To dominate the market for e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products, the tobacco industry is re-using tactics that successfully targeted youth and misinformed the public about product safety in the past.
To dominate the market for e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products, the tobacco industry is re-using tactics that successfully targeted youth and misinformed the public about product safety in the past.
While the industry aggressively promotes its new products under the guise of offering solutions, some of the hard-fought, life-saving tobacco control measures currently in place are being undermined.
Philip Morris International’s leaked corporate affairs strategy (2014) reveals the company’s plans to simultaneously increase profits/sales and normalize the use of both cigarettes and novel products by engaging third parties (scientists, harm reduction advocates, policy-makers), establishing itself as a “solution provider” and resisting “extreme” regulations.
Philip Morris spokesperson (2019):
“We do a lot of the research ourselves when you use an e-cigarette or one of our products, you produce an aerosol. It’s made purely of water droplets”.U.S. Surgeon General (2016):
“E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless “water vapour”.
The “smoke-free” message create new opportunities for tobacco companies to access policy-makers and, therefore, the possibility to influence regulation of both novel tobacco products and traditional cigarettes.
The tobacco industry’s tactics are the same when it comes to increasing profits from both traditional and novel tobacco products: marketing to the young. Even competing tobacco companies agree that teenagers have been targeted.
Touch below to see how the tobacco industry’s strategies are applied to sell ENDS/HTPs. Manipulated nicotine content
Manipulated nicotine content
Increasing the level of nicotine content in novel products to remain competitive.
Marketing flavoured products
Selling fruit-flavoured e-cigarettes and using brand names similar to cereal and candy products that appeal to youth.
Low taxes
Keeping taxes low. The industry claim the prices of their products must be lower than cigarettes to be “proportionate to the level of harm”.
Marketing to the youth
Using young social media influencers and images to promote their new products.
Sponsoring pop-culture
Sponsoring music and film festivals and events (Juul with Sundance, Blu with Sasquatch!, and Japan Tobacco International’s #ReThinkMusic).