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The
online surveillance system and archive of tobacco
products and tobacco industry marketing materials. |
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Marketing Smokeless Tobacco: Moist Snuff, Snus, Dissolvables |
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According to the Federal Trade Commission's report, in 2006 US smokeless tobacco (SLT) producers spent an all time high of $308.5 million on advertising and promotions for moist snuff products, an increase of 46.6% from 2005.
Indeed, aggressive marketing and development of new products, driven at least in part by the growth of smoke-free air laws and consequent search of smokers for alternative sources of nicotine, have been important factors in promoting the use of smokeless products. Tobacco industry product development has included the introduction and targeted marketing of moist snuff pouches and flavored products and even of new products produced by cigarette companies (including Camel Snus, Camel Dissolvables, Camel Dip, Marlboro Snus), entering the smokeless tobacco marketplace. It should also be noted that Conwood Smokeless Tobacco Company was purchased by Reynolds American in 2006 and in 2009 US Smokeless Tobacco Company was acquired by Altria, thus concentrating ownership of the largest SLT companies in the parent companies of the largest cigarette manufacturers.
This exhibit provides examples of recent SLT advertising and promotions for SLT products, including moist snuff and new products such as snus and dissolvables.
Click on images below for larger views, to save images, and for more detailed information. To check for additional SLT items of interest, select the brand name from the brand field in the search engine, or (if not available) type in the brand name in the "keywords" field. You can narrow your search by selecting a date range, or a category type (e.g., advertisement, direct mail).
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Copenhagen – Reaching Past a Rural Image, Evolving Campaigns
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Between 2007 and 2008, ads for Copenhagen’s “It’s
What’s Inside” campaign portrayed different images
of men of “character.” These included the traditional
cowboy but also extended to other “tough” and
“individualistic” men, including those with a more
urban look or workplace.
More recent images, including those found in direct
mail (right) and on the brand’s website (revised in
2010), are free of models, focus on the product and
urge consumers to “Choose Copenhagen.”
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Copenhagen Loyalty Gifts
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Copenhagen has provided several gift offers
redeemable from its brand website.
In 2009, Copenhagen offered a free lid cover -
users could choose from six designs and three
colors. Lids were mailed with coupons and
instructions on caring for the lid (image, left). Later
in 2009, users were offered a camouflage hat and
Bass Pro gift card in promotion of its new
Wintergreen product style.
In early 2010, Copenhagen offered a free multitool
gift (image, top right) and later offered users a
new gift choice between a camouflage hat, thermal
flask or set of coupons (image, bottom right).
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Copenhagen and Hunting – A Continuing Association
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In 2008, the "Thrill of the Hunt" sweepstakes
(ad left) invited users to enter online once per
day to increase their chances of winning. The
first 20,000 people to enter were offered a free
6 month subscription to Field & Stream
magazine. In 2009, a hunting themed game
was added to Copenhagen’s website.
In 2010, Copenhagen began promoting the
“The Big Hunt” sweepstakes, a chance to win a
4 day/3 night hunting trip for yourself and three
friends (image, right).
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Skoal – Having Built a “Brotherhood,” It’s Time to “Skoal Up”
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Skoal celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2009 with a
variety of “Brotherhood” campaign promotions including
a spread in Playboy which users contributed to, a yearlong
sweepstakes, and a free spittoon gift.
Left: Starting in July 2008, the Skoal website included a
section where users could give their input on content for
the Skoal spread in Playboy. Skoal users voted on
models to use, celebrity interviews to include, and
dipper