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.
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Deities – img23394
Vitamin Rich – img22030
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 – img16992
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.
Revolution – img17010
Revolution is another variation of the freedom-based theme used by electronic cigarette (e-cig) manufacturers to target consumers. Ads utilizing this theme occupy a relatively minor position in the oeuvre of freedom based slogans and ads produced by e-cig brands. Nonetheless, they are significant because like most freedom based messages they call to mind American culture’s strong belief in freedom of choice, freedom from suppression, and freedom from conformity.
Given its hold on the American psyche, freedom and revolution themes slogans has been used as a powerful marketing tool to hawk products as diverse as cars with Chevrolet’s “American Revolution” campaign to airplane tickets for Southwest Airlines, which calls itself “A Symbol of Freedom and the freedom to “Just Do it” with Nike products.
Some e-cig brands with reassuring names that emphasize this theme including Revolution e-cigarettes, which urges the public to join the “vapor revolution,” to Smoke Revolt, and Revolution Vapor. Alternative brand names that promote the revolution message include Rebel, Victory and Triumph.
Patriotism – img21763
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.
Freedom Health Consequences – img22458
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 Social Stigma – img22483
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.
Fin, a leading brand of e-cigs, targets its advertisements towards smokers who are “tired of being ostracized” with the pitch, “Rewrite the Rules.” The advertising campaign, which includes images of a woman smoking inside a dinner and near a gas tank, pitches the message that it is “O.K. to smoke (vape) again.
Other e-cig brands are not as subtle in pitching the same message to their intended target audience. An ad for Breathe Fresh e-cig brand shows the image of a loving couple in a warm embrace accompanied by the tagline, “the only way to smoke socially.” The brand Wink says that their product is “all flavor, no guilt.”
Celebrity endorser Jenny McCarthy, promoting Blu e-cigs in a television and online ad, says her e-cigs points out that since she switched to e-cigs, she is the envy of every smoker at a party. She also adds that she no longer has to step out to smoke and continue to have a conversation with her date while using her e-cig.
While e-cigs can promise many kinds of freedoms to users, the one freedom that they cannot offer is the freedom from addiction.
Freedom Lifestyle – img22510
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
Doctors & Nurses – img17165
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.
Breathe Easier – img17186
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 – img17231
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 – img17239
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.
Long Life – img17320
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 – img21850
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
Quit – img18098
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 – img18112
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
Brand Names – img18125
This theme features advertisements for electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) from brands with reassuring names. These brands seek to subliminally suggest healthfulness of the e-cig in comparison to traditional cigarettes through their brand names. Subliminal messaging is a deliberate process created by companies, whereby individuals receive and respond to information and instructions without being aware of it.
E-cig companies are well aware that intention to quit smoking combustible cigarettes motivates many individuals to try their products. As a result, many e-cig brands are named to suggest cessation effectiveness. For instance, the brand “Fin.” Fin is French for “the end.” The brand name “Nicocure” seems to imply that it is a cure for nicotine addiction. An ad for the brand says “If we can do it. You can do it. Quit smoking in 30 days or less.” The claim of cessation effectiveness is clearly misleading and a violation of FDA regulation. The attempt to mislead consumers is especially disturbing as other published promotional materials from the company make it quite clear that by vaping this brand, individuals can still get the “nicotine you crave.”
The Smokeless brand has obvious implications beyond its device making less smoke as do the brands Smoke Relief, Smokepass, and Smoke Assist. Advertising and promotional materials for Smokepass, which brands itself as the “freshest smoking experience,” highlight statement that its e-cig is free of “tar, carbon monoxide, and other chemicals found in traditional cigarettes.” The ambiguous meaning of the brand name Quitesmoke, which can be read as either quite-smoke or quit-esmoke, makes one wish they would cease trying to be so slick.
Kicks Butt – img23461
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
It Works – img31144
Light, Mild & Fresh – img18347
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 – img18366
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 – img18405
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 – img18466
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 – img18500
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 – img17683
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 – img17707
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
Tobacco – img18602
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
Meat & Pizza – img20780
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
Socializing – img17802
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.
Romance – img22340
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.
Mother's Day – img22633
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 – img22717
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 – img19534
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 – img19699
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 – img18675
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 – img18715
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.
Games – img23310
As the Internet becomes the primary source of information and entertainment to most adolescents, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies are cleverly exploiting their online presence to appeal to teen consumers. Aside from their websites, the majority of e-cig companies are also heavily invested in social media sites that allow them to interact with potential consumers, create brand evangelists, and shape consumers views of their brands.
White Cloud Cigarettes, a leading brand, leads the way in consumer engagement for brand promotion as well as consumer engagement. One of the unique ways in which White Cloud Cigarettes promotes its product is through a free online game, that is highly engaging and interactive.
The game, which is heavily promoted in the brands ads as well as social media posts, is called “Fling A Friend.” It comprises of two characters- a large strongman and a smaller diminutive person. A person gains points that can be used towards a free e-cig, discounts, or merchandise by having the strongman “fling” the smaller person as far as possible. The animation is very cartoon-like, imitating a Saturday morning television show.
While White Cloud contends that its game is aimed at adults, specifically office workers seeking a “mental break”, one has to note that video games almost defines today’s teenager. A study by Pew Research and Internet Project noted that 97 percent of American teenagers play video games, and of those, 73 percent of them play video games on their computers and online. (1) With so many teenagers playing video games, it becomes apparent that White Cloud’s advertisement heavily targets young people.
1. Pew Research and Internet Project. Teens Video Games and civics. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2008/09/16/teens-video-games-and-civics/ on August 29,2014.
Age Verification – img23319
While it is very hard for youth to buy a combustible tobacco product from stores or online because of stringent regulation, the same cannot be said of their access to electronic cigarettes (e-cigs). While no national regulation as yet exists that regulates e-cig sales to minors (the Food and Drug Administration proposed minimum age limits in April 2014 deeming regulations), many states have imposed state laws that prohibit the sale of e-cigs to minors.
However, e-cig companies continue to target youth by following the regulation in letter and not in spirit. Most e-cig brand websites flash age verification pop-ups as a barrier to the site. But the process is farcical and extremely easy to bypass. For many brand sites, getting this “adult-only” product is literally as easy as a click of a button. Some age verifications simply ask the user to choose between an “Enter” and “Exit’ button while others ask that the user enter a birth date before entering. For instance, Green Smart Living has an age verification pop up with the two buttons for enter and exit. However, the age restriction for the site is written in much smaller letters at the bottom of the pop-up window. Most consumers will miss the fact that the product is intended only for adults. That by entering the website, the user certifies that he/she is of legal age to buy e-cigs in the state that they live in.
