How Appeal Is Being Created For E-Cigs

[Popsicle]

This isn't a big issue, but there is certainly a quiet buzz about it, and I find it very interesting. Sorry if this thread has been done before. I didn't see it.

For MANY years, cigarette companies have used various types of imagery to associate cigarettes with what people want to be. A rugged cowboy smoking may appeal to men who seek to be viewed as tough and masculine. An attractive woman seductively smoking a cigarette may hook women who are after a sort of edgy and dangerous beauty. Since cigarettes have first been mass-produced, there has been a struggle to lock on to an audience and make them think that cigarettes are the key to their happiness.

At this point, this isn't widespread, but I see some electronic cigarette companies using the same tactics. Scantily clad women vaping, muscular shirtless men vaping. Look at the Blu site; I have heard a lot of people say that Blu won them over with the graphics displayed on their website, such as attractive people hanging out in a club, a DJ, and even a sharp-dressed man in a suit, all of them with a Blu in hand. Not trying to step on anyone's toes, but look at even the Maserati ad that has been around for a while now. The night cityscape with the cursive text conjures up images of limousines and clubs where you can't get in unless you're "on the list".

Now to get to my point...

Some people think that this is inappropriate and brings a bad image to the industry. Some of us scoff at suppliers for using these types of images in their advertising. I think that a lot of this goes back to the fact that it was originally done by our current enemies.

What do you guys think?

My opinion? The cigarette companies use this marketing tactic to lure people into a deadly addiction. Is there really anything wrong with us using it to lure people into an alternative to that addiction that is infinitely healthier for you? You also have to keep in mind, there is a stigma around electronic cigarettes. A lot of people view them as silly, frivolous, and just lame. Vapers are losers. Vapers vape because they can't handle cigarettes. It is imperative that we change this way of thinking. You never know, that photo of a girl in a bikini holding a 510 might save a life. Tacky as it may seem, we are fighting fire with fire. We can play their game, too.

[Burn]

What a nice, provocative post, GG Roh.

I am one of those people that doesn't understand what 2 attractive women wrestling on a sidewalk has to do with a virtually flavorless American beer.?? Conversely, I wouldn't want to see the same 2 women wrestling over 10 ML of Mentha either. I may not be a good person to respond to this because I am too acutely aware of lowest common denominator advertising.

I believe it should be a priority to educate the ignorant in advertising and intentionally avoid any advertising that is appealing to anyone under 25 years old. A link between the under 25 demographic and e-cigs only serves to hurt the e-cig cause. however, the under 25 demographic historically changes brands and allegiances easier than older groups and therefore are the target primary target in most advertising initiatives. I believe advertising should be effective AND responsible. I also believe one of the fundamental issues with our economic culture is that "AND" has been replaced by "OR".

By the way, you avatar has a large penis on its face.

[Jeffb]

+1 for you popsicle. That was a very well written post and a good topic. I'm all for marketing, using what tools are neccessary. Of course most suppliers that we deal with don't have a very big advertising budget. I think some promotional videos could be put out by CASSA and other orginizations. I don't want to watch another video of a guy in suit telling me e-cigs are safe.

Show me Megan Fox washing a car in a bikini while holding a 510.

[actor92191]

Show me Megan Fox washing a car in a bikini while holding a 510.

-1 for you Jeff. lol jk

[nana]

Excellent post, Rohypnolsicle!

You made some really good points and I do agree with you, but I also know that I have come to the point where I hate advertising. I'm so sick of seeing commercials that have nothing whatsoever to do with the product they are selling. In the end I have no idea - sometimes - what they were trying to sell. I want advertising that shows me and tells me what it is they are selling, what it does, why it's better than similar products, etc. I just need the facts...not the glitter.

[Popsicle]

I am one of those people that doesn't understand what 2 attractive women wrestling on a sidewalk has to do with a virtually flavorless American beer.?? Conversely, I wouldn't want to see the same 2 women wrestling over 10 ML of Mentha either.

Nothing at all. It's all about associating your product with something pleasant, and that's literally all there is to it. Most beer drinkers are men, most men would probably enjoy seeing two attractive women wrestling on a sidewalk, do the math. It's not logical but it usually works.

