Monday, April 29, 2013

The Marlboro Men of E-Cigarettes

A rather lengthy published in Sunday’s New York Magazine covers the marketing challenges facing e-cigarette companies. They compare the challenges to the ones faced by Marlboro in 1955, a time when filters were seen as something less than manly. Similar challenges are being faced today by e-cigarettes, with many see as too trendy, too hipster, and maybe a little wimpy. It raises the question, “would James Dean smoke one of these?”


James Dean

James Dean


The article focuses on NJOY, going into great detail about what NJOY has done to combat the image, and to make their product as realistically cigarette-like at possible, from testing various flavors and construction, to coming to the discovery that one of the things people appreciate most about an e-cigarette is big, fluffy clouds of vapor.


“To see people’s faces and reactions when this big plume of vapor is coming out, we knew we were getting close.” – Mark Scatterday, NJOY creator


The piece closes with an explanation of how a tweet from Courtney Love to NJOY praising their product turned into a commercial for NJOY, and suggests that what e-cigarette marketing needs to appeal to smokers might just be a little less emphasis on health, and a little more on attitude.


Has NJOY Resolved the E-Cigarette’s Image Problem? — New York Magazine.



The Marlboro Men of E-Cigarettes

3 comments:

  1. I will have this in mind while I make the change. I am so glad I found this blog. The recommendations and information provided here is priceless.


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  2. Electronic Cigarettes have a high potential to help the user overcome the crack-like addiction of cigarettes, but consumers need to expect not to get the exact same high or buzz when using an electronic cigarette. The flavors may easily taste like their favorite brand and the electronic cigarette may even feel the same in the hand as a tobacco cigarette would, but the ingredients are different- more pure.

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  3. Are you paying more than $5 / pack of cigarettes? I'm buying high quality cigarettes over at Duty Free Depot and I'm saving over 60%.

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