E-cig advertising - Page 2 - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat

cmacpduff · 07-03-2009, 03:55 PM

I'm with Tropical Bob. Let's keep the advertising more low key and under the radar screen of it's powerful opponents. I'm against anything that will provoke an all out ban my this great product. Where are these ads Bob? - on the internet or childrens magazines?

Mac · 07-03-2009, 07:13 PM

If you are marketing to committed smokers who are already addicted then why does this matter? I am here at the mall everyday selling and have yet to sell one to someone who never smoked. I think the ad content is erroneous because non smokers don't buy these...

scintar · 07-05-2009, 02:13 AM

I'm not gonna buy a e-cig because some good looking slut is in a advertisement. I'm doing my homework to see if a site is legit or not. As soon as I see a ad like this I'm marking it as spam. Junk mail like the 100 other sex selling ads i get per day.

BlueSun · 07-05-2009, 02:50 AM

Well, it doesn't concern me. Yes, I think they're sleazy, but it happens with lots of products. As a Canadian, I've naturally enjoyed drinking beer since birth, but if I were to stop buying from certain brands based on their sexy marketing, well, there wouldn't be much left to drink.

Here's some more for your (dis)pleasure.

This lady is enjoying her e-cigarette a bit too much:

Surf Monkey · 07-05-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mac

If you are marketing to committed smokers who are already addicted then why does this matter? I am here at the mall everyday selling and have yet to sell one to someone who never smoked. I think the ad content is erroneous because non smokers don't buy these...

Image. Image is everything. A lot of people think the PV looks dorky. Even the ones that mimic cigarettes. They don't want to be seen with one because they think it degrades their image. So, how do you combat that in advertising? Show someone desirable using the product. "If THEY use it and think it looks cool, it MUST look cool to use it!" Simple as that. Hot women using them builds the impression that you could use it and impress hot women.

Surf Monkey · 07-05-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scintar

I'm not gonna buy a e-cig because some good looking slut is in a advertisement. I'm doing my homework to see if a site is legit or not. As soon as I see a ad like this I'm marking it as spam. Junk mail like the 100 other sex selling ads i get per day.

The ads aren't targeted at you. They're for people who dismiss PVs out of hand. They're also for people who have little or no knowledge of the product. Sexy women put eyes on your ads. They don't necessarily close sales, but they do put eyes on your ad.

TropicalBob · 07-05-2009, 05:02 PM

All true, Surf Monkey. While majoring in journalism in college, I took many advertising courses that taught us how to "put eyes on ads." Plus, these are image-building. You are right.

Our problem, of course, is that the same eyes that oppose us because of perception are eyes that see these images as "soft porn" and would want them banned. If enough of those eyes scream at politicians, we'll find e-cig advertising going the same route that tobacco cigarette advertising traveled. And that's not a road that leads to our desired destination.

It's a mine field. And these ads -- just like making unproven claims of "healthy" and/or "heathier" -- are live mines.

Surf Monkey · 07-05-2009, 05:04 PM

Agreed. From a marketing perspective the ads make sense. From a campaigning perspective they're problematic at best, damaging at worst.

insert_namehere · 07-08-2009, 05:06 PM

It's a tough question as to HOW/WHAT/WHERE you throw the marketing bux in a networked world. This forum, for example is a wonderful niche market - but there's obviously a wider world out there that suppliers and manufacturers are targeting.

Are they going at it the right way? Frankly, the "pretty girl" tactic loses as much as it wins, since it's both archaic and transparent. I think it may work on older demographics, but I have a feeling younger vapors are a little more sophisticated than to fall for old school concepts.

Since PVs or ECigs or whatever you want to call them are under a cloud in so many respects anyway - trying to run as straight and ethical a marketing campaign as possible would seem to be the best approach. However, saying they're a "healthier" alternative to smoking is dangerous - saying they're even an alternative to smoking is going to raise some eyebrows with some folks as well.

They're "Fun"? You could be accused of targeting kids.

So - what's a "safe" ad that doesn't hurt the general public's perception of PV's?

I'd love some input on this one and put it to use in my own marketing if I felt it would help both the image of PVs and my company's image.