Show me Megan Fox washing a car in a bikini while holding a 510.

Haha! Hey, you may be (sort of) joking, but if we had some classier and more attractive celebrities on our side, it could help a lot.

[Stirfry]

i don't know if i would go so far as to say "stooping to their level. as their "level" would be to be making something that kills you more appealing. making something more appealing, that IS more appealing that cigarettes is ok with me.

that being said, it is what it is. we live in a world of advertising, and to survive in that would you have to play by the rules of the game (for the most part).

plus, with the amount of misinformed d-bags speaking out against e-cigs, we definitely need something to counter that.

not to be crude, but doctors have been saying cigarettes (and drugs, and alcohol, and cholesterol, and fast food, and so on) will kill you, BUT cowboys and **** are still over ruling the doctors.

to think that doctors or professionals or the "greater good" will win us this fight without our own army of cowboys and ****... well, that would be a huge mistake.

sorry to put it that way, but lets be realistic. unless e-cigs are perceived to be "cooler" than cigarettes (REGARDLESS OF IF THEY ARE BETTER FOR YOU)), they will remain a niche product.

[Popsicle]

i don't know if i would go so far as to say "stooping to their level. as their "level" would be to be making something that kills you more appealing. making something more appealing, that IS more appealing that cigarettes is ok with me.

that being said, it is what it is. we live in a world of advertising, and to survive in that would you have to play by the rules of the game (for the most part).

plus, with the amount of misinformed d-bags speaking out against e-cigs, we definitely need something to counter that.

not to be crude, but doctors have been saying cigarettes (and drugs, and alcohol, and cholesterol, and fast food, and so on) will kill you, BUT cowboys and **** are still over ruling the doctors.

to think that doctors or professionals or the "greater good" will win us this fight without our own army of cowboys and ****... well, that would be a huge mistake.

sorry to put it that way, but lets be realistic. unless e-cigs are perceived to be "cooler" than cigarettes (REGARDLESS OF IF THEY ARE BETTER FOR YOU)), they will remain a niche product.

GREAT post. That's exactly my point; We need to get rid of the stigma around electronic cigarettes. Someone I know, when I suggested electronic cigarettes, said he "would rather get lung cancer than rep cancer". Things like this speak volumes about the social standing of vaping at this point.

[mcquinn]

'Scantily clad women vaping" where? you are not allowed to say things like that without links to back it up. I think it is aganst the law or something.

[Popsicle]

'Scantily clad women vaping" where? you are not allowed to say things like that without links to back it up. I think it is aganst the law or something.

You rascal!!!

I've seen it in a banner ad or two in the past, don't recall the website.

Check out the Blu ads on YouTube. They're not raunchy but they're definitely shooting for a certain customer base.

Also, you know how some men... enjoy... watching women smoke? There are many videos for fans of this, and I have actually seen a few of them using electronic cigarettes instead of real ones! I won't post them here as it may be inappropriate, but I found this funny, but also refreshing; it's nice to see e-cigs creeping into territory formerly dominated by tobacco.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Rohypnolsicle

[Kragax]

Ah, advertising, the most misunderstood business in America. There are a boatload of shrinks on that side. I used to work retail and as a good sales force we went through a bunch of that training. ie, if I could get you to hold it in your hand I had a 90% chance of getting you to buy it. It's all BS and you as an individual will never be able to effect it. If you think you can, try to deal with the fact that when the commercial come on the volume goes up 6db. I agree that we should hold a higher level but, business is business and money is money. It's all about the $$$. When I am business I just want the bottom line. I gave up activism in 1973.

[Stirfry]

You rascal!!!

I've seen it in a banner ad or two in the past, don't recall the website.

Check out the Blu ads on YouTube. They're not raunchy but they're definitely shooting for a certain customer base.

Also, you know how some men... enjoy... watching women smoke? There are many videos for fans of this, and I have actually seen a few of them using electronic cigarettes instead of real ones! I won't post them here as it may be inappropriate, but I found this funny, but also refreshing; it's nice to see e-cigs creeping into territory formerly dominated by tobacco.

Indulgence promos are full of half dressed women