish.

Nutricigs, a leading brand of e-cigs, advertises three different types of fortified vaping devices that contain “fortified nano particles” that work to provide consumers with more energy, promote a better night’s rest, and suppress appetite. An ad for NutriCigs Energy shows a chirpy young executive on the run with an e-cig in his hand. The text says, “Increasing energy never tasted so good.” Another ad for the product has a young woman in front of her computer, her hands thrown up in the air with a victorious smile on her face, along with the text, “Energy when you need it…No crash later.” The slogans for Nutricigs are similar to the 1930’s Camel campaign “Get A Lift with Camel,” which featured testimonials from working men and celebrity athletes.

It is unnerving to consider that consumers accept such a wide latitude of marketing claims from these companies that a brand is simultaneously able to markets one of its products as an “invigorating” e-cig that provides “energy without the crash” and another as an “all natural sleep-aid” e-cig. Ads for the NutriCig sleep contain images of well-rested women on their bed accompanied by slogans such as “Say good-bye to sleepless nights,” and “Sleeping bliss is only a puff away.”

Tobacco companies have always played on a woman’s desire to be slim, for instance, Lucky brand of e-cigs asked women to “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet.” This time, again it is no different. e-cig brands such as Vapor Trim, Vapor Diet & NutriCigs Slim make claims to the effectiveness of the vapor producing device in aiding weight loss. VaporTrim, which is available in a variety of desert flavors, is advertised as a “revolutionary weight loss product” as the following slogan “Inhale Flavors. Curb Cravings. Lose Weight.” In an ad for NutriCig, which advertises itself as a product to “satisfy hunger,” the image is of an open cigarette box with an inch tape running across it. The words “SLIM” are printed boldly next to the box, alluding to the fact that you can lose inches of body fat by smoking their e-cig.

Other purported medicinal effects claimed by e-cig brands include increased sexual potency (Tiger & JSB’s iSlim), and vitamin enriched (Vsmoke).

Vitamin Rich – img22028

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While it is hard to imagine that there can be anything nutritional in an electronic cigarette (e-cig), that is precisely what is being promoted by manufacturers of e-cigs as they continue to strive to market the product as “healthy” and “safe.” Multiple e-cig brands have added vitamin supplements to the vapor juice to encourage people to believe that by vaping the product they are getting the health benefit of vitamins.

VitaCig, which is abbreviated from Vitamin Cigarette, advertises itself as an e-cig with “just vitamins and flavored water.” The website claims that the e-cigs, which are nicotine free, contain base vitamins A,B,C,E, & CoQ10. In order to make the product more enticing to consumers, the website says that each VitaCig category has been carefully mixed to ensure that each puff delivers vitamins and phytonutrients to the body. The website also contains a vitamin label, similar to the one seen on any bottle of vitamins, that lists the amount of each vitamin present in the product.

Smoking Everywhere claims in its promotional materials that every puff on their device provides the individual with essential vitamins such as vitamin D, vitamin B, and even a multi-vitamin. To make it more enticing to consumers, the product is available in a variety of flavors including banana, blueberry, bubblegum, cola, cookies and chocolate chips, grape, green tea, orange, kiwi, and cookies and cream.

Vsmoke, by its very name suggests to consumers health benefits. The vapor juice brand, which claims to contain Vitamin C, Echinacea, Vitamin B12, is available in a number of fruity flavors including Swedish Fish, Gummy Candy, G6 Grape Mint, and Watermelon Breeze.

It is unfortunate that e-cig brands are adding vitamin supplements to their products to trick consumers into believing that this will make the product healthy. The nicotine present in most of these e-cig products is addictive and harmful to health. No amount of vitamin supplements can negate the health effects of nicotine. In those products without nicotine, there is immense public health concern that the tactile and sensory cues promoted by vaping an e-cig could lead an individual to dual use of both e-cigs and combustible cigarette products.

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.

Patriotism – img21760

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Electronic cigarette (e-cig) manufacturers are relying on patriotic images and slogans as a sales pitch to subliminally influence individuals to form an emotional connection with their brands and generate sales. Many ads for e-cig companies contain images of cultural icons such as the American eagle and the Statue of Liberty that drive home the point that the nation is built on twin core values of freedom and independence.

Social media channels for e-cig brands are replete with patriotic posts and images that celebrate American holidays and events. During Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, e-cig advertising images of a majority of brands included the image of the American flag and a note of salutation. For Presidents Day, many ads included images of Mount Rushmore and President Washington. Advertisements under this theme use words with strong patriotic connotations such as “freedom,” “independence,” and “had a dream.” A Green Smoke Electronic Cigarettes ad has the image of Martin Luther King addressing a large gathering, we are made to believe, for his acclaimed “I Have a Dream” speech. The sub-text for the ad asks, “What’s Your Dream?”

A variant of the patriotic theme is one of nostalgia. The Fin branding group’s, manufacturer of Fin e-cigs, advertising strategy is centered around recreating images from the 1950s and 1960s, a period of time in America when civil rights struggles took center stage. One of the most striking advertising images for Fin e-cigs is the image of a 1960s diner. This image of an empty diner is an eerie reminder of a time of segregation. In February 1960 a group of black students from A&T North Carolina College were refused service because they sat in seats reserved for white people. Their peaceful sit-down helped ignite a national movement that challenged the racial inequality that existed at that point of time. Fin seems to have been aiming to recreate a call for equality and freedom in this ad. What comes to mind, however, is the image of a lonely smoker. Is smoking an electronic cigarette more lonely than segregation? In other ads, Fin continues with a “vintage” theme. In a series of ads with a modern twist on a vintage look, women dressed in 70’s clothing, “pursuing happiness” and “equality” are shown vaping e-cigs at diners and in vintage automobiles.