The two brands that have the most stringent restrictions to access their site and buy their products are MarkTen and Vuse, both of which are subsidiaries of large tobacco companies- Altria and RJ Reynolds respectively. To access these companies websites, individuals have to provide their social security number and verify questions that confirm age and address authenticity. One of the reasons for such stringency maybe that the e-cig brands of these leading tobacco companies want to portray themselves as responsible market leaders and thereby distance themselves from any blame that could have been assigned to them because of their manufacturers tarnished reputation. It could also be simply a ploy for e-cig brands to collect useful demographic information about their customers.
Targeting Teens – img25695
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.
Vape Goddess – img18758
Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.
< Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.
In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pintrest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pintrest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.
Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.
Vapor Couture – img18765
Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating a distinct market pool for women. Vapor Couture is one of two e-cig brands operated and managed by VMR Products. Unlike the marketing of its sister brand, V2 Cigs, Vapor Couture exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity.
In it product design, advertising and marketing, Vapor Couture follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender, with a crystal tip, and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case. Additionally, Vapor Couture advertisements attempt to epitomize a woman-only product by emphasizing fashion, accessories, and makeup – all adorned in hot pink, royal purple, and crystal backgrounds. The e-cigs themselves and come in atypical flavor names such as “Bomb Shell” and “Rodeo Drive”. As is well known, “Bomb shell” is a term used to describe attractive women and Rodeo Drive is known as the embodiment of the glam, high-fashion lifestyle in Beverly Hills, California.
Ads for Vapor Couture often feature images of independent and successful women. The ads are accompanied by catchy slogans such as, “Womanly Vaping Experience” and “Made for Women” or “ Your Life. Your Style” and “What’s Your Style?” The slogans suggest the empowerment of women as well as feminine individuality. Vapor Couture’s marketing obviously tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Vapor Couture, its e-cigs serve as a chic fashion accessory.
Vaping Vamps – img18833
Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.
Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.
In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.
Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.
Lady – img18851
Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.
Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.
In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.
Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.
Vapor Girl – img18858
Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.
Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, brands names such as Vape Goddess, Vaping Vamps, She Vapes, and Lady all speak to specific images of women. The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman.
In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.
Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure.
Luli – img18869
Like most consumer products, many electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies create products and advertisements specifically targeted to women. Many of these ads follow stereotypes associated with gender targeted ads and are either overly feminine (in shades of pink or with floral designs) or target insecurities.
Even in their brand names, these brands target women by speaking to their desires. For instance, the brand Vogue, brands it as “new lifestyle.” The e-cig devices for most brands under this category are available in pastel colors such as pink and peach. The slim design, very reminiscent of the slim cigarettes of popular women cigarette brands such as Virginia Slims and Max, are crystal tipped to appeal to the modern woman. An ad for Luli e-cigs has the image of the product on a vanity table by the side of an elegant and beautiful tiara made of pearls and in front of a vintage bottle of perfume. The presence of the product on the vanity case is intended to convey that it is just another element in making you look and feel beautiful.
In addition to creating sleekly designed devices, many brands have also created a whole line of fashionable accessories from e-cig lanyards to e-cig handbags. Cottien, which brands itself as the “most feminine electronic cigarette in the world,” has an artistic rendition of a fashion model on each device. Through blogs, Pinterest boards and Facebook posts, these e-cig companies reach out to women, including adolescent girls, and provide them with tips on how to be stylish and trendy. For instance, Pinterest board for Vapor Couture teaches women how to coordinate their dress with Vapor Couture accessories. The board for Cottien has images of pink frosted cupcakes and girly, floral, sneakers as must-have items for this summer.
Many of the e-cig brands through their descriptors, ads, and messages on social media boards also provide a subliminal message that vaping their brand will result in the smoker obtaining or maintaining a slim figure. An ad for Luli disposable e-cigs contains the image of the product along with the call out, “new improved formula, brand new design.” The ad is intended to encourage women to believe that a product was redesigned to better suit their needs.
Cottien – img30957
Unsurprisingly, electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have followed in the footsteps of the combustible tobacco industry by creating products targeted solely at women. Cottien is one such e-cig brand. The brand exclusively targets women and markets its product via glamour and femininity. In fact, the brand’s tagline reads,
“The Most Feminine E-Cigarettes In the World.”
The branding and marketing of Cottien is very similar to the marketing of a high-end retailer. The homepage for the website consists of a photograph four fun loving women obviously enjoying themselves on a day of shopping. The entire homepage is tinted pink to reinforce the fact that the product is intended only for women. To further the illusion of the e-cig as a fashion accessory, the website as well as the e-cigs themselves contain a figure drawing of a stylish woman in pink. Again the illustration is strikingly similar to the sketch that fashion designers use to illustrate their ideas.
In its product design, advertising and marketing, Cottien follows in the footsteps of Virginia Slims and Camel 9. The product is slender and is often packaged in a sleek box that resembles a make-up accessory rather than a traditional cigarette case.
Ads for Cottien are in shades of pink and purple and accompanied by either the illustrations of fashionable models or beautiful flowers. It is obvious that in its marketing, it tries to play off of a certain desired woman’s figure and social image. For Cottien, its e-cigs are to be seen as a chic fashion accessory essential to a fashionable woman.
African Americans & Multiracial – img17947
The tobacco industry has a long history of targeting the African-American community. It has successfully marketed its product to African-Americans through market research, aggressive advertising with special products, imagery and themes, and sampling.
The “industry’s investment” in the community has led to this population suffering the greatest burden of tobacco related mortality of any ethnic or racial group in the United States. 1
While electronic cigarette (e-cig) companies have not yet developed specific campaigns targeting this population, there are a number of ads that feature African-Americans. In many of these ads, African-Americans are shown as successful individuals and leaders.
The ads also feature critical moments in the history of America. For instance, an ad for Fin, is of an empty diner that 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. The slogan accompanying the ad says, “Welcome Back?” An ad for Green Smoke contains the image of Martin Luther King as he prepared to give his famous, “I have a Dream” speech.
Another way that e-cigs are following in the step of combustible tobacco companies in targeting African Americans is through the sales and promotion of mentholated products. Almost all the major e-cig companies offer mentholated cartridges and vape juices.
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority Groups — African Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics: A Report of the Surgeon General. 1998.
Eco-Friendly – img18076
At a time when everyone’s mantra is to “go green,” it is no surprise to see the e-cigarette industry’s marketing machine clamor to announce that its products are environmentally conscious and much better for an individual’s health and the environment than conventional cigarette products.
First, most e-cigs companies point to the fact that since their products do not produce any smoke but only emit a vapor, it is less polluting than conventional tobacco products. For instance, Green Smoke says it “aspires to create a greener planet” by offering a cigarette that has no second-hand smoke, no ash and no risk of fire.” SouthBeach Smoke also equates the healthier, i.e. no carcinogens and no smoke aspect of e-cigs to being a more eco-friendly product.
