E-liquid marketing and the potential damage it's causing...

[Jonathan R]

Anybody else worried about the branding and marketing of e-liquid and the possible negative perception it could receive? I'm talking about brand names, label designs and flavors that look like they are targeting teenagers. Does this worry anybody else? Is this really the image we want portrayed as an industry? Your thoughts...

 

[Fresh kevin]

It worries me. I'm a currently about to get my marketing degree and I've thought the advertising for ecigs have been very unregulated. I mean cigs have been off tv for a long time and there's so many more regulations for cigarettes and tobacco. I think the better brands don't do this, but the cig a likes and simpler vapes can get kids into the industry.

I think there will be regulations soon to how vape companies can advertise. What this means for consumers or businesses i don't know, but I doubt we'll see those Blu commercials on tv much longer(and thank god!)

 

[defdock]

Can't say much, as its still illegal for children to drink yet we have liquor marketed/portrayed the same.
Pictures speak louder than words when it comes to advertising, people like "pretty" pictures and crazy retarted names. I.e. "unicorn farts" , "monkey plumber stix", and the worst I've heard "angels love sauce"

"We" can change the label, but it's not going to change how societys thinking proscess works when it comes to "trying something new"

 

[Jonathan R]

Can't say much, as its still illegal for children to drink yet we have liquor marketed/portrayed the same.
Pictures speak louder than words when it comes to advertising, people like "pretty" pictures and crazy retarted names. I.e. "unicorn farts" , "monkey plumber stix", and the worst I've heard "angels love sauce"

"We" can change the label, but it's not going to change how societys thinking proscess works when it comes to "trying something new"

Because pictures speak louder than a thousand words why would you depict things on packaging that appeal to kids? Let people try "something new" without misleading labels, brand names and flavors. I think companies need to be more responsible and not market their product to be hip or trendy among teenagers.

 

[Falconeer]

While its been some 50 years since I was a teenager, I can remember what it was like being one. I grew up in a smoking world and cigarettes were still the thing for teenagers to try then.

In staid old Britain they rejoiced in really exciting (not) names like Player's Medium, Capstan, Woodbine, No 6, No 10, Senior Service etc and they came in fairly plain packets...but to us they were soooooooo exciting.

So all in all I can't quite buy the argument, sorry. It's a fact of life that teenagers will experiment and the more things are forbidden the more they'll want to do it.

 

[ReigntheGamer]

While its been some 50 years since I was a teenager, I can remember what it was like being one. I grew up in a smoking world and cigarettes were still the thing for teenagers to try then.

In staid old Britain they rejoiced in really exciting (not) names like Player's Medium, Capstan, Woodbine, No 6, No 10, Senior Service etc and they came in fairly plain packets...but to us they were soooooooo exciting.

So all in all I can't quite buy the argument, sorry. It's a fact of life that teenagers will experiment and the more things are forbidden the more they'll want to do it.

That similar to me growing up I smoked Marlboro's in a plain red and white pack. The package had no appeal I think for me one of the main reasons I wanted to try them was because adults said they were off limits.

Eta: Like the old saying,"The fastest way to get someone to do something is tell them they can't."

 

[BreSha6869]

Plain labels are under consideration in Ontario. A plain label with only the juice name, strength, manufacturer and a health warning being the norm wouldn't suprise me at all.

I didn't buy a certain brand of cigarettes because there was a unicorn puking a rainbow on the pack and I don't think many adults buy ejuice for this reason.

The target market for cartoon and other cool art on juice bottles is not 30-something soccer moms and/or 40-50 year old guys trying to quit smoking IMO.

This type of marketing can't help our cause IMO, but we shall see....

 

[skoony]

There is no marketing to children nor teens. The target marketing are those
that can legally buy the product. no one is showing these products at children's
or teen themed venues. The only people actively markrting these products
where children and teens are sure to see them are the fine folks responsible for this.

Regards
mike

 

[Fresh kevin]

There is no marketing to children nor teens. The target marketing are those
that can legally buy the product. no one is showing these products at children's
or teen themed venues. The only people actively markrting these products
where children and teens are sure to see them are the fine folks responsible for this.

Regards
mike

Well of course it is illegal to actually target underage kids in any market if it's illegal for them to consume. Doesn't mean their advertisements don't play to a younger age than they are supposed to be marketing towards. Beer is arguably advertised younger than 21, at every sporting event or 50% of commercials kids will see beer or alcohol in a positive light(through advertisement). Doesn't mean they are targeting kids, but in my opinion they could market it differently.

 

[daviedog]

The Hidden Persuaders.
Vance Packered..

 

[retired1]

Moved to General E-Liquid Discussion

 

[VHRB2014]

Marketing has been going to the dogs for the last several years, proof is when they try and tie in the latest sci-fi movie with working truck commercials, but kids will be kids.

E-juice should be a bit more mature, as it is meant strictly for adults. It irks me to no end to see how some makers insist on portraying their juice in such infantile and immature displays of packaging. Its part of this latest culture that thinks it can do whatever it wants without thinking it through. Well, when their business folds, maybe they`ll get it.