To ride the crest of Americans wanting to buy “American made” products, e-juice manufacturers are keen to label their products as “All American”, “tested in the US” and “American made.” Research shows that Americans are willing to pay a premium for products that are American as they believe they are helping the economy recuperate from its recent economic downturn and also because they believe the product to be safer and of higher quality. 1

1. Tsai, W. S. (2010). Patriotic advertising and the creation of the citizen-consumer. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 2(3), 76-84.

Break the Rules – img21900

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are increasingly targeting teenagers, who are often trailblazers of new trends and “role models” for younger adolescents. In courting young trendsetters, e-cig manufacturers predominantly utilize advertising imagery and slogans that appeal to the teens’ sense of freedom and rebellion.

An ad for Blu e-cigs features an angry, middle-aged woman, flipping her middle finger to smoking bans. The headline for the ad reads “Dear Smoking Ban” and the rest of the ad text says, “Take back your freedom to smoke anywhere with Blu electronic cigarettes.” Modern Vapor has an ad of a woman reclining with an e-hookah in her hand. The slogan of the ad says, “Smoke in No Smoking Zones.” A NicStick advertisement focuses on the “no smoking sign” of a coffee shop. The text above the image says, “Beat the Smoking Bans. Smoke Anywhere with electronic cigarettes.”

The e-cig industry is also keen to create a “cool,” “hip” image for its products through advertisements. Many ads are clearly targeted at hipsters who have a tendency to buck social norms and be anti-establishment. In an online ad for Njoy, rocker Courtney Love, wearing a silk dress, her makeup slightly smeared, is shown vaping at an opera house while a conservatively dressed older woman looks on with a horrified expression. When the older woman starts to protest, Courtney turns around and in an expletive-laced sentence tells the woman that she is not smoking but vaping an e-cigarette. The same brand also has an online video of a self-identified hipster with his red beard promoting the product.

Many other freedom based ads for e-cigs depict the freedom and pleasure of youth with images such as dancing and partying. The message that accompanies many of these ads is focused on the delight of rewriting the rules and breaking conventional norms. While e-cigarette manufacturers promise many freedoms to their consumers, the one freedom that they cannot promise is freedom from nicotine addiction.

Freedom Health Consequences – img22456

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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 – img22508

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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

Breathe Easier – img17184

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A beneficial effect on breathing and respiration is promised by many e-cigarette (eCig) companies through reassuring brand names and images.

Some companies seek to influence their audience at a subliminal level with reassuring names such as iBreathe, Breathe, Bonnair Lung Aid, Smoke Relief, and the assertive Lung Buddy and O2 Easy and others through reassuring images. Many ads (eg. Blaze, Steamz, Shenzhen Tobacco Company) contain images of healthy lungs (purportedly from vaping eCigs) contrasted with blackened lungs that have been damaged from smoking combustible tobacco products.

Some other ads offer metaphors for healthfulness and freshness. An ad for White Cloud eCigs features the image of two women taking a brisk walk on a grassy hill alongside the caption “Give the Gift of fresh air! Eliminate the tar, ash and unwanted chemical additives from your cigarettes.” The ad brings back memories of an Old Gold ad from 1944 that claimed that their cigarette products were as “fresh” as mountain air.

By presenting the eCig smokers as young, vibrant, athletic, happy, and full of vitality, White Cloud is seeking to claim that its products are better for the individual’s overall health, fresh and safe, and free of toxic chemicals that are harmful to oneself as well as others. But the message is misleading. While White Clouds ad seems to falsely indicate that by vaping its eCigs, an individual can escape all the harmful effects of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes, this is not really the case. The absence of combustion in eCigs means the absence of combustible by-products such as tar, carbon monoxide, and other harmful chemicals, but it does not automatically translate into eCigs being a safe product. Research studies have shown that the vapor released from eCigs is not plain “water vapor” but vapor containing varying levels of nicotine, propylene glycol, an anti-freeze, as well as other ultrafine particles. These chemicals could potentially have an adverse effect on the lungs and cardiovascular system.

Since eCigs are a relatively new product, first introduced to the market in 2004, research on the long-term health effects of inhaling nicotine along with trace materials has not yet been fully studied. In the absence of scientific evidence, it is misleading and manipulative on the part of eCig companies to make claims of being eCigs being healthy and safe.

A beneficial effect on breathing and respiration is promised by many e-cigarette (eCig) companies through reassuring brand names and images.

Some companies seek to influence their audience at a subliminal level with reassuring names such as iBreathe, Breathe, Bonnair Lung Aid, Smoke Relief, and the assertive Lung Buddy and O2 Easy and others through reassuring images. Many ads (eg. Blaze, Steamz, Shenzhen Tobacco Company) contain images of healthy lungs (purportedly from vaping eCigs) contrasted with blackened lungs that have been damaged from smoking combustible tobacco products.

Some other ads offer metaphors for healthfulness and freshness. An ad for White Cloud eCigs features the image of two women taking a brisk walk on a grassy hill alongside the caption “Give the Gift of fresh air! Eliminate the tar, ash and unwanted chemical additives from your cigarettes.” The ad brings back memories of an Old Gold ad from 1944 that claimed that their cigarette products were as “fresh” as mountain air.

By presenting the eCig smokers as young, vibrant, athletic, happy, and full of vitality, White Cloud is seeking to claim that its products are better for the individual’s overall health, fresh and safe, and free of toxic chemicals that are harmful to oneself as well as others. But the message is misleading. While White Clouds ad seems to falsely indicate that by vaping its eCigs, an individual can escape all the harmful effects of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes, this is not really the case. The absence of combustion in eCigs means the absence of combustible by-products such as tar, carbon monoxide, and other harmful chemicals, but it does not automatically translate into eCigs being a safe product. Research studies have shown that the vapor released from eCigs is not plain “water vapor” but vapor containing varying levels of nicotine, propylene glycol, an anti-freeze, as well as other ultrafine particles. These chemicals could potentially have an adverse effect on the lungs and cardiovascular system.