To promote the image of being an earth-friendly product, e-cigarettes are appropriately branded with subliminal brand names such as Green Smoke, Eco-Cigs, Ever Smoke, EverGreen Vapor, Enviro, and Green Nicotine. Many of the ads for these products also use terms such as “additive-free,” “organic” and “eco-friendly” to imply that the ingredients are “pure” and not harmful to the individual or the environment. For instance, Green Nicotine e-cig manufacturer’s claim to being environmentally friendly comes from the fact that its manufacturing processes uses green techniques by restricting the use of “hazardous materials” and incorporating “pure” materials. However, it is important to note that since e-cigs are unregulated, there is no standard definition of the purity of nicotine or flavoring ingredients used in these products.
To further suggest, the green nature of the product, the packaging is plastered with green leaf symbols and shades of green predominate the advertisement and e-cig package. In a Green Smoke advertisement, a woman with apple green colored lips is seen holding an e-cigarette near her lips. The ad seems to suggest that the e-cig is as safe as a lipstick for a woman. In another ad for Green Smoke, a man is seen enjoying the freshness and pure air of a mountaintop with an e-cig between his lips. The text of the advertisement reads, “Enjoy your nicotine. No Lighter. No Fire. No Mess.” An advertisement for EverSmoke that showcases the company’s diverse products has the following text, “Healthy for You. Green for the Environment.” A Green Nicotine advertisement shows a single e-cig against the backdrop of a lush green moss lawn.
E-cig companies are also eager to make the point that since its products are mostly reusable they aren’t thrown away like traditional cigarette butts that pile up in landfills and pollute the environment. However, the eco-friendly nature of e-cigs warrants a closer investigation. E-cigs contain several plastic and metal components that need to be properly disposed. In addition to this, the nickel-cadmium or lithium batteries used in e-cigs need to be properly disposed in e-waste recycling bin instead of the general trash. While some e-cig manufacturers offer “recycling programs” to promote proper disposal of e-waste, it is unclear how many consumers take the time to invest in such programs. When e-cigs don’t get properly disposed they are as much a pollutant as traditional cigarettes.
Recycling – img23022
If you think about it, there is really nothing natural about an electronic cigarette (e-cig). The device contains plastic and metal and the nicotine used in the cartridges and vape juices is highly processed. Yet, many e-cigs companies market their devices as “natural” and “additive free.” The term “natural” is used in a positive manner and although the term is not related to “organic” there are studies to show that people imagine that natural products are regulated in a manner similar to organic products.
Electronic Cigarettes differ from traditional combustible cigarettes by material makeup. Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals in which about 50 of them are carcinogenic and 400 other toxic materials. Some of the well-known toxins are nicotine, tar, acetone, butane and carbon monoxide. None of which are earth friendly or recyclable. The actual materials that hold in these chemicals are composed of fibers that can be derived organically or manufactured. Examples include, clear cellulose, chalk, gum, starch, citrate, flax, rice hemp or cotton. It has been documented that cigarette butts make up 38% of the worlds litter and approximately 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are discarded each year.
Electronic cigarettes are comprised of completely different materials. A modern e-cig consists of a lithium battery, cartomizer, LED Lights, mouthpiece. Materials that make these elements are not environmentally friendly because of the non-compostable material makeup.
Road Shows – img19263
The electronic cigarette (eCig) industry has taken a multipronged approach to build consumers, including aggressive advertising, celebrity endorsements, and sampling through road shows. It is well documented that sampling is one of the most powerful devices used by manufacturers to get their product into the hands of hundreds of potential consumers in a place where there are most likely to try it.
Electronic cigarette brands including NJOY, South Beach Smoke, BeautiCig, Fin, and VitaCig have all used road shows in the past year to promote their product. According to a Senate Report that examined eCig marketing of the 6 leading brands, in 2012-2013, the brands provided free samples at 348 events. Apart from offering free samples at these road shows, the brands also provide information on their product and offer additional freebies and incentives.
While eCig companies claim that they do not target youth, from posts on social media sites, it is patently obvious that they are using sampling as a device to hook teenagers. Sexily dressed women and men are recruited by these brands to offer free samples at crowded places frequented by youth including beaches and parks. Some of the trucks are also designed to appeal to kids and youth. For instance, VitaCig’s “vape truck,” looks very similar to an ice cream truck. It is a relief that the Food and Drug Administration, which set out to regulate the eCig industry for the first time with its proposed regulations in April 2014. While eCig companies may no longer use road shows to offer samples of their products, it is not hard to imagine that they will continue to use it to attract youth.
Industry Magazines – img19320
Disclaimers – img23589
Some electronic cigarette (eCig) manufacturers have voluntarily added warning labels to product packages and advertising images. However, since the eCig industry is not yet mandated to include warning labels, there is a lack of uniformity in the warning labels, which could potentially be very confusing to consumers.
For instance, Mark Ten eCig, which is manufactured by Altria, has a black box warning label on eCig packages. A black box warning in pharmaceutical products is analogous to death. The warning label, describes nicotine as “very toxic.” In fact, it is surprising to note that the warning on the eCig product is more stringent than the government mandated warning label that Altria has on the package of its combustible tobacco product. The warning label on Green Smoke eCig website, a brand also owned by Altria, is far less threatening. It just states that nicotine is “addictive.”
Warning labels included by most eCig brands are generally mild. Eonsmoke’s warning is: “SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. NOT TO BE SOLD TO MINORS!” Blu eCig’s has already adopted the proposed warning label proposed by the FDA, which states, “WARNING: This product contains nicotine derived from tobacco. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.”
Warning labels were first required on cigarettes by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965, and the Tobacco Control Act expanded FDA’s authority to also prohibit false and misleading labeling and advertising for cigarettes, such as claims that a product reduces harm.
Creative eCigs – img18216
No Nicotine – img19808
Most electronic cigarettes (eCIgs) and vape juices are available in a variety of flavors in a range of nicotine strengths from 0 mg/ml to astoundingly high levels of 56 mg/ml. These e-liquids and eCigs are marketed online with bright and colorful images and dispensed in similarly colorful bottles. It is quite evident that these are designed to appeal to teens. The numerous sweet flavored varieties are also attractive to younger children.
Many of the brands which produce “nicotine-free” devices advertise themselves as an alternative to traditional combustible cigarettes as well as a cessation product. For instance, Novus, which brands itself as a tobacco free, nicotine free, all natural alternative to traditional cigarettes, promotes itself with the following tagline: “When you Crave a smoke….but not the nicotine… Novus twigs satisfy. Try the NOVUS System! A new approach to going “Cold Turkey.”
Other ads suggest that the nicotine-free devices are healthier than traditional combustible products. An ad for Phantom Smoke has a scantily dressed woman, sitting provocatively on a red wheelchair. The slogan accompanying the ad says, “No Nicotine No Tar No Tobacco.” Interestingly, the way in which the woman’s leg is positioned across the wheelchair also creates the word “NO.”
While the no-nicotine eCigs are healthier than traditional cigarettes or the nicotine containing eCigs, public health advocates are concerned that vaping these products could lead to youth initiation. In addition, a recent study found that even some of the solutions labeled “nicotine-free” contained trace amounts of the addictive substance.1
1. Goniewicz ML, Kuma T, Gawron M, Knysak J, Kosmider L (2012) Nicotine Levels in Electronic Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res Apr 22.
