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IQOS Events – img41386

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42247

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42850

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41387

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42248

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42851

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41388

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42249

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42852

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41389

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42250

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42853

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41390

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42251

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42854

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41391

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42252

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42855

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41392

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42253

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42856

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41393

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42254

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42857

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41394

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42255

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42858

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41395

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42256

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42859

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41396

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42257

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42860

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41397

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42258

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42861

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41398

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42259

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42862

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41399

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42260

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42863

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41400

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42261

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42864

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41401

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Influencers/Celebrity – img42262

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

Community Instagram – img42865

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

IQOS Events – img41402

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42866

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44642

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41403

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42867

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44643

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41404

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42868

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44644

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41405

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42869

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44645

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41406

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42870

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44646

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41407

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42871

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44647

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41408

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42872

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44648

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41409

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42873

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44649

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41410

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42874

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44650

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41411

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42875

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44651

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41412

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42876

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44652

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41413

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42877

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44653

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41414

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42878

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44654

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41415

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img42879

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44655

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41416

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img44446

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IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44656

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Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41417

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img44447

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44657

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41418

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.

Community Instagram – img44448

by

IQOS Friends (@iqos_friends) and IQOS Stories (@iqos.stories) are two Instagram accounts that exclusively post IQOS-related content. The @iqos_friends account has a large following with over 50,000 followers. The account is involved in an extensive online network in which IQOS users tag @iqos_friends in their photos, and the account tags them when it reposts their content. Many of its posts are content from users in the community, making the account a gallery featuring the lifestyles of IQOS users, influencers, and Brand Ambassadors around the world in addition to photos of IQOS events and devices. These photographs clearly promote IQOS as desirable and Instagrammable. If @iqos_friends is run by Philip Morris International, then the account is an effective method of advertising; if not, then @iqos_friends is an indication that IQOS-related media has taken on a life of its own, making its promotion even harder to regulate.

IQOS Stories is tagged in many European brand ambassadors and influencers Instagram posts. It also occasionally runs giveaways of IQOS products and event tickets. The account nails the IQOS aesthetic of luxury living, promoting the device as a necessary accessory for the highlife.

Influencers/Celebrity – img44658

by

Ambassador/Influencers
IQOS Brand Ambassadors and Influencers refer to Instagram users associated with the company who post IQOS-related material. Broadly speaking, influencers are social media users with large followings whom companies pay to post about or with their products. Meanwhile, IQOS Brand Ambassadors, who are most prominent in Romania, are users who post frequently with the device as a “hobby” but claim to be unpaid. While PMI previously paid influencers to promote IQOS, often through third party agencies, the company declared that it suspended its influencer campaign in May 2019 after Chris Kirkham of Reuters exposed the use of influencers under the age of 25—a violation of PMI’s internal standard for the minimum age of their models.

In late April 2019, two weeks before the suspension of the influencer campaign, IQOS hosted its largest influencer event yet to celebrate the release of the IQOS 3 Nippon model in Japan. Over 100 influencers, whose respective audiences ranged from 80,000 to 400,000 followers, each received a gift of a limited edition IQOS device in the traditional Japanese colors of red and white and were invited to the special event. The influencers then proceeded to flood Instagram with photos of themselves and their new devices with a pre-scripted caption and the hashtag #iqosアンバサダー (Japanese for “ambassador”). Though the event has passed, the Nippon influencer campaign reflects PMI’s willingness to invest in social media platforms, which are youth targeted at core.

PMI’s large-scale influencer program appears to have stopped, but smaller-scale Brand Ambassadors carry on IQOS’ often youth-oriented social media presence. These social media promoters’ posts, which portray IQOS devices, gifts, events, and spaces, convey leisure and imply that IQOS is the key to being an attractive and high-status person. IQOS Brand Ambassadors claim to not be paid, but they note receiving benefits including gifts and entry to events—benefits that double as a form of payment and make the line between Brand Ambassadors and influencers blurry. It is unclear how people become Brand Ambassadors and whether or not they are PMI employees, but it seems that the company reaches out to social media users who post about IQOS and gives them the Brand Ambassador title. Others may begin as IQOS Coaches and later start posting on social media as Brand Ambassadors. Some details of the Brand Ambassador program are still unknown to company outsiders, but their pervasive presence on social media is undeniable.

Celebrities:
Philip Morris International is using the age-old strategy of using celebrities to drum up enthusiasm for its products. At the launch of its IQOS 3 device in Spain, it held a spectacular event at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid that was attended by a number of prominent celebrities including Monica Cruz, Paz Vega, Alberto Amman, Joaquin Reyes, Topacio Fresh and others. Jamiroquai front lined the event that was attended by more than 600 guests.

Studies have shown that celebrity endorsements adds value and significantly increases positive attitudes towards the brand. The effect is particularly strong among adolescents between the ages of 12 to 18 years. The proliferation of images of celebrities attending and using IQOS on social media platforms such as Instagram targets young people including non-tobacco users and exposes them to tobacco marketing that they otherwise would not have been exposed to.

IQOS Events – img41419

by

IQOS events are parties, concerts, exhibitions, and presentations that Philip Morris International hosts to cultivate loyalty, a sense of exclusivity, and public interest in new IQOS models. In addition to hosting its own events, PMI also sponsors others including festivals, public speaker events, fashion shows, and art installations. IQOS-hosted events are often held at grandiose venues like the Canary Islands’ Poema del Mar Aquarium, Curaçao’s Cabana Beach, and Russia’s Grand Ballroom Moscow. Others are more casual, trendy, and youth oriented like those at clubs and concert venues. These events are concentrated in Southern and Eastern Europe but have taken place in at least 23 countries across four continents. While the events shown in this gallery are primarily large-scale parties, IQOS also hosts more casual get-togethers like store openings, in-store speaker events, and booths at street fairs and festivals.

Common elements of IQOS events include upscale food and alcohol, often served in unusual manners; attractive women hosts; DJs or live music, which is often accompanied by dance or acrobatic performances and colorful projection shows; and a section of the venue where attendees can view and likely sample a large range of IQOS devices and accessories. Parties feature photographers and logo-laden backdrops like those on the red carpet, encouraging attendees to document their experiences and post them on social media. Much of the party decoration doubles as advertising: organizers often put up digital displays of the IQOS slogan “This changes everything,” and walls and banners are branded with hashtags so attendees can spread the word to friends. To convey a message of natural health and sustainability in line with their “smoke-free future,” the events have featured local and raw foods like sushi, the word “clean” in digital displays, and photo walls covered in plants. Other themes have included art, fashion, and technological innovation.

The events beam out a sense of elegance and luxury. Many are invitation-only, with celebrities and major influencers on the guest list, which contributes to the sense of exclusivity Philip Morris seeks to cultivate. These kinds of parties are likely to appeal to young adults, who may be attracted to the trendy party venues and private concerts with artists like Jamiroquai and Jason Derulo.

Despite Philip Morris International’s insistence that IQOS is intended for adult smokers only, the trendiness, youthfulness, and social media presence at IQOS events suggest that the intent of the events is, in reality, to attract more young users regardless of their smoking histories.