Since eCigs are a relatively new product, first introduced to the market in 2004, research on the long-term health effects of inhaling nicotine along with trace materials has not yet been fully studied. In the absence of scientific evidence, it is misleading and manipulative on the part of eCig companies to make claims of being eCigs being healthy and safe.

Breast Cancer – img17229

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In an attempt to appear safe, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have highlighted the serious health complications of tobacco cigarettes and promoted their own products as “healthy”. In particular, companies have capitalized on smoking’s association with lung cancer; it is well established that 80-90% of lung cancers occur in patients with a history of smoking. 1

E-cig companies in their ads distance themselves from this often-fatal disease by stating their product contained “No Carcinogens” (Green Smoke, Clearette, Headlines, e-cigLife) or “No Cancerous Substances” (eHealth-Cigarette). The brand Steamz even goes as far to state their cartomizers cause “No Cancer” and are “90% safer than traditional cigarettes.”

Many ads have used the image of the diseased, cancerous lungs of smokers, and compared them to the healthy lungs of those who vape. Steamz has an ad where the right lung of a set of paper lungs has a smoldering hole burnt into it by the fire of a traditional cigarette, with the hole representing the spread of lung cancer. The left lung has an e-cig hovering over it and the lung is intact. Another Steamz ad has a set of lungs made out of a forest, with part of the left lung devastated by a forest fire and the slogan “Smoke Electronic Cigarette, Prevent from Lung Cancer.”

In a drive to increase their credibility at least 7 e-cig companies have associated themselves with breast cancer charities or awareness campaigns. Many produce limited or special edition pink e-cigs and often promise to donate a portion of the sales to charity. Discreet Vape, which produces e-cigs in the shape of medicinal inhalers “for the discerning vapor enthusiast”, produced a limited edition device with “Proceeds of the LE Pink PUFFiT-X donated to cancer research.”

The majority of these ads are accompanied by promotions or discounts to encourage sales. 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.” The same ad offers “25% off all Starter Kits”. V2 offers a pink breast cancer lanyard when customers spend $50 or more. The South Beach Smoke Company has an ad featuring a pink battery on a pink background with white writing and the tagline “Purchase a limited edition pink battery & 5% of the proceeds will be donated to SGK.”

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.

(1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2004.

Cancer Scare – img17236

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In an attempt to appear safe, many electronic cigarette (eCig) companies have highlighted the serious health complications of tobacco cigarettes and promoted their own products as “healthy”. In particular, companies have capitalized on smoking’s association with lung cancer; it is well established that 80-90% of lung cancers occur in patients with a history of smoking. 1

eCig companies in their ads distance themselves from this often-fatal disease by stating their product contained “No Carcinogens” (Green Smoke, Clearette, Headlines, eCigLife) or “No Cancerous Substances” (eHealth-Cigarette). The brand Steamz even goes as far to state their cartomizers cause “No Cancer” and are “90% safer than traditional cigarettes”.

Many ads have used the image of the diseased, cancerous lungs of smokers, and compared them to the healthy lungs of those who vape. Steamz has an ad where the right lung of a set of paper lungs has a smoldering hole burnt into it by the fire of a traditional cigarette, with the hole representing the spread of lung cancer. The left lung has an eCig hovering over it and the lung is intact. Another Steamz ad has a set of lungs made out of a forest, with part of the left lung devastated by a forest fire and the slogan “Smoke Electronic Cigarette, Prevent from Lung Cancer”.

In a drive to increase their credibility at least 7 eCig companies have associated themselves with breast cancer charities or awareness campaigns. Many produce limited or special edition pink eCigs and often promise to donate a portion of the sales to charity. Discreet Vape, which produces eCigs in the shape of medicinal inhalers “for the discerning vapor enthusiast”, produced a limited edition device with “Proceeds of the LE Pink PUFFiT-X donated to cancer research”.

The majority of these ads are accompanied by promotions or discounts to encourage sales. 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.” The same ad offers “25% off all Starter Kits”. V2 offers a pink breast cancer lanyard when customers spend $50 or more. The South Beach Smoke Company has an ad featuring a pink battery on a pink background with white writing and the tagline “Purchase a limited edition pink battery & 5% of the proceeds will be donated to SGK”.

At a time when no research had been done into the health effects of eCigs this is a highly immoral advertising tactic, designed to play on people’s fears of an often-fatal disease.

(1) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the U.S. Surgeon General, 2004.

Second Hand – img17300

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As concerns of ill health effects caused by second hand smoke from combustible tobacco products become too hard to ignore, e-cigarette (e-cig) companies are acting quickly to bogart the market with claims of their devices being a healthy, smoke-free alternative. The smoke-free nature of the product is a USP that is prominently marketed through catch phrases such as “no passive smoking,” “smoke-free,”no second hand smoke,” and “no smell.”

To reassure consumers of the healthfulness of the product, e-cig companies like the conventional cigarette industry of 1940s and 1950s has resorted to using images of families and children in its ads. For nothing really speaks to the harmless nature of a product or its respectability than using a product in front of children as a part of everyday normal life.

Thus an ad for Ever Smoke has the image of a young woman vaping in front of her two young children. The ad is accompanied by the text “The Better Smoking Choice. Keep Yourself and Family Healthy.” Even more astonishing, an ad for Flavor Vapes has a mother blow vapor directly into the baby’s crib and an ad for Regal e-cigs shows a father toasting his son at a brunch with a drink in one hand and an e-cig in the other.

Scare tactics are also being used by the e-cig industry to lure consumers away from conventional cigarettes to e-cigs. In an ad for Steamz e-cig, a boy looks terrified as the plume of vapor from a cigarette, which is made to resemble a smoking gun, is pointing at him. The main text of the ad reads, “passive smoking kills your dearest one’s first,” the subtext reads, “ protect your dearest ones life. Smoke safely with e-cigarette…”

While the e-cig industry definitely wants consumers to believe that their products are safe and healthy, evidence to support this claim is scant. A small study by Wolfgang Schober of the Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority and colleagues published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health found the vapor emitted from e-cigs affected the air quality of a room as it contained nicotine, particulate matter, PAHs and aluminum, compounds that have been linked to cardiovascular diseases and other ill health effects.