 

[skoony]

Well of course it is illegal to actually target underage kids in any market if it's illegal for them to consume. Doesn't mean their advertisements don't play to a younger age than they are supposed to be marketing towards. Beer is arguably advertised younger than 21, at every sporting event or 50% of commercials kids will see beer or alcohol in a positive light(through advertisement). Doesn't mean they are targeting kids, but in my opinion they could market it differently.

Sex sells too,presumably. If one considers drinking,smoking and now vaping as learned behaviors then advertising and or flavors no mater what ever they are have little if any influence
on the derision on said behavior. Peer pressure and parental use are the major precursors by
far. Brand,flavors or,style are at best secondary considerations made once a decision is made
to do a behavior. Myself personally never decided to drink 3 bottles of North Star Beer. I
decided to drink and the North Star Beer happened to be there and available.

Regards
Mike

 

[Jonathan R]

It worries me. I'm a currently about to get my marketing

Well of course it is illegal to actually target underage kids in any market if it's illegal for them to consume. Doesn't mean their advertisements don't play to a younger age than they are supposed to be marketing towards. Beer is arguably advertised younger than 21, at every sporting event or 50% of commercials kids will see beer or alcohol in a positive light(through advertisement). Doesn't mean they are targeting kids, but in my opinion they could market it differently.

Marketing has been going to the dogs for the last several years, proof is when they try and tie in the latest sci-fi movie with working truck commercials, but kids will be kids.

E-juice should be a bit more mature, as it is meant strictly for adults. It irks me to no end to see how some makers insist on portraying their juice in such infantile and immature displays of packaging. Its part of this latest culture that thinks it can do whatever it wants without thinking it through. Well, when their business folds, maybe they`ll get it.

well put my friend, well put!

 

[Lessifer]

The vaping industry should definitely start acting like the shameful nicotine addicts/pushers that they are. Get rid of all the flavors that could appeal to kids. Make sure there is plain packaging on everything. If you use a mod in public you should keep it inside a paper bag so the kids won't see it. Vaping supplies should only be sold in nondescript buildings, at least 1 mile away from any school, playground, or church.

Or not...

 

[Jonathan R]

Sex sells too,presumably. If one considers drinking,smoking and now vaping as learned behaviors then advertising and or flavors no mater what ever they are have little if any influence
on the derision on said behavior. Peer pressure and parental use are the major precursors by
far. Brand,flavors or,style are at best secondary considerations made once a decision is made
to do a behavior. Myself personally never decided to drink 3 bottles of North Star Beer. I
decided to drink and the North Star Beer happened to be there and available.

Regards
Mike

I'm not saying that people won't do whatever they want regardless of how it's presented but I think it's irresponsible to market something for adults in such immature manner. I don't know any other industry that markets an adult only product using rainbows, unicorns, names of candy and other various sweets and then are so descriptive with the flavor that it almost makes you want to dispense a dropper full right into your mouth!

 

[Jonathan R]

Marketing has been going to the dogs for the last several years, proof is when they try and tie in the latest sci-fi movie with working truck commercials, but kids will be kids.

E-juice should be a bit more mature, as it is meant strictly for adults. It irks me to no end to see how some makers insist on portraying their juice in such infantile and immature displays of packaging. Its part of this latest culture that thinks it can do whatever it wants without thinking it through. Well, when their business folds, maybe they`ll get it.

Well said my friend, well said!

 

[Jonathan R]

The vaping industry should definitely start acting like the shameful nicotine addicts/pushers that they are. Get rid of all the flavors that could appeal to kids. Make sure there is plain packaging on everything. If you use a mod in public you should keep it inside a paper bag so the kids won't see it. Vaping supplies should only be sold in nondescript buildings, at least 1 mile away from any school, playground, or church.

Or not...

Your going to the extreme on it I just think it would behoove the industry as a whole if companies were more responsible with their image.

 

[Lessifer]

Unicorn Tears Gin Liqueur at Firebox.com

 

[Lessifer]

Your going to the extreme on it I just think it would behoove the industry as a whole if companies were more responsible with their image.

I'm going to the extreme?

I'm not saying that people won't do whatever they want regardless of how it's presented but I think it's irresponsible to market something for adults in such immature manner. I don't know any other industry that markets an adult only product using rainbows, unicorns, names of candy and other various sweets and then are so descriptive with the flavor that it almost makes you want to dispense a dropper full right into your mouth!

You just attacked the images, names, flavors and descriptions.

So should liquids only be able to have names like watermelon strawberry? Can the description state that it is crisp watermelon, sweet strawberry with a refreshing mint and cream finishing note, or is that too descriptive for you? Maybe we should just stay away from candy or fruit flavors? Stick to tobacco and menthol? Unflavored?

Yes, there will be politicians who will hold something up and say its an example of the industry marketing to kids. That's just not true. They've already done it, holding a nondescript Blu package because it was cherry flavored. It's not true in that case, and its not true if it comes in a hello kitty bottle.

So, we can keep surrendering to false accusations, or we can fight back with the truth.