Regine Haardörfer1, Zachary Cahn2, Michael Lewis3, Shreya Kothari4, Raina Sarmah5, Betelihem Getachew6, Carla J Berg7. 1. Research Assistant Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 2. Director, Economic and Health Policy Research Program, American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA. 3. Goizueta Business School, Emory University. 4. Graduate student, Hubert Global Health Department, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 5. Graduate student, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY. 6. Project Coordinator, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. 7. Associate Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: We examined differential advertising strategies used by 4 major United States e-cigarette companies with differential affiliations with the traditional tobacco industry (ie, Njoy - independent, Blu - acquired, Vuse and MarkTen - launched by cigarette companies) over time. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study regarding e-cigarette adspend, adspend per media channel (eg, TV, print), and advertising messaging strategies among these 4 top e-cigarette brands from January 2013 through December 2015. RESULTS: E-cigarette adspend increased from $59 million in 2013 to $91 million in 2014, followed by a sharp decline to $37 million in 2015. These companies showed distinct spending trajectories overall and across media channels, with Njoy and Vuse spending a higher proportion of their dollars on TV and Blu and MarkTen spending more on print. Marketing messages were also different by company. Key themes included switching from cigarettes (particularly by Njoy and Blu), circumventing smoke-free policies (particularly by Blu), and technological advancement (particularly by Vuse and MarkTen). CONCLUSIONS: These e-cigarette brands have shifted their adspend, use of media channels, and advertising messaging strategies over time. Some differing strategies may reflect the different affiliations of each brand to the traditional cigarette industry.
OBJECTIVES: We examined differential advertising strategies used by 4 major United States e-cigarette companies with differential affiliations with the traditional tobacco industry (ie, Njoy - independent, Blu - acquired, Vuse and MarkTen - launched by cigarette companies) over time. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study regarding e-cigarette adspend, adspend per media channel (eg, TV, print), and advertising messaging strategies among these 4 top e-cigarette brands from January 2013 through December 2015. RESULTS: E-cigarette adspend increased from $59 million in 2013 to $91 million in 2014, followed by a sharp decline to $37 million in 2015. These companies showed distinct spending trajectories overall and across media channels, with Njoy and Vuse spending a higher proportion of their dollars on TV and Blu and MarkTen spending more on print. Marketing messages were also different by company. Key themes included switching from cigarettes (particularly by Njoy and Blu), circumventing smoke-free policies (particularly by Blu), and technological advancement (particularly by Vuse and MarkTen). CONCLUSIONS: These e-cigarette brands have shifted their adspend, use of media channels, and advertising messaging strategies over time. Some differing strategies may reflect the different affiliations of each brand to the traditional cigarette industry.
Entities:
Keywords:
advertising; e-cigarettes; tobacco control; tobacco industry
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