Long Life – img17318

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In their attempt to be seen as a safe, healthy product, many e-cigarette (e-cig) companies advertise an association between their brand and a long, presumably healthy life. e-cig companies use a number of methods to drive home this connection, from slogans in ads to the name of the company itself.

A number of brand names are synonymous with a longer life. Examples range from the brand “Forever” to the more direct “Smoke To Live (TM)”. The name “Vapor4Life” has a number of connotations, from using an e-cig all your life, to vaping in order to live.

Many ads feature slogans and images with life-related or life-prolonging connotations. ePuffer runs the tagline “Extending Smoker’s Life!” An image from electronic cigarette reviews shows a traditional combustible cigarette with the slogan “Stop…you Burn your life flower”; the smoke from the cigarette is arranged in the shape of a flower with a red, burning, center. Contrasted to this on the other side of the ad is a seemingly healthy, happy woman vaping; the vapor forms no pattern.

The company e-ciglife emphasizes the associates between e-cigs and life; their logo is a tree, green and abundant with fruit; and their slogan reads “e-ciglife: Get more out of it!”, suggesting vaping can help you get more out of life.

The South Beach e-cig company uses dark humor to emphasize the destructive quality of cigarettes. The company pinned a comic to their Pinterest page from bizarrocomics.com that shows a glamorous woman in a black dress lighting a cigarette. She is sitting at a table strewn with alcohol, guns, a knife and other harmful objects. Opposite her is the figure of Death, clad in a black robe, saying, “Are you flirting with me?”

The tactic of implying long life harks back to the tobacco advertising strategies of old where claims were often made about the health benefits of smoking cigarettes. Very little research has been done about the long-term health consequences of vaping, making such claims unfounded and potentially dangerous.

Safe – img17418

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Some electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are attempting to stand out from the crowd by emphasizing their safety. Some companies make their association with safety directly through their brand names. The most prominent example is the brand “SafeCig”, manufactured by SafeCig, LLC. Similarly the company JoeStick markets and sells their product through the website smokesafely.com.

The claim of safety is also made in slogans and taglines. Charlie Sheen’s e-cig brand ran the slogan “Sheen Safe Smoke”. Steamz claim their devices are “90% safer than traditional cigarettes”. In 2013 the brand Vogue ran the tagline “Safe and Healthy.”

A rather ironic ad is that from NeWhere. The ad shows an ECG heart tracing which flatlines after a number of normal beats. In a traditional ECG this would suggest that the heart had stopped beating. Over this horizontal line is the slogan “Is Vaping Safe?” The NeWhere blog, which accompanies this picture goes on to explain that that e-cigs are definitely “safer” than traditional cigarettes.

The advertising of e-cigs as safe is a particularly interesting technique considering there have been reports about e-cigs exploding. 1,2 The availability of sweetened nicotine-based e-cig juices in homes has also led to a rapid increase to calls in poison control centers, with more than half of the calls involving children below the age of 5 years.

(1) York Press. E-Cigarette explodes and sets fire to a barmaid. The Press. Apr 2014. Available from: http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/11133501.Barmaid_s_lucky_escape_as_e_cigarette_explodes_in_packed_pub/
(2) Parker L, Green R. Small Number of E-Cigarette Batteries Explode. NBC Chicago. Oct 2013. Available from: http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Exploding-E-Cigarettes-229183561.html

(3) CDC poison call centers: New CDC study finds dramatic increase in e-cigarette-related calls to poison centers. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0403-e-cigarette-poison.html

Doctors & Nurses – img22015

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In the first half of the 20th century, tobacco company advertisements often featured doctors hawking cigarettes or cigars. The images were always of an idealized physician – wise, noble, and compassionate. Consumers who saw these ads were made to feel that they would be following the doctor's orders to achieve health or fitness if they were to smoke the cigarettes advertised.

While it may seem hard to believe that such an audacious advertising strategy would be tried in the 21st century, it is precisely what is playing out in the newer and less-well understood electronic cigarette (e-cig) industry. e-cig brands such as Vapestick, Vape Doctor, and Love are resorting to the old and familiar tactic of using the image of the “trusty” doctor to sell their products. In an ad for E-Cigexplorer, an online e-cig store, a surgeon wearing a mask is seeing giving the e-cig a “thumbs-up.” In a more obvious push for the product by the online retailer, two surgeons at an operating theater are seen laughing at a patient who we are to understand is being treated for a tobacco-related illness. The headline for the ad reads, “Still smoking tobacco cigarettes?!” The rest of the text reads, “Haven't you heard of e-cigarettes.” A video for Vapestick has a doctor vaping an e-cig while attending to a pregnant woman. Advanced e-cig uses a more subtle approach to promote the healthfulness of its product. The e-cig packet contains the image of a Caduceus, the most commonly accepted symbol of medicine.

While e-cig companies use the image of the doctor to convince consumers that its products are healthy. Most scientific evidence till date only proves that e-cigs are “healthier” than traditional cigarettes. Nicotine, which is found in most e-cigs is very addictive and the fruit flavored vape juices could hook teenagers and serve as a gateway to traditional cigarettes. At present there is also not much research that has been done to determine the impact of inhaling so much nicotine-laced vapor into the lungs.

Quit – img18096

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In advertisements for e-cigarettes, consumers are led to believe that e-cigs are a “safer” alternative to traditional cigarettes despite the fact that they too contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance.

In ads under this theme, manufacturers market e-cigs as a “healthier” and more “eco-friendly” recreational product that consumers would be “wise” to switch to. An ad for Blu says the e-cig is the “smart choice for smokers wanting a change.” The headline of the ad reads, “Why Quit, Switch to Blu.” Another ad from an e-cig retailer has the image of a strong, well-built woman, kicking a man who is smoking a cigarette. The text of the image reads, “Smoking Hurts….Try a Electronic Cigarette.” An advertisement for Cigna mentions that “Tobacco is so passé. Get with the now,” and urges consumers to switch to e-cigs. SouthBeach Smoke asks consumers to “Make the Switch Today and Change Your Life.”