Nicotine – img20660
Electronic cigarettes, which are often advertised as an alternative to conventional cigarettes and sometimes advertised as a cessation product, are available in a variety of nicotine levels. Based on the nicotine level of the eCig, a single eCig can have as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. It is the highly addictive nature of nicotine that makes smokers crave another cigarette and keeps many from quitting.
The nicotine in eCigs is usually mixed with solvents such as propylene glycol and glycerin. To this base solution is added a number of sweetened flavorings such as peach schnapps, root beer, cotton candy, and chocolate to make the product more palatable to its consumers. The liquid nicotine is available to consumers as prefilled cartridges or small refill bottles (think of this in terms of printer ink refills).
Many ads for liquid nicotine highlight the pleasant fruity taste of the liquid. For instance, an ad for NicQuid contains the image of circle sliced up and each segment filled with lushly colored fruits and vegetables. Another ad for NicQuid contains no image of liquid nicotine solution. Instead the central image is of a glass of strawberry and peach smoothie and the title “Southern Freeze”. These images are obviously intended to subliminally convey the healthfulness of the product. An ad for NicVape contains the image of small bottles of liquid nicotine and fresh fruits slicing through the water. This image is very similar to ads used by the food industry to promote flavored waters and electrolytes. Again the image is used to connote the freshness of the product and its purity.
Bottles and cartridges of vape juice are usually labeled according to their nicotine content per milliliter. Products labeled as “extra strong/very high” contain 36mg of nicotine, “strong/high” contain 24 mg of nicotine, “regular/medium” contain 16 mg of nicotine, “light/ low” contains 11 mg of nicotine, “ultra light/very low” contains 8 mg of nicotine or “zero/no nicotine” if they are nicotine free.
While it is true that eCigs deliver nicotine with much lower levels of many of the toxins found in conventional cigarette products, since it is not yet regulated by the FDA the chemicals found in these products and the purity of the nicotine vary widely. Some recent studies have also found that there was a significant difference between the advertised and true levels of nicotine in the cartridges and refill solutions. A study1 also found traces of nicotine in products labeled as “no nicotine.” The lack of regulation and wrongly labeled products can mislead consumers looking to kick their smoking addiction by vaping eCigs.
References:
1. Goniewicz ML, Kuma T, Gawron M, Knysak J, Kosmider L (2012) Nicotine Levels in Electronic Cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res Apr 22.
Fin, Fin Branding, Inc. – img19946
White Cloud, Lead By Sales – img24943
NJOY, NJOY Inc. – img27604
Green Smoke, Nu Mark LLC – img24898
Blu, Imperial Tobacco – img27203
Vuse, R.J. Reynolds – img29898
Mark Ten, Altria – img33154
Skoal – img23609
Smokeless tobacco product use and promotions are on the rise in the United States. Several factors have contributed to the growth in the smokeless tobacco market including availability of flavors, attractive pricing and availability to use anywhere.1
Skoal, which is owned by US Smokeless Tobacco Co., is the third most popular smokeless tobacco product in the US with a market share of 19.8%. Skoal is available in several flavors apart from natural tobacco including mint, wintergreen, peach, vaniall, berry, apple, and cherry. Internal tobacco documents show that as early as 1968, Skoal representatives understood the appeal of flavors among adolescents. A meeting summary quotes a Skoal representative commenting on the addition of candy flavoring to skoal. “Cherry Skoal is for somebody who likes the taste of candy, if you know what I mean.” “Starter” products are the first step on the so-called “graduation” process from beginner-strength to stronger smokeless products.”2
Skoal ads commonly appealed to sociability, masculinity, and individuality. The ads were marketed towards males. Even when the ads included women, the female models were there to attract men. Examples of such ads include the 12 pages of advertising that Skoal purchased in Playboy that had scantily dressed female models lying on cans of skoal.
A content analysis of Skoal ads found that many of the ads emphasized pleasure and were targeted to young boys. These ads featured young men relaxing by a campfire or taking thrill rides on ATVs – themes and images likely to appeal to teenage boys. The message of these ads were that in order to have fun you need to chew skoal.2 The Skoal ads appeared in recent issues of publications popular among young men and teen boys, including Sports Illustrated, Car and Driver and Maxim.
1. Delnevo, Cristine D., et al. “Examining market trends in the United States smokeless tobacco use: 2005–2011.” Tobacco Control 23.2 (2014): 107-112.
Tobacco Free Kids.(1997) Tobacco-Free Kids Questions U.S. Tobacco Decision to Remove Skoal Name from Rock Concert Ads. Available at http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/press_releases/post/id_0105
Copenhagen – ing23678
Copenhagen is a brand of smokeless tobacco owned by Altria. Similar to other brands of chewing tobacco, advertisements for Copenhagen are primarily aimed at rugged, outdoorsy men and young boys. The ads feature rural and outdoor settings, men in cowboy hats, or macho men taking on tough tasks. An example includes a Copenhagen ad featuring an image of a cowboy working in the rain. “Some men never compromise. They Cope.” Another ad features the rough hands of a man dipping into a can of Copenhagen. The text reads, “”Real men know you don't just count the years, but make the years count.”
Grizzly – ing23667
In 2015, 25.3% of high school students reported current use of any tobacco product and 6% reported use of smokeless tobacco. Among middle school students, 7.4% reported use of any tobacco product and 1.8% reported use of a smokeless tobacco.1
Grizzly, owned by Reynolds American Inc, has the largest market share of moist smokeless brands.2 It is the most popular brand of moist snuff among adolescents.3Grizzly products are available in natural, mint, and wintergreen flavors. The 1.2-ounce Grizzly Long-Cut Wintergreen rang up the most dollar and unit sales in large chain stores. 2
Most Grizzly ads are targeted at men. The ads refer to outdoor adventures such as hunting and fishing. Use of models are limited in these ads. The main focus of the ad is on the Grizzly cans and the accompanying slogan. In this section, you will find Grizzly ads targeted at teens that send the message that you can’t be a real man without chewing Grizzly. Example includes, “May cause the urge to act like a man,” and “Coasters are for people who put their drink down.”
Recently, Grizzly has run a series of advertisements with the tagline “tellin’ it like it is.” This series of ads uses sarcastic phrases as advice about how to be “manly” or “macho.” Examples of ads from this campaign include, “Out here, firewood does not come pre-bundled.” Another ad states, “Women have shoes. Men have miter saws.”
1. Singh T, Arrazola RA, Corey CG, et al. Tobacco Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2016;65:361–367. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6514a1.
