Will ecig commercials kill vaping?

[JR 137]

I just saw a Fin ecig commercial. It was a throwback to 50's glam smoking. If you haven't seen it, I'm sure YouTube or the like has it. There's also Blu and njoy commercials running semi-regularly. I guess because they're not tobacco, there's no restrictions?

The Fin commercial really got me thinking. It can easily be misconstrued as targeting minors, glamorizing nicotine, etc. I honestly don't think they're appropriate. But instead of arguing if they are or aren't appropriate, my question is

Will they hurt the vaping cause?

I can't see how they'd help. Take an honest alternative and at least make make it seem like it could be targeting minors, glorifying it, etc.

I think it'll really hurt. There's too many people out there that want to target vaping due to ignorance. There's too many out there who'll jump on the targeting bandwagon to get votes.

Whats your take on it?

I really hope this thread doesn't turn ugly...

 

[schotzky]

Blu's and other cigalikes imo give personal vaporizers and other "e cigs" a bad name, no matter how much awareness for pv's they create.

Awareness isn't always a good thing, stupid ...... off soccer moms that hate their life and want to get everything banned because they don't know what it is are a force to be reckoned with. I would much rather have all my vaping freedoms to me and keep vaping in the dark from most of the public if it mean that they never get "banned" or regulated.

Plus, when someone see's a blu commercial and goes and buys one, they are disappointed 90 percent of the time, as if they tried a simple, little more pricy ego style model they would be much more satisfied. Stock up on DIY supplies and rebuildables, winter is coming for ecigs.

 

[Hulamoon]

Government and corporate monetary interest will eventually trample over both any and all moral objections. regardless of whether the latter is well-meant or of evil intent.

The number of e-cigarette users is exploding. I hope that any and all dilly-dallying by teh FDA or internal boxing matches between this corporation and that corporation, will be an advantage to us end users. The more visible we are, the better the general public will be educated as to what e-cigarettes really are and are not.

Volcano in Hawaii has been running TV ad campaigns for quite some time. So, to keep it light I'll repost my favorite, just for grins.

 

[bazmonkey]

Well, how should an e-cig manufacturer advertise? Show people in decidedly unglamourous settings, taking a quick puff before work? You vape because you like it, right? They want to advertise that people vape and enjoy it.

It only looks fishy because it's selling nicotine, and deep down it seems like many of us feel that it's wrong somehow. Selling nicotine competitively doesn't feel right... why is that? I think it's because as amazing as vaping is for a former smoker, it's not something we'd wish on a non-smoker.

Appealing to minors: nah. Minors will be attracted to any fun activities adults do. The Fin commercial didn't do anything that stuck me as aimed specifically to a minor.

Glamorizing nicotine: of course, but that's the point. Vaping as whole, the community, this website, us on the streets... we all glamorize nicotine. We talk about the equipment, and juice, and techniques, and devices... but in the end it's all in the pursuit of administering nicotine to ourselves in a more ideal way. That's just the fact of the matter: we're nicotine glamorizers.

 

[JR 137]

Good points made. I think TV advertising, or probably any advertising for that matter will draw unwanted attention to vaping. But of it wasn't for advertising, I wouldn't be vaping and I'm sure 99% of wouldn't be either. Double-edged sword. I just think there needs to be some sort of restraint on the part of the manufacturers, otherwise sooner than later, big brother is going to step in.

If you think about it objectively, take a look at a lot of the gear and flavors - flashy colored batteries, candy and sugary drink flavors could be misinterpreted as targeting kids. How does Ecto-Cooler or soda or bubble gum flavored ejuice sound? The tobacco companies alledgedly tried that. I know companies like Mt Baker, Alice in Vapeland, et al aren't trying to lure in kids; they're giving us what we want. But these self righteous groups don't think that way. The "what if kids get it" excuse/mentality grows everyday.

 

[bazmonkey]

I don't see where the restraint is necessary, though. Again, looking at the Fin commercial: happy people in what looks like a bar or club vaping. What did they do wrong? Where did they go too far?

I'm not in BT's bed or anything, but I can see the frustration they have. Make a commercial to advertise your product, but don't make it look too appealing or it'll be... too appealing. What other companies have such odd hoops to jump through just to advertise?