While most e-cig companies are careful not to market their product as a cessation device for fear of government regulation, some e-cig retailers do just that. An ad for Xhalers contains the image of a lit conventional cigarette on a hook. The headline reads, “Hooked on Smoking. Get unhooked with Xhalers.” An arrow on a yellow text box with the words, “Quit smoking with this,” points to an e-cig. Nicocure (which is cleverly named to sound similar to Nicorette and even comes in a blue pack similar to the nicotine cessation gum pack) makes the claim that it can help a consumer quit smoking in 30 days. The ad says “Quit Smoking in 30 days or less.” The subtext reads, “The all natural solution to quit smoking in days. We Guarantee it or Your Money Back.” These are a grossly misleading claims made by these manufacturers because the FDA has not approved e-cigs as nicotine cessation device.

The data so far on the use of e-cigs as a cessation device is also contradictory. While there is some evidence to suggest that e-cigs can help a small percentage of adult smokers quit, studies have shown that in youth it encourages dual use of conventional cigarettes and e-cigs. Leading manufacturers of traditional tobacco products may seek to encourage dual use in which the vapor product functions as a nicotine continuity product for use in places where smoking is forbidden.

Alternative – img21080

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Electronic Cigarette (eCig) companies are aware that the desire to cut down or quit tobacco smoking motivates a large fraction of their customers. As a cessation tool, eCigs appear to be marginally better than patches and other quitting methods, but still have limited effectiveness of less than 10%.1 A recent Lancet study found that 7.3% of tobacco users quit smoking on eCigs compared with 5.8% with nicotine patches. 2A cross sectional population study also showed superiority of eCigs over other forms of nicotine replacement. By contrast, a study from UCSF study showed no cessation effectiveness for eCigs.3

The FDA does not permit eCig companies to market their products as a smoking cessation device until the product is proven as “safe and effective,” much like nicotine patches that make such therapeutic claims. Nevertheless, eCig brands falsely advertise as smoking cessation aids. An eCig vapor juice company marketed from China even falsely bears the FDA label.

Companies skirt the edges of these limits with slogans that are proxies for quitting such as “smoking alternative,” “switch,” “change,” “it works!”, “kiss tobacco goodbye,” and “kick some ash.” A number of brand names imply that eCigs are an alternative to combustible tobacco product. Examples range from the more direct AlternaCig and AltStick to the less obvious Smokeless Image, which suggests that it is a smokeless replica of a traditional cigarette.

Some eCig companies also use slogans that emphasize the their product is a “healthier” alternative to smoking. Smoke Stik, which brands itself as an “alternative to smoking” advertises itself as a “clean alternative to traditional cigarette smoking.” eCig Wizard suggests its an alternative by using the slogan, “fresh start.”

It must be brought to people’s notice that eCig company claims of being “healthy”, “safe” or an “effective cessation tool” are disingenuous and have not been proved by scientific rigor. Deeming regulations proposed by the FDA in the early part of 2014 will regulate overt and implied claims made by eCig companies “reduced risk” of their product. Unfortunately, it is expected that eCig companies much like tobacco companies have for over a century will find new and creative ways to circumvent these regulations and continue to market their product as healthy and safe.

1. Bullen C, Howe C, Laugesen M, et al. Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation: A randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2013;382(9905):1629-37. PMID:24029165

2. Brown J, Beard E, Kotz D, Michie S, West R. Real-world effectiveness of e-cigarettes when used to aid smoking cessation: a cross-sectional population study. Addiction. 2014. PMID: 24846453

3. Grana RA, Popova L, Ling PM. A longitudinal analysis of electronic cigarette use and smoking cessation. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(5):812-3. PMID:24664434

Kicks Butt – img23459

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Electronic Cigarette (e-cig) companies are aware that the desire to cut down or quit tobacco smoking motivates a large fraction of their customers. However, e-cig companies are not permitted to market their products as a smoking cessation device until the product is proven as “safe and effective,” much like nicotine patches that make such therapeutic claims.

As a result, companies skirt the edges of these limits with slogans and imagery that are proxies for quitting such as images of broken cigarettes, consumers kicking their cigarette and the accompanying addiction, and through slogans such as “kiss tobacco goodbye,” and “kick some ash.”

As a cessation tool, e-cigs appear to be marginally better than patches and other quitting methods, but still have limited effectiveness of less than 10%.1 A recent Lancet study found that 7.3% of tobacco users quit smoking on e-cigs compared with 5.8% with nicotine patches. 2

Light, Mild & Fresh – img18345

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Much like tobacco companies in the past electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are using descriptors such as “light,” “mild” and “fresh” to reassure smokers concerned about the health risks of smoking that the electronic device is a healthy and safe alternative. This was a marketing strategy successfully employed by the tobacco companies from the 1950s till 2010 (when a law prohibited the use of light, mild, low descriptors) to prevent tobacco cessation.

Although scientific studies have demonstrated no health benefit in switching to low-tar cigarettes (e.g., light, low, mild cigarettes) many smokers continue to believe that these products are better for their health. However, what most smokers do not realize is that they change they subconsciously change their smoking behavior in order to get the same “target” nicotine level. 1 Other studies show that use of low-tar cigarettes actually delays cessation efforts. 2

Examples of e-cig companies that use reassuring descriptors and brand names include E-Lites, Go-Lites, Vapourlites, EZlite and mild e-vaporizer. In addition to these reassuring brand names, e-cig companies also use visual images containing symbols of health, pleasure and social desirability to promote the image of the electronic device being a healthy and safe alternative to smoking. For instance, an ad for E-Lites is of the image of a fit man climbing a mountain. The tagline accompanying the ad is “ Self Belief. It’s powerful and in the right hands it can lead to amazing things.” An another ad for the company is of a person jumping off a steep cliff. The accompanying text reads, “Self Belief. It’s a powerful thing. You need it to climb Mount Kilimanjaro….. You need it to try something revolutionary. Like switching from tobacco to E-lites.