2. CSP daily. (2016). Where the gains are. Available at http://www.cspdailynews.com/category-data/cmh/tobacco/tobacco-smokeless-2016
3. Tobacco Free Kids. (2015). Still Seeking Replacements: How Big Tobacco Targets Kids Today. Available at http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/microsites/replacements/assets/2015_03_17_marketing_report.pdf
Papers – ing7843
The first commercial rolling papers were produced in 1660 by the Lacroix family after Frenchman Lacroix allegedly traded a bottle of Champagne for rolling papers that French soldiers were transporting from Spain; following that, in the year 1736, the Lacroix Rolling Paper company was founded.1
Today, rolling paper is made from a variety of materials, including wood pulp, rice-based paper, hemp (e.g. pure hemp papers by Joker), flax seed (e.g. white cigarette papers by Chesterfield), and other plant-based materials.2 These products are often advertised for possessing certain characteristics like “slow burning” (e.g. King size Joker), a wide selection of sizes (e.g. Mucha Job cigarette paper), and a “Do-it-yourself” capability (e.g. Job’s Adams Apple). Additionally, many of them employ similar marketing strategies as do cigarette packages, featuring celebrities like Bob Marley, sex appeal, elegant type print, and makeshift paintings. In fact, the evolution of these cigarette paper advertisements can be seen through several motifs including its artistic modes and use of female figures. For example, in the first two Mucha Job advertisements, the women painted are done so in the Classical Art Nouveau style popular of the 1890’s, a style of international art that employs decorative and architectural aspects; markedly, no written text is apparent on the prints. Overtime, however, the prints illustrate women in more dynamic colors, like in the 1897 Vintage print with a woman in yellow and white stripes; by the mid-to-late 1900’s, it became commonplace for cigarette paper ads to feature images of real female models posing with cigarettes and in sexually suggestive manners, instead of merely depicted them in hand drawings and paintings. Advertisements also focused on celebrities, a clean style, and other features like brand mascots.
1. The History of Rolling Papers. (2017). Rolling Paper Depot. Retrieved June 2, 2017, from https://www.rollingpaperdepot.com/pages/The-History-of-Rolling-Papers.
2. The Best Materials for Rolling Papers. (2017). Rolling Paper Depot. Retrieved June 2, 2017, from https://www.rollingpaperdepot.com/pages/The-Best-Materials-for-Rolling-Papers.
Baseball – img35780
Creek – img35812
Longhorn – img35820
Other Smokeless Brands – img35834
Sex Sells – img35886
Growers – img33973
Regulation of marijuana farming varies by state and county, with some allowing a certain number of plants, some allowing as many as one needs for personal use, and individual counties banning growth altogether. The state with the largest amount of marijuana production is California, with over 3 times the amount of growing of the next largest states, Tennessee and Kentucky. To parallel this growth in interest, magazines such as “High Times” have turned their attention towards articles and ads that promote the cannabis growing subculture. In addition, hundreds of websites and books, like The Cannabis Grow Bible, are available with guides on how to start growing.
Advertisements targeted towards growers are generally either selling specific seeds so that users can grow their favorite strain at home or selling more general agriculture appliances, like fertilizers, lighting systems for indoor growth, hydroponics, and more. Marijuana seeds can be purchased at most dispensaries, and at seed banks. Buzzwords used in seed advertisements are different than those used in typical cannabis ads. Key words include “feminized, “autoflowering,” and “high yield,” which refer to the reliability and outcome of the seed growth rather than the quality of the cannabis.
https://www.cropkingseeds.com/why-not-buy-marijuana-seeds-from-your-local-dispensaries/
https://www.drugscience.org/Archive/bcr2/domstprod.html
https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/33-feminized-cannabis-seeds
Cigarettes Knockoffs – img34055
Cigars – ing5717
Cigars are often advertised directly to men, and, indeed, are represented as highly masculinized and often genteel. An ad from the Cigar Institute of America in 1963, for example, lets men know that if they “wear a cigar,” they will “look smart.” Masculinity is sometimes approached through sexualization of the cigar, as in the Don Diegos ad from the 1990s featuring a woman sucking on a cigar or the Celesitino Vega ad from the same period, which features a Hawaiian surfer posing at the beach with a giant, phallic surfboard painted to resemble a cigar. Other times, masculinity is portrayed through a more reserved route, as in the 1950s ad from the Cigar Institute of America, which claims that “In the eyes of his own family, every father is a success. And the father who knows cigars knows a very special kind of success.” The family unit and the fatherly figure are referenced often in cigar ads.
In addition, cigars are seen as a means to celebrate. An ad for Antonio y Cleopatra cigars says, “When a moment is worth remembering enjoy a cigar that’s hard to forget.” In the same vein, pink or blue candy cigars are often given to a new father to celebrate the birth of a child.
Beyond these approaches, many cigar ads focus on throat ease, since unlike cigarette smoke, cigar smoke cannot be inhaled due to its high alkalinity. Though these ads advertise health benefits for cigar smoking – Girard says its smoke is mild, so doctors recommend it, and Mell-O-Well calls its smoke “the health cigar” — cigar smoking is associated with higher incidences of oral cancers than cigarette smoking, and nicotine is absorbed in higher levels as well. Still, and ad for White Owl cigars tells you to switch to cigars or pipes “when you can’t give up smoking.” The main reason? No need to inhale. Most misleading, perhaps, is a 1964 ad from the Cigar Institute of America, which proclaims, incorrectly, “Cigar smokers start young and stay young!”
Cigarillos – ing14499
The mid 1960’s saw an uptick in the little cigars market. These smaller cigars included flavors apart from tobacco(e.g., cherry, were milder than traditional cigars, and found a market among women. 1
Many of the advertisements in this section emphasize the mildness of the cigar and are targeted to women. In this section, you will come across a series of Tiparillo advertisements. In 1966, Tiparillo launched an advertising series “Should a gentleman offer a Tiparillo to a lady?” While these advertisements were targeted at women, the ads focused more on female acceptance of cigars than use of the product. None of the women in the advertisement are actually seen using the product. A decade later, Tiparillo ran another advertising campaign, this one focused on female use of the product. In this series of advertisements for Tiparillo, the text suggest that times have changed as women have started to enjoy smoking the mild tasting cigar. Another brand, Wolf Brother’s Cherry Little Cigar even had a line in its advertising copy, “She’ll like them too.”
In 1971, RJR introduced its first little cigar, Winchester, which quickly became the largest selling brand of little cigars. The cigars were of the size and shape of cigarettes and contained a “filter tip” that “could easily be inhaled.” In one of its advertisements, a woman with a cowboy hat, her hair pulled around her face to create a mustache, is holding a Winchester cigar. The advertising text suggests that smoking the mild cigar is masculine.
Tobacco industry documents show that tobacco companies used flavors to mask the harshness of natural tobacco and target adolescents. In 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration prohibited the use of characterizing flavors (e.g., cherry, honey) except for mint in cigarettes.2 However, the use of such flavors in cigars, cigarillos and little cigars were not banned by the FDA. The availability of flavors among little cigars and their attractive pricing are making these cigars attractive to teenagers. In 2014, 63.5% of middle and high school students surveyed reported smoking a flavored mini cigar.3
1. Kostygina G, Glantz SA, Ling PM. Tobacco industry use of flavours to recruit new users of little cigars and cigarillos. Tob Con. 2016; 5:66–74.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Press Announcement: Candy and Fruit Flavored Cigarettes Now Illegal in United States; Step is First Under New Tobacco Law. Published September 22, 2009. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm183211.htm.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking & Tobacco Use: Cigars. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/tobacco_industry/cigars/.