 

[2coils]

Everybody is too uptight these days! Live and let live is a thing of the past. Its a damn shame! In the meantime cigarettes are still readily available. The thought of not embracing a device that is saving millions is absurd, and parents police your own children and they will be just fine! I say run the commercials. Though they will eventually be censored.

 

[Talyon]

Not for me, I intend to Vape with my last dyeing breath, just try to stop me MR.Government, and BT and BP etc etc...

 

[ChrisOrange]

I could see a future where you choose unflavored, regular, light, and menthol and you will basically have "underground" flavor sellers to mix into your e-liquid. Sadly if that happens then we may never see the research that I think is required on the flavoring. Just "flavoring only" vendors that say "trust me!" Of the 4 simple ingredients in e-liquid the one that I think most people are worried about being safe is the flavoring.

I don't think it needs to get regulated...just proven to be within a certain safety threshold, so maybe a "whitelist" of ingredients is needed with a lot of research dollars behind it and companies willing to run proper quality control - which isn't cheap. My personal opinion is that we don't -need- TV or other types of advertising, this thing can grow without it. The problem will be the media's reaction to the banning of ecig commercials if/when it happens.

 

[kashmoney38]

Making positive truthful and educating commercials would be what we all would want but that's not what these big corporations are in it for, sad but true.

 

[Ahoy]

Meh, I think of it as a good way to get people to switch to something better. I love how popular they are becomming, I do see how the OP is thinking though, it seems to be portrayed as the "cool" thing to do in the commerical.

Idk, I love seeing ecig commercials, even if they are for crappy ecigs...like blu for example. It gets peoples attention and intrigues them to research a bit and find out what vaping is really all about and experience true vaping by using other, better, product(s).

 

[JR 137]

Everybody is too uptight these days! Live and let live is a thing of the past. Its a damn shame! In the meantime cigarettes are still readily available. The thought of not embracing a device that is saving millions is absurd, and parents police your own children and they will be just fine! I say run the commercials. Though they will eventually be censored.

I agree with the whole parents should police their own children thing 100%. My daughters are only 2 1/2 and 2 months old, so I can't stand up on a podium and say what I'm doing is working though.

Our society has gone way too far in passing the blame. When a kid fails a class/grade/or even a test, the teacher's to blame. Not the kid for not doing his/her homework or studying, and certainly not the parents' for not making him/her do it or even show up to class. If a kid brings a gun to school, it's not their fault, it's the kids who made fun of him's fault. As parents, we're responsible for our kids' actions, and our own as well. No one wants to own responsibility unless its convenient.

Every adult in my family except both of my grandmothers smoked when I was growing up. Every single adult. While that probably had something to do with me picking up the habit, I'm the one who put a cigarette in my mouth and lit it. I own it.

I'm just concerned that these ads are going to draw some serious opposition to vaping. I completely agree with the ban on tobacco advertising, so I guess I have to agree with a ban on vape advertising should one come up. But then again, the tobacco companies intentionally aimed their products at people who were not of age to use them, so it's not an apples to apples comparison. Fin, Blu nor Njoy have resorted to Joe Camel or Fred Flintstone pushing their products. Not yet anyway.

Maybe a happy medium would be to advertise only during hours kids aren't likely to watch and during stuff they don't watch. Then again, I haven't seen ecig ads between Bubble Guppies or Daniel Tiger episodes.

The Fin commercial just rubbed me the wrong way I guess. It came off as 'Remember when smoking was cool and everyone was doing it everywhere? Now it's back!'

I also have the suspicion that Steven Dorf and others stating there's no odor or ash will encourage under age kids to buy them so they can vape at school without getting caught. But then again, who's buying them for them?

I think the commercials will start these and other controversies that'll get the good companies taxed out of existence.

 

[JR 137]

Meh, I think of it as a good way to get people to switch to something better. I love how popular they are becomming, I do see how the OP is thinking though, it seems to be portrayed as the "cool" thing to do in the commerical.