In addition to words and positive images, pack colors have also been shown to communicate concepts of freshness, and lightness to consumers with white, silver or light blue on cigarette packs signifying a lighter and, therefore, safer cigarettes.3 Many e-cig companies including Go-Lites and Fresh smoke employ blue and white packs respectively.

1. Shopland D R, Burns D M, Benowitz N L, Amacher R H. eds. Risks associated with smoking cigarettes with low machine‐measured yields of tar and nicotine (Smoking and Health Monograph 13). Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute, 2001.
2. Tindle H A, Rigotti N A, Davis R B. et al Cessation among smokers of “light” cigarettes: results from the 2000 national health interview survey. Am J Public Health 2006. 961498–1504.1504
3. 24. Wakefield M, Morley C, Horan J K. et al The cigarette pack as image: new evidence from tobacco industry documents. Tob Control 2002. 11(Suppl 1)I73–I80.I80

No Toxins – img18364

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E-cig companies frequently use positive imagery and slogans that shift the attention away from the negatives of smoking. All the ads under this theme promote the benefits of vaping an e-cigarette (e-cig) including claims of no toxins in the exhaled vapor.

An ad for Nicocure promotes the product as “smoking without the side effects.” An ad for e_Health cigarettes promotes a list of positives of vaping an e-cig including, “No Burning. No Tar. No Cancerous Substances. No Ashtrays. No Horrible Smells, No Air Pollution.” An for Tru Smoke e-cigs asks consumers to “enjoy the look, feel and pleasure of smoking without the harmful effects of tobacco.”

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. Examples of this include Tru Smoke, Clean Smoke, AiR and Clearette. All these brands communicate to potential smokers that they are a healthful and intelligent choice.

Pure & Clean – img18403

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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 “Pure” in their ad brand names (e.g. Pure, Pure Smoke, Clean Smoke, Purity, and Puro). The choice of the brand names also extends to these companies' efforts to ease any health concerns of worried smokers. In this case it is clear that the brand name is intended to convey to potential users that the product is pure and therefore healthy and safe to use.

The color palette of the e-cig box as well as the ad is also used to communicate a message to consumers. Consumer perception studies have shown that consumers understand lighter colors such as white, silver or light blue on cigarette packs to signify safer cigarettes. Similarly, the blue color palette is often used to signify freshness and purity.

E-cig companies frequently use positive imagery and slogans that shift the attention away from the negatives of smoking. For example, an ad for Pure Smokeless contains the image of a wave of water accompanied by the following text, “smooth tasting vapor cigarettes.” The ad is intended to convey to consumers that the product is as safe as water. By advertising their product as “pure” and “containing no additives,” these brands are positioning themselves as a “healthy” alternative.

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.

Reassuring Names – img18498

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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. Tru, intellicig, smart e-cigarette, Pure, and Pure Smokeless). The choice of the brand names also extends to tobacco companies' efforts to ease the health concerns of worried smokers. This includes using names that promote the purity of the product as well as applauding the intelligence of the consumer for choosing the digital product over a conventional combustible cigarette.

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.” An ad for Vaposs e-cig has the image of a money smoking a combustible cigarette and a macho man smoking a cigarette. An ad for Pure Smokeless contains the image of a wave of water accompanied by the following text, “smooth tasting vapor cigarettes.” The brand names and messages are intended to convey to consumers that they can depend and trust the brand.

Berries – img17681

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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

Spices & Nuts – img17705

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

The most commonly advertised spices in e-cig ads include clove, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and gingseng. Vapor juices are also available in almond, pecan, and hazelnut flavors. Many of the ads seem to be photostock images of spices and nuts to which the image of a bottle of vapor juice has been added. The flavors promoted also include some sweet dessert flavors. For instance, Kali’s Coconut Burfi, which combines coconuts, cardamom and cinnamon, is an extremely popular dessert in India that is often made during the festival season. Similarly, Rama’s Ras Malai, a combination of rose petals, almond and milk, is a very popular dessert in India.

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 widespread use of flavored e-cigs by teens have some public health advocates calling it the “Trojan horse” of nicotine addiction.

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-ecigarette-use.html

Meat & Pizza – img20782

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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 including pizza, bacon and meat.

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. 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. 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.

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. 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

Tobacco – img24489

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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

Oscars, Emmys, MTV – img17766

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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 ysteryear 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

Romance – img17794

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Romance and electronic cigarettes? This is precisely what e-cig brands are promoting in many of their advertisements. Many ads under this theme work e-cigs into the everyday lives of couples, seemingly bringing couples closer together or enhancing their sexual connection.

A video ad for Blu Cigs, which featured celebrity Jenny McCarthy vaping at a lounge, has her telling the audience that now that she switched to e-cigs to improve her dating life. The ad has Jenny dramatically point out that smoking was a big turnoff for men and she hated having to “interrupt” her dates to have to go outside to catch a smoke. If the ad is to be believed, switching to e-cigs completely revitalized Jenny’s love life.”

Many of the ads in this category target women, capitalizing on the stereotypical female desire to find a husband or be taken care of by a man. Some of the ads also dispel the fear of women, who may have been concerned about the yellowed teeth and bad breath from the use of conventional tobacco products, by suggesting that they are “kissable.” These ads and the slogan are very reminiscent of the Old Gold's “Keep Kissable” campaign.

Some of these ads are also effective for men, who would imagine, after seeing one of the ads, that a woman sensuously falls into a man's arms with just the whiff of a cigarette or the mingling of fumes.