Sweet Cigars – ing11082
There are different types of cigars available in the US- large cigars, cigarillos, and little cigars. Cigarillos are short and narrow cigars that are manufactured in a plethora of flavors ( e.g., peach, mango, cherry, grape, blueberry, wine, & white wine) that are attractively packaged and named to appeal to youth.
In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of characterizing flavors, except for menthol, in cigarettes.1 However, the ban did not extend to other flavored tobacco products including mini cigars and cigarillos. Declines in cigarette consumption were undermined by increases in the use of flavored tobacco products.2
A recent study found alcohol flavors being marketed by 88 unique cigar & cigarillo brands. The major 5 tobacco companies (Imperial Tobacco, Philip Morris, Swedish Match, Scandinavian Tobacco Group and Swisher International) produce 15 brands of flavored cigars & cigarillos.2 The use of flavors increases the appeal of the tobacco product by decreasing the harsh taste of tobacco thereby making it easier for an individual to initiate with the product.3
Swisher, Inc., a leading manufacturer of cigarillos, offers a variety of chocolate, strawberry, peach, grape, and other flavored little cigars under the name “Swisher Sweets.” Phillies Cigarillos, another brand, also comes in a number of flavors. At one time, the brand even had a flavor called “Sugarillos” for “when sweet isn't sweet enough.” 4
With their colorful packages and store placement near candy, studies have shown that kids often mistake the shiny packages for candy. Apart from attractive flavors and names, cigar companies target youth through attractive pricing and packaging. Swisher Sweets often come in packages of two sticks for 99 cents, an attractive price for adolescents with limited discretionary funds. Among all flavored cigars, Swisher Sweets accounted for a preponderance of unit sales (52.6 million unit sales, 77.8% of total).4
References:
1. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Regulations restricting the sale and distribution of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco to protect children and adolescents. Final Rule Fed Regist 2010;75:13225–3
2. Kostygina G, Glantz SA, Ling PM. Tobacco industry use of flavours to recruit new users of little cigars and cigarillos. Tob Con. 2016; 5:66–74.
3. Jackler RK, VanWinkle CK, Bumanlag IM, Ramamurthi D. (2017) Alcohol-Flavored Tobacco Products. Tob Con. [In print]
4. American Cancer Society.(2008) Big tobacco's guinea pigs: how an unregulated industry experiments on america's kids and consumers. Retrieved from https://www.industrydocumentslibrary.ucsf.edu/tobacco/docs/xkgm0222
5. CSP Daily News (April 15. 2016). Cigarette Convenience Store Sales Data from Year-End 2015. Retrieved from : http://www.cspdailynews.com/category-data/cmh/tobacco/tobacco-cigars-2016. Accessed on September 1, 2016.
Lady's Cigars – ing0789
When one thinks of a cigar, one doesn’t usually think of a woman. In fact, cigarettes were originally created as a woman’s version of a cigar, since cigars were considered completely unladylike. Tobacco companies stretched the boundaries of advertisements with this series of ads targeting women or using the feminine mystique in selling their cigar products. Cigar ads featuring women are usually highly sexualized or romanticized, or speak to women’s liberation movements. Generally, they objectify women in order to advertise cigars to men.
Pipes – ing20911
Pipes and loose pipe tobacco are often advertised directly to men, and, indeed, are represented as highly masculinized and often genteel. Yello-bole pipes, for example, advertises for “The All-Male taste,” and Flying Dutchman pipe tobacco claims that their tobacco will allow men to “lead women around by the nose.” Further, one ad for Tuxedo tobacco implies that smoking a pipe is a pleasure offered only to men, while a famous actress sighs, “The fragrance of pipe tobacco makes me wish I were a man.”
Beyond the masculinity approach, many pipe ads focus on throat ease, since unlike cigarette smoke, pipe smoke cannot be inhaled due to its high alkalinity. Though these ads advertise health benefits for pipe smoking – Kaywoodie claims that “pipe smokers live longer” and the Medico pipe claims it “gives you pleasure and peace of mind” – pipe smoking is associated with higher incidences of oral cancers than cigarette smoking, and nicotine is absorbed in higher levels as well.
Children – img35592
Children have played a huge role in tobacco advertising over the decades, and images of children fulfill multiple purposes for tobacco advertisers. Depictions of children with their mothers or fathers in cigarette advertisements reinforce the respectability of smoking as a part of normal family life.
In an advertisement for Dutch Masters Cigars, the image is a warm one of a cheerful boy happy in the embrace of his father. The text of the advertisement reads, “A son’s hug… a daughter’s kiss… what is so dear to a father’s heart as his family’s love.” For Father’s Day, Dutch Masters also had cigar packs with the image of a father and son printed on it. In another advertisement for Dutch Masters, the image is of a young boy playing in the backyard of his suburban home. On one hand he is carrying a toy truck, while the other hand is carrying a string of empty Dutch Master cartons. In the background, you see his younger sister on the swing.
In yet another ad by the cigar maker, this one Christmas theme, a dad is sitting around smoking his cigar while his children (boy and girl) are setting up a toy city. Empty Dutch Master boxes are used to build the homes and garages. The text of the advertisement notes, “As soon as dad hands over another empty Dutch Masters box, one more house will start to rise. And this is a building boom that dad’s happy to help along-because he finds consistent pleasure in a full box of Dutch Masters.”
The images of youngsters tends to send a reassuring message to consumers about the healthfulness of the product, representing purity, vibrancy, and life concepts which can be dangerous when tied to tobacco products. Use of children are an obvious ploy to attract females to smoking as part of the industry’s campaign to expand the pool of women smokers.
Sex Appeal – img35640
The tobacco industry, including cigar companies, have for long used sex appeal to gain the attention of consumers.
In this section, you will see a lot of advertisements for Tiparillo cigars. The professional women in the advertisements (e.g., biologist, dentist, librarian etc) are presented as sexual objects. For instance, in the “Should a gentleman offer a Tiparillo to a violinist,” advertisement that appeared in Playboy magazine, the woman is seen intently gazing at the camera, with her silk shirt open and her cleavage exposed. The text that accompanies the advertisement is highly sexual in nature. A part of the advertisement reads, “Well, should you offer? After all, if she likes the offer, she might start to play. No strings attached.”
In another advertisement in the series, identical twins with pronounced cleavage are seen gazing at the camera. The green of their sweaters and the background is a subliminal nod to the menthol flavored Tiparillo. The open cigar pack with the phallic shaped cigar is pointed at the mouth of one of the twins. By portraying women in a sexual manner, the professionalism of the women is weakened and the women are nothing more than an object for male pleasure.