Idk, I love seeing ecig commercials, even if they are for crappy ecigs...like blu for example. It gets peoples attention and intrigues them to research a bit and find out what vaping is really all about and experience true vaping by using other, better, product(s).

My thoughts exactly. If it weren't for Steven Dorf, I doubt I'd have heard of vaping yet. Except for a few shady mall kiosk terrorist-looking guys* hawking them, I wouldn't have seen them anywhere yet.

* Being of Middle-Eastern descent, I'm allowed to say this.

 

[ChrisOrange]

Meh, I think of it as a good way to get people to switch to something better. I love how popular they are becomming, I do see how the OP is thinking though, it seems to be portrayed as the "cool" thing to do in the commerical.

Idk, I love seeing ecig commercials, even if they are for crappy ecigs...like blu for example. It gets peoples attention and intrigues them to research a bit and find out what vaping is really all about and experience true vaping by using other, better, product(s).

This might be true but what we absolutely do not need is a catalyst that forces commercial bans or other regulation because that becomes a "story." One bad thing happens and then we get to hear all about it from the media...from regulators...etc. I think it's more important to control the message and be proactive than to advocate for advertisements.

Isn't it better to get in front of this issue before it has a chance to become a "story." Be like Doc Brown and think 4th dimensionally.

EDIT: So what I'm saying is that as a self-regulating community the message in such an event is "We don't agree with or advocate big tobacco's ecig advertisements and never have." That sends a powerful signal and gives you a chance to educate people and disarms sensational media.

 

[transmothra]

I think the most harm they do in the short term is that people who see *us* enjoying ourselves and want in on it wind up getting some slickly packaged horrible garbage. Then they hate it and vow never to try vaping again. Worse yet, they tell their friends. In the long run, it is definitely glamorizing what is still an addictive and nonproductive habit.

 

[bazmonkey]

Except for a few shady mall kiosk terrorist-looking guys* hawking them, I wouldn't have seen them anywhere yet.

* Being of Middle-Eastern descent, I'm allowed to say this.

...No you're not. Not unless you want everyone doing it. Is beard/turban/dark=terrorist really the sentiment you want to jokingly throw around? You're saying "This comment is insulting to people but ok in marginally-important situations."

 

[stevegmu]

Kids can't afford to vape- at least not the right way. Whatever a pack of cigarettes may cost, they are still far cheaper than vaping, in my opinion. They may buy a disposable, which lasts them half a day, then go out and buy a pack of cigarettes the next day, never to vape again.

The disposables play a very important role, as far as I am concerned. It offers smokers a chance try vaping. I would never have quit on BLU- even though I ended up with 2 starter packs, a Premium 100 starter kit, countless batteries and buckets of carts. It started the journey for me, though, and I quit cigarettes in 5 days once finding the proper delivery system. BLU introduced me to vaping. VEA let me know there was something better, Halo Triton- bingo.
If the commercials introduce people to vaping, who later go out and buy effective delivery systems, everyone wins.

 

[DC2]

I posted this earlier today in another thread regarding the FIN commercial...

I'm not sure what to think about that, but I think it worries me...

We call know that the ANTZ are trying to get electronic cigarettes included in all no-smoking bans, in part because it "look like" smoking.
And how successful they are, and will be, is fairly dependent on how the politicians/public feel about that.

Advertisements like this are liable to turn a good percentage of the public against us...
At least among those that haven't had any exposure to electronic cigarettes.

 

[stevegmu]

Vaping will be banned everywhere smoking is prohibited before it is allowed. All it takes is 1 complaint, and said business will put up no vaping/e-cigatrette signs. The government already has banned vaping where smoking is prohibited on federal property, so have most employers who have tobacco-free sites.
A guy at a movie theater or mall vaping away claiming it is his right- it's just vapor, doesn't help the cause, either.

 

[DC2]

In the long run, it is definitely glamorizing what is still an addictive and nonproductive habit.

The best part of waking up, is Folger's in your cup.

Nicotine improves memory, concentration, and attention.
There is no reason I am aware of that it should not be treated, and advertised, just like caffeine.

It's quite possibly no more dangerous than caffeine...
And also quite possibly no more addictive when it isn't administered by inhaling burning tobacco.