07
By: Monica Harper
If you have opened this article no matter whether you are a smoker or a non-smoker, you have your own reasons for reading this, right? Well! This knowledge may not directly benefit you if you are a non-smoker, but it can help people in your circle; therefore, keep on reading!
Have you ever noticed the difference between the marketing strategy of normal products and suspicious products such as vape and cigarettes? You might have not, but I will brief you on what is new and unique about their marketing tactics.
We all know that once a product rolls off the manufacturing line, it requires to be marketed. Tobacco companies use a different tactic to build the demand for your products, particularly from new consumers. They sell their products in a non-marketing way. This is one of the most effective marketing strategies out there. The manufacturers portray themselves to be sincere and more responsible, and by making people aware of the harmful aspects of smoking, they gain their trust.
Marketing Tactics
The tobacco industry has not only played smartly with the content of their add scripts but is also carving creative ways to market its products. It includes attractive vape packaging boxes and so-called “corporate social responsibility” campaigns. The industrialists use these campaigns to present themselves as positive contributors to society. Moreover, they come up with innovative anti-marketing efforts such as appealing packaging having warning signs.
This type of marketing is very effective in creating consumer demand. As manufacturers, they first invent the reasons why anyone would want to use a cigarette or any other tobacco products. Controlling favorable ideas about tobacco use is the essence of tobacco marketing.
This tactic of closing off marketing channels and shielding children from persuasive efforts urge them to start smoking. However, the tobacco industry claims that their marketing and advertisements are not intended to appeal to children. They claim to walk a fine line by marketing their products in a non-persuasive manner.
Multivariant Promotional Tools
Tobacco companies rely not only on one type of marketing. They use multivariant promotional tools. For instance, when the government prohibits billboards and magazine advertising, the industry conveniently moves to other strategies, such as internet adds and package branding. These companies keep on switching from one marketing channel to the other. But you must know that until every single channel for marketing is closed off, these companies will keep finding their way out.
Thus, the NGOs and rehabilitation centers working for tobacco control must work relentlessly towards closing off each promotional avenue available to the tobacco companies to promote their destructive products.
Types Of Advertisements
Corporate Political Branding On Plain Packaging
Tobacco companies are using the eco-friendly packaging tactic for promoting e-cigarettes in custom vape packaging boxes. Moreover, they use corporate advertisements placed in newspapers, internet ads, and even in a weekly magazine.
Targeting Specific Audience
Women are making a special sector in the tobacco industry. However, globally the number of female smokers may be less than male smokers, but in many countries, this number is the same or higher. Consequently, these companies have adopted specific advertising techniques to target a specific age group or gender.
Product Innovation
Innovative and unique packaging strategies provide effective solutions to communicate with customers. This, in turn, helps in building brand loyalty and product promotion. Innovation and unique marketing can be used to mislead consumers and undermine regulation making the consumers think that the company is in their favor.
Final Verdict
In this article, I have spoken about some undeniable yet ugliest truths about the packaging strategies of the tobacco industry. Therefore, regardless of the fact that you are a smoker or a non-smoker, this revelation of the hidden marketing techniques will benefit you and your circle in many ways.
If you know anyone who runs a rehabilitation center or NGO, communicate to them about these facts and tell them to make effective strategies that can cover these smart promotional tools. Moreover, you can play your part by spreading the word in your circle> for this purpose; you can use social media as a tool as it has the widest reach to the audience.