Although advertisements with sex appeal are primarily targeted at men, they also manipulate young women into believing that a certain brand of cigarette might make her sexier and more attractive to men.
Healthy Cigars – img38182
In the first half of the 20th century, tobacco companies were forthright with their health claims, featuring doctors hawking cigarettes or cigars in many of their ads. 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. Today, these nefarious health claims in tobacco ads are no longer so obvious; now, often words like pleasure or alive are keywords which indicate healthfulness. Doctors are no longer represented hawking cigarettes in ads, but the past audacity of tobacco companies is just as relevant in modern times.
At the time when many of these ads were printed, the public was worried about throat irritation due to smoking, and tobacco companies hoped that support from physicians would ease general concern. The none-too-subtle message was that if the doctor, with all his expertise, recommended a brand, then it must be safe.
In this theme, brands depict doctors hawking tobacco products in order to present the brand as healthful rather than harmful. An ad for Girard cigars has the image of a physician with a cigar in his hand accompanied by the following text, “Yes, I am a doctor. And I advise the smokers among my patients to smoke Girard cigars. In fact, I smoke them myself!..” The ad continues that the tobacco in Girard is “free from ill effects on the heart, the nerves or the digestion.” An ad by Thompson’s Mell-o-well has a physician recommending the brand of cigars to “any who are interested in regaining or keeping physical fitness.” It is ironic that in the process, they all manage to reveal the negative potential of tobacco by providing the consumer with the concept of an unhealthy cigarette or cigar in the first place.
Sports – img38247
The relationship between cigars and sports was first introduced to the public more than 25 years ago when a national sports magazine featured a variety of advertisements on sports-related cigar boxes drawn from the National Cigar History Museum collection.
Increasingly in the decades that followed, prominent athletes began making public claims that correlated positive sportsmanship and winning titles to smoking cigars and cigarettes. This attracted tobacco companies like Philies to market products including their “Miracle Mild” cigars for the full range of sports fanatics: young, old, major league stars, and college basketball players alike; examples of this can be found in numerous Phillies advertisements that playoff of the 1960’s baseball culture. One of their advertisements strategically position “Miracle Milds” alongside statistics showing the top batting scores of the National League, suggesting a correlation between the nation’s top players and their cigar product. Furthermore, Phillies prided itself on being “America’s No. 1” for “Year ‘Round Sports Programs,” riding on the backs of popular news channels to elevate their message (e.g. National Broadcasting Company – NBC).
Cigar companies used celebrity endorsements to promote their products. Michael Jordan, arguably the biggest star in basketball history, was pictured with a cigar in hand on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1993. Similarly, former NBA Coach Red Auerbach, the powerful figure who guided the Boston Celtics to a nine out of ten championship win between 1949 and 1966, practiced a very public habit of smoking a cigar after each winning game that this image eventually evolved into a symbol of victory in the history of sports. Brands such as Te-amo in the past invited their fans to celebrate athletes’ victories with even a special free cigar offer (i.e. Dana Quigley’s 2001 SBC Senior Open and Te-Amo Cabinet Selection Cigar.
African American – img38330
In 2013, of the 29.8% of African American adults who reported “current use” (i.e. smoking in the past month), 7.5% of African American adults reported use of cigars. In fact, while cigarette consumption in America is declining, snuff and cigar has increased, prompting researchers to specifically address concerns about youth perceptions and smoking behaviors particularly amongst minority populations.1
Historically, tobacco companies have targeted advertising and promotional activities in minority communities; census tracts with a higher proportion of African American families and individuals have significantly higher tobacco retailer density. Furthermore, researchers in recent years have found that illicit sales to minors are much more common in African American neighborhoods, and that stores in these neighborhoods are less likely to request age identification for the purchase of tobacco products; exterior advertising for little cigars and cigarillos are also higher in many of these neighborhoods.2
Advertisements in this theme feature prominent “the everyday Dad.” For instance, an ad for White Owl features a dad smoking his cigar and enjoying a book with his two children on either side of him. The ad’s slogan says , White Owl is, “the cigar that Daddy smokes!”Ads by El Producto include testimonials from everyday professionals on the natural mildness of the cigar.
1. Dauphinee, A, et al. (2013). “Racial differences in cigarette brand recognition and impact on youth smoking,” BMC Public Health, 13:170, Retrieved May 31, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3586353/
2. Rodriguez, D, et al. (2017). “Predictors of tobacco outlet density nationwide: a geographic analysis,” Tobacco Control, Retrieved May 31, 2017 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3431432/
3. Bach, L. (2017). Tobacco Company Marketing to African Americans .Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids . Retrieved May 31, 2017, from https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0208.pdf.
4. Yerger V, Pearson C, Malone RE. (2001). When is a cigar not a cigar? African American youths' understanding of “cigar” use. American Journal of Public Health , 91: 316-7.
Cigs vs eCigs Eco – img9761
Cigs vs eCigs Social – img10110
Cigs vs eCigs Children – img10120
Anti-Smoking vs. Smoking Ads – img10237
Black vs White Newport – img10514
Newport – img10534
Black vs White Couples – img10570
Non-Menthol
Religion – Jewish Ads – jewish_7.jpg
Religion – Islamic Ads – islamic_7.jpg
Cultural Icon
More Doctors Smoke Camels – img0059
One common technique used by the tobacco industry to reassure a worried public was to incorporate images of physicians in their ads. The none-too-subtle message was that if the doctor, with all of his expertise, chose to smoke a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depicted were never specific individuals, because physicians who engaged in advertising would risk losing their license. (It was contrary to accepted medical ethics at the time for doctors to advertise.) Instead, the images always presented an idealized physician – wise, noble, and caring – who enthusiastically partook of the smoking habit. All of the “doctors” in these ads came out of central casting from among actors dressed up to look like doctors. Little protest was heard from the medical community or organized medicine, perhaps because the images showed the profession in a highly favorable light. This genre of ads regularly appeared in medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, an organization which for decades collaborated closely with the industry. The big push to document health hazards also did not arrive until later.
The ads in this particular theme are all from a single R. J. Reynolds campaign which ran from 1940 to 1949 and claimed that “More Doctors smoke Camels.” In the majority of these advertisements, the “More Doctors” campaign slogan was included alongside other popular Camel campaigns such as “T-Zone (‘T for Throat, T for Taste’),” “More people are smoking Camels than ever before,” and “Experience is the Best Teacher.” In this way, Camel was able to maintain consistency across its advertisements.
Within the “More Doctors” campaign, a story can be told through a series of advertisements. The story documents a young boy’s journey following in his father’s footsteps into the field of medicine. In the first ad of this series, an obstetrician tells his little boy, “Now Daddy has to go to another ‘birthday party,’ son” as he leaves his son’s party to deliver a baby. Next, a doctor tells his grown-up boy, “It’s all up to you, son,” as the young man decides whether or not to follow a career in medicine. Then, the young medical student, class of ’46, is joined by his father, class of ’06 during a lecture. Later, the young man is an “interne,” not quite on his own yet. Finally, he is seen opening up his very own private practice in the company of his adoring wife. This storyline, though not explicit, works to further portray the doctor as a family man and a determined, committed, self-sacrificing individual.
In an attempt to substantiate the “More Doctors” claim, R.J. Reynolds paid for surveys to be conducted during medical conventions using two survey methods: Doctors were gifted free packs of Camel cigarettes at tobacco company booths and them upon exiting the exhibit hall, were then immediately asked to indicate their favorite brand or were asked which cigarette they carried in their pocket.
20,679 Physicians – img0107
As the “More Doctors Smoke Camels” campaign theme demonstrates, one common technique wielded by the tobacco industry to reassure a worried public was to incorporate images of physicians in their ads. The none-too-subtle message was that if the doctor, with all of his expertise, chose to smoke a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depicted were never specific individuals, because physicians who engaged in advertising would risk losing their license. (It was contrary to accepted medical ethics at the time for doctors to advertise.) Instead, the images always presented an idealized physician – wise, noble, and caring – who enthusiastically partook of the smoking habit. All of the “doctors” in these ads came out of central casting and were simply actors dressed up to look like doctors. Little protest was heard from the medical community or organized medicine, perhaps because the images showed the profession in a highly favorable light. This genre of ads regularly appeared in medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, an organization which for decades collaborated closely with the industry. The big push to document health hazards also did not arrive until later.
Most notable in this theme are the “20,679 Physicians” advertisements, which ran from 1928 to 1932 and claimed that physicians found Lucky Strike cigarettes “less irritating.” The campaign began with a smaller number of physicians listed, as our ads demonstrate: An ad from 1927 claims that 9,651 doctors answered “yes” to an arbitrary survey question released by the American Tobacco Company regarding protection of the throat. Another ad from 1927 lists 11,105 physicians as supporters. These “exact” numbers made the claim appear more reliable. Also included in this theme are two contemporaneous Chesterfield ads from 1931, one of which depicts a doctor actually prescribing Chesterfield cigarettes to a patient. These Chesterfield ads present no survey data. However, they attempt to trick careless consumers who quickly scan the ad by listing the total number of pharmacists (110,108) and the total number of physicians (152,503) in the U.S.A. These numbers have nothing to do with Chesterfield cigarettes, but at a quick glance they appear to reflect the numbers of pharmacists or physicians in support of Chesterfield cigarettes.
Throat Doctors – img0116
It was common in the late 1920s and early 1930s for tobacco companies to enlist “throat specialists” as endorsers of their products. The public was worried about throat irritation due to smoking, and tobacco companies hoped that support from physicians, especially otolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat doctors) would ease general concern. The none-too-subtle message was that if the throat doctor, with all of his expertise, chose to smoke a particular brand or to recommended a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depicted were never specific individuals, because physicians who engaged in advertising would risk losing their license. It was contrary to accepted medical ethics at the time for doctors to advertise, but that did not deter tobacco companies from hiring handsome talent, dressing them up to look like throat specialists, and printing their photographs alongside health claims or spurious doctor survey results. These images always presented an idealized physician – wise, noble, and caring. This genre of ads regularly appeared in medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, an organization which for decades collaborated closely with the industry. The big push to document health hazards also did not appear until later.
In this theme, otolaryngologists urge consumers to “give your throat a vacation” with Camels in 1931, and as late as 1950, the throat specialists are pictured examining a smoker for her “Camel 30-day mildness test.” In a 1930 advertisement, Robert Ripley, of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” fame, performs a cigarette test on “a group of throat specialists” and digs up “certified proof” that they prefer Old Golds. From 1948 to 1952, a number of actors dressed as otolaryngologists, identified by the head mirror, recommend De-Nicotea filters for a “less irritating” smoke. Chesterfield jumps on the band wagon in 1952, and even Kool’s Willie the Penguin dresses up in otolaryngologist garb and poses in front of a diploma awarded to “Doctor Kool” in 1938. All of these brands used the specialized field of otolaryngology to present their cigarettes as healthful rather than harmful. It is ironic that they all manage to reveal the negative potential of cigarettes in the process by admitting, through their use of doctors and medical claims, that there are health concerns surrounding cigarettes to begin with.
Doctors Hawk Cigarettes – img0137
In the first half of the 20th century, tobacco companies were forthright with their health claims, featuring doctors hawking cigarettes or cigars in many of their ads. 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. Today, these nefarious health claims in tobacco ads are no longer so obvious; now, often words like “pleasure” or “alive” are keywords which indicate healthfulness. Doctors are no longer represented hawking cigarettes in ads, but the past audacity of tobacco companies is just as relevant in modern times.
At the time when many of these ads were printed, the public was worried about throat irritation due to smoking, and tobacco companies hoped that support from physicians would ease general concern. The none-too-subtle message was that if the throat doctor, with all of his expertise, recommended a particular brand, then it must be safe. Unlike with celebrity and athlete endorsers, the doctors depicted were almost never specific individuals, because physicians who engaged in advertising would risk losing their license. It was contrary to accepted medical ethics at the time for doctors to advertise, but that did not deter tobacco companies from hiring handsome talent, dressing them up to look like doctors, and printing their photographs alongside recommendations. These images always presented an idealized physician – wise, noble, and caring. This genre of ads regularly appeared in medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, an organization which for decades collaborated closely with the industry. The big push to document health hazards also did not appear until later.
In this theme, countless brands depict doctors hawking tobacco products in order to present the brand as healthful rather than harmful – An early Old Gold ad shows a doctor lighting a woman’s cigarette as a “prescription for pleasure” (1938), Viceroy depicts doctors recommending the Viceroy brand (1950, 1953), and countless depictions of doctors recommend Ricoro, Gerard, or other brands of cigars. It is ironic that in the process, they all manage to reveal the negative potential of tobacco by providing the consumer with the concept of an unhealthy cigarette or cigar in the first place.
Nurses – img0152
Along with doctors and dentists, nurses presented yet another health professional that had the potential to reassure consumers worried about the ill health effects of smoking. The none-too-subtle message was that if the nurse, with all of her expertise and her dedication to helping patients, chose to smoke a particular brand of cigarettes or even recommended a particular brand, then it must be safe.
As women began taking up the habit of smoking during the early 20th century, so did nurses in large numbers. It is interesting to note, however, that whereas the number of doctors who smoked plummeted drastically in the 1950s and 1960s when conclusive data linked smoking to lung cancer, smoking remained common among nurses. To this day, smoking is more prevalent among nurses than doctors in the United States. The Nurses’ Health Study shows that 8.4% of nurses smoked in 2003, whereas comparable data from 2005 from the Association of Medical Colleges reveals that only 1% of doctors smoke (1).
1. “Nurses’ Health Study shows nurses smoke more than doctors.” Nursing Times. 26 Nov 2008.