Tom Wilmot

Vapor Pete · 07-08-2009, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TropicalBob

Hey! Is that a nipple??? Im buyin a Gamucci! LOL...j/k!

My best,
-VP

07-03-2009, 07:13 PM	#12
Mac Offline Supplier Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Virginia Beach VA Posts: 708 Blog Entries: 4	If you are marketing to committed smokers who are already addicted then why does this matter? I am here at the mall everyday selling and have yet to sell one to someone who never smoked. I think the ad content is erroneous because non smokers don't buy these... __________________ Rob the grave, to snow the cradle.Then burn the evidence down.Soapbox, house of cards, and glass, So don't go tossin' your stones around. -MJK

07-05-2009, 02:13 AM	#13
scintar Super Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Pinellas Park FL Posts: 362	I'm not gonna buy a e-cig because some good looking slut is in a advertisement. I'm doing my homework to see if a site is legit or not. As soon as I see a ad like this I'm marking it as spam. Junk mail like the 100 other sex selling ads i get per day. __________________

07-05-2009, 02:50 AM	#14
BlueSun ECF Veteran Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Canada, brrrr Posts: 114	Well, it doesn't concern me. Yes, I think they're sleazy, but it happens with lots of products. As a Canadian, I've naturally enjoyed drinking beer since birth, but if I were to stop buying from certain brands based on their sexy marketing, well, there wouldn't be much left to drink. Here's some more for your (dis)pleasure. This lady is enjoying her e-cigarette a bit too much: Last edited by BlueSun; 07-05-2009 at 03:04 AM. Reason: Added extra comment.

07-05-2009, 05:04 PM	#18
Surf Monkey Super Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 2,570	Agreed. From a marketing perspective the ads make sense. From a campaigning perspective they're problematic at best, damaging at worst. __________________ It isn't the caffeine in a latte that makes you fat. It's the milk. It isn't the nicotine in a cigarette that kills you. It's the tar, CO2, fine particulate and chemical additives.

07-08-2009, 05:06 PM	#19
insert_namehere US Supplier Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The awesomely awesome state of Colorado Posts: 72	It's a tough question as to HOW/WHAT/WHERE you throw the marketing bux in a networked world. This forum, for example is a wonderful niche market - but there's obviously a wider world out there that suppliers and manufacturers are targeting. Are they going at it the right way? Frankly, the "pretty girl" tactic loses as much as it wins, since it's both archaic and transparent. I think it may work on older demographics, but I have a feeling younger vapors are a little more sophisticated than to fall for old school concepts. Since PVs or ECigs or whatever you want to call them are under a cloud in so many respects anyway - trying to run as straight and ethical a marketing campaign as possible would seem to be the best approach. However, saying they're a "healthier" alternative to smoking is dangerous - saying they're even an alternative to smoking is going to raise some eyebrows with some folks as well. They're "Fun"? You could be accused of targeting kids. So - what's a "safe" ad that doesn't hurt the general public's perception of PV's? I'd love some input on this one and put it to use in my own marketing if I felt it would help both the image of PVs and my company's image. Tom Wilmot __________________ Get your head in the clouds at Vapour Warehouse!

07-03-2009, 03:55 PM	#11
cmacpduff Full Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina USA- the tobacco State Posts: 31	I'm with Tropical Bob. Let's keep the advertising more low key and under the radar screen of it's powerful opponents. I'm against anything that will provoke an all out ban my this great product. Where are these ads Bob? - on the internet or childrens magazines?

07-05-2009, 05:02 PM	#17
TropicalBob ECF Veteran Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Port Charlotte, FL USA Posts: 5,076	All true, Surf Monkey. While majoring in journalism in college, I took many advertising courses that taught us how to "put eyes on ads." Plus, these are image-building. You are right. Our problem, of course, is that the same eyes that oppose us because of perception are eyes that see these images as "soft porn" and would want them banned. If enough of those eyes scream at politicians, we'll find e-cig advertising going the same route that tobacco cigarette advertising traveled. And that's not a road that leads to our desired destination. It's a mine field. And these ads -- just like making unproven claims of "healthy" and/or "heathier" -- are live mines.

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