E-cigarettes evolution over the past 10 years: from the generation to the 5th generation or "Toy pod" and cartoon-based marketing strategy targeting younger smokers
Keywords:
Cartoons marketing strategy, Young smoker, E-cigarette, Toy podAbstract
This article reviews electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) product development and marketing strategies. Due to the rapid evolution of electronic cigarettes in all aspects, particularly in product appearance and usage. The review found that the first-generation e-cigarettes (Generation 1), which resembled traditional cigarettes, also known as "Ciga-like", have evolved over approximately 10 years into the 5th generation e-cigarettes (Generation 5), which differ from all previous models. Tobacco companies have reintroduced cartoon marketing into the production, design, and promotion of these new e-cigarettes, resulting in devices that no longer resemble cigarettes. Instead, the new e-cigarettes are designed to look like dolls, toys, game consoles, beverage containers, stationery, and other children's items. These new e-cigarettes are small, colorful, flavored, and contain nicotine in a modified form for easier inhalation, with nicotine concentrations ranging from 3.0-5.0%. Cartoon characters are used in the marketing strategy, designing the devices to resemble toys and incorporating well-known or newly created cartoon characters into branding and storytelling. The 5th generation e-cigarette is referred to as the "toy pod."
The current situation found 436 online e-cigarette shops, with the majority operating on Twitter. The danger of this new generation of e-cigarettes lies in their indistinguishable appearance from real toys, combined with cartoon marketing strategies that make the product seem harmless to new smokers and increase accessibility. This article aims to raise awareness among parents and educational institutions to prevent and monitor the use of these new e-cigarettes and protect youth from using them.
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