Socializing – img17800

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As the dangers of smoking become too hard to ignore and the manipulative ways of the tobacco industry come to light, electronic cigarettes (e-cigs), which contain no tobacco and produce no second hand smoke, are on the verge of becoming the new norm. They are being positioned as the best, socially acceptable, smoking alternative for someone addicted to nicotine.

To promote the social acceptability of e-cigs, advertisements under this theme allude to the freedom to vape an e-cig anywhere without guilt or fear of health consequences. A Veppo Social ad shows two couples having a good time at a club with their e-cig. Veppo e-cig claims its product helps keep the consumer “ in the conversation, inside and in the moment.” An ad for Fin has an image of empty bar stools at a diner with the caption “Welcome Back.” The ad is a clear call to smokers that it is acceptable to vape an e-cig indoors. An ad for Blu vapor lounge shows a number of teens having fun at a Blu sponsored musical event. Some e-cig retailers have even created green “e-cig smoking” okay signs to be displayed in public areas and indoor spaces to indicate to consumers that it is acceptable to vape in that particular area.

Some of the ads under this theme also have images of consumers vaping in front of young children. For instance an ad for Regal e-cigs shows a father with a beer in one hand and an e-cig in another toasting his son during a family brunch. The text of the ad reads, “Find out how James can Smoke Anywhere. Learn More.” An ad for Flavor Vapes, which is inspired by Mad Men and the style of the 1960s, has a woman blowing e-cig vapor into a baby carriage and an ad for Eversmoke contains the image of a woman vaping in front of two young children. The headline of the ad reads, “The Better Smoking Choice. Keep Yourself and Family Healthy.” The images of individuals vaping in front of young children is intended to send a clear signal to consumers about the “guilt-free” nature of the product as well as showcase the absence of second hand smoke with its attendant ill effects. The use of children in e-cig ads is also not surprising. In the 1940s, it was a common ploy used by the cigarette industry to reaffirm the respectability of the product and send a reassuring message to consumers. This time too, it is no different.

For young non-smokers as well as social smokers, e-cigs are also positioned as socially attractive devices. Blu e-cigs recently launched a “smart pack” that alerts users of Blu to others users of the e-cig within 50 meters. The reusable packs, which serve as a charger for the cigarettes, can be set to exchange information about their owners, like contact information on social networking sites, that can be downloaded onto personal computers. The e-cig pack is a new age way to promote social smoking in an era of social networking.

Father's Day – img22636

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The electronic cigarette (e-cig) industry has taken every opportunity to associate itself with holidays and cultural symbols, which bring to mind happy times and celebration. Cherished patriotic and cultural icons can be found in a number of e-cig ads. Among the innumerable examples are George Washington, Mt. Rushmore, British royalty, the US flag, the Statue of Liberty, soldiers, astronauts, Santa Claus, and even the beloved family pet.

Events such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all promoted through discounts and contests. An ad by Green Smoke for Valentine’s Day has an e-cig positioned behind chocolate dipped strawberries. The slogan for the ad reads, “Give your Lover The Valentine’s Day Gift of a Lifetime.” Many ads celebrating Father’s Day and Mother’s Day contain messages of the healthfulness of the product and seek to encourage users to switch from traditional cigarettes to the electronic device. An NJOY ad, timed for Father's Day, contains the image of a father and son sitting beside each other on a paddleboat. The text of the ad read “some traditions shouldn't be passed down. Switch today.”

Our collection also includes several advertisements of Santa Claus enjoying an e-cig. E-cigs have also been displayed as stocking stuffers, Christmas ornaments, and as reindeers.

Valentine's Day – img22715

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The electronic cigarette (e-cig) industry has taken every opportunity to associate itself with holidays and cultural symbols, which bring to mind happy times and celebration. Cherished patriotic and cultural icons can be found in a number of e-cig ads. Among the innumerable examples are George Washington, Mt. Rushmore, British royalty, the US flag, the Statue of Liberty, soldiers, astronauts, Santa Claus, and even the beloved family pet.

Events such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all promoted through discounts and contests. An ad by Green Smoke for Valentine’s Day has an e-cig positioned behind chocolate dipped strawberries. The slogan for the ad reads, “Give your Lover The Valentine’s Day Gift of a Lifetime.” Many ads celebrating Father’s Day and Mother’s Day contain messages of the healthfulness of the product and seek to encourage users to switch from traditional cigarettes to the electronic device. An NJOY ad, timed for Father's Day, contains the image of a father and son sitting beside each other on a paddleboat. The text of the ad read “some traditions shouldn't be passed down. Switch today.”

Our collection also includes several advertisements of Santa Claus enjoying an e-cig. E-cigs have also been displayed as stocking stuffers, Christmas ornaments, and as reindeers.

Digital Names – img19533

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A strong brand name is invaluable in marketing a product and creating trust among the intended target audience. Most brands carefully choose brand names and logos that speak to their strength, as well as provide the company a competitive edge.

Many electronic Cigarette (e-cig) manufacturers have digital names not only to differentiate themselves from combustible cigarette products but to serve as a reminder that they are less harmful and more sophisticated technology. By marketing e-cig as the hot new gadget with innovative technology, e-cig companies have a strategy that goes beyond the usual freedom and health claim. This sub-theme of e-cig commercials is focused on e-cig companies using high-tech/digital culture as inspiration in naming their products and companies in order to reach this market and use this marketing angle. For instance, the e-cig brand name “Tesla” subliminally communicates the message that like the environmentally friendly, “zero emission car,” the vapor from the Tesla e-cig is safe. The brand names DigiCig, Magnum Volt and Innovapetion are a reminder individuals of the high-tech nature of the e-cig and the innovativeness of the product. Some of these attempts to imitate the tech industry are more obvious, such as the iSmok electronic cigarette, a product/company name clearly intended to evoke the popular Apple products. Another blatant example is an accessory named the “Tesla” sold by the company iVape (which, in itself, is another imitation of the “i” Apple product line). There are many “2.0” references, with “Smoking 2.0” a common motif amongst these product/company names, as they intend to evoke an advancement, or an innovation, in order to position their e-cig as that advancement. The brand names are supported by advertising images of e-cigs with variable voltage batteries, chargers and blue-tooth compatibility.

Accessories – img19697

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The Electronic cigarette (e-cig) industry has spawned a lucrative e-cig accessories market. Like most other fashion accessories, e-cig brands and retailers, promote the accessories as an opportunity for individuals to emphasize their personal taste and freedom. Accessories being sold include carriers for e-cigs including handbags, pouches, and lanyards; crystals stickers for the metallic body of the e-cig; removable wrapper covers in a range of designs from the ever popular Hello Kitty to the more obscure image of multi-colored Geckos; and decorative drip tips for Advanced Personalized Vapor devices.

Some e-cig companies such as Vapor Couture and White Cloud sell a number of branded accessories including crystal tips, lanyards, handbags, and even promote them as “necessary,” “everyday” fashion items through online boards such as Pinterest. In promotions, targeted specifically to women through Facebook and Pinterest, the two brands have even created a fashion board that puts together different kinds of dresses, shoes, and of course e-cig accessories and e-cigs.

While many companies sell an array of e-cig accessories, Vapor Jacket exclusively markets adhesive-backed e-cig wrappers. The site provides instructions to users on how they can use the product. Wrapper themes range from religious to sexy to plain.

Feminine Glamour – img18673

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There are an enormous variety of female images in electronic cigarette (e-cig) advertising, ranging from pictures of a frumpily dressed older woman, to macho women on powerful machines, to thoroughly sexualized and eroticized depictions. These ads target women who envy the advertised image and aspire to be that person and they also target men who want to be with the women in the advertisements.

As often seen with the female form in ads, the images of women in many of the e-cig ads are of highly idealized body forms. These women are tall and thin with flawless skin and a perfect body that most women envy. In an ad for NutriCigs slim, a skinny woman showcasing her perfectly flat belly rests on the beach. The text of the ad reads, “Eat Less and Satisfy your Cravings.”

In some of these ads the female form is broken down to focus on a specific “perfect” body part. In ads for e-cigs the most common body part focused on are the lips. In many of these ads the lips are clearly defined with brightly colored lipstick that serves to bring into sharper focus the vapor that surrounds the lips. An ad for Hookah Portable focuses on a glittery jewel crusted lip of a woman who is seen vaping. To show the woman as one belonging to elite society, she is seen wearing a white glove. The image in a Vype Vapor ad is of dark red lips and a small stream of vapor. The woman in the ad transmits sensuality and desire. The message is very clear: if you want to be sensuous like that woman, all you have to do is buy the e-cig. It is not only ads but also packaging that focus on a woman’s lips as her most desirable attribute. One of the packs for Alchemy e-cigs has the image of red lips blowing out vapor.

There are also frequent images of female body parts such as the hands, legs or awkwardly attached body parts. An ad for Sky cigarette focuses primarily on the hands of a woman holding the e-cig, her face has been cut-off the ad. The ad seems to imply that what truly matters about the woman is the e-cig in her hand. In a Fin ad, a woman stands on a beach near an old two-seater glider. One of her hands is holding an e-cig while her other arm seems oddly disconnected from the body.

Of course, there are several sexualized and erotic images of women. An ad for PhatomSmoke has a woman suggestively sitting in the bathtub with the e-hookah between her teeth. Her lingerie is carelessly tossed on the rim of the bathtub. An ad for Krave e-cigs has a woman dressed in a bodysuit sitting on a side of a sofa her legs slightly apart as she gazes towards the viewer.

To appeal to women, many of the e-cigs are produced in pastel colors. For instance, Njoy, Vapor Couture, Bloog, V2Cigs, Lady and Super Cigarette are all available in shades of pink. Vapor Couture offers jewel tipped e-cigs especially made for women. To gain the trust and respect of consumers who have increasingly grown to view the tobacco industry as deceptive and lethal, the e-cig industry has supported charitable institutions and issues that are of importance to women. For instance, SouthBeach Smoke as well as Eversmoke donated funds for breast cancer awareness. However, corporate social responsibility sponsorships from e-cig manufacturers to improve public perception ring hollow especially as they e-cig manufacturers use manipulative techniques and misleading claims to lure consumers.

Macho Men – img18713

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The use of macho men in advertisements has been a successful strategy used by the tobacco industry to capture the male market. In fact till date, the idea of rugged masculinity brings to mind the “Marlboro Man.” The concept of the Marlboro Man was introduced by Philip Morris, the manufacture of the filtered brand of cigarettes, in an attempt to change brand perception that filtered cigarettes were meant only for “sissies.” The ad was so well received that the relationship between masculinity and smoking quickly caught on national conscience. The concept was successfully used in the United States from 1954 to 1999 and in developing countries for even longer.

Leading electronic cigarette (e-cig) manufacturer Blu has recreated the machismo of the “Marlboro Man” in its advertisements featuring actor Stephen Dorff. Much like the campaign that it is inspired by, the ads seem to project and celebrate the success of a mature, rugged person, who worked hard for his success. In these ads, Stephen Dorff espouses themes of freedom, independence, success and adventure; concepts that are very appealing to men. In one of the ads, Stephen Dorff asks other men to “Rise from the Ashes.” “After 20 years of smoking, I’ve taken back my freedom…. C’mon guys, we’re all adults. Isn’t it time to rise from the ashes,” he asks?

An ad for V2 Cigs has the image of a cowboy riding the desert alone in his motorbike. Bull Smoke e-cig’s website has the image of a cattle rancher kicking up a dust storm as he gallops along the dry desert, with a rifle in his hand. While the rancher does not have an e-cig in his mouth, it is patently obvious that the brand is being marketed to rugged, masculine men.

In most advertisements featuring macho men, the size of the vapor plume from the e-cig seems to be central to some of the ads but women occupy a secondary position if at all they appear in the ad.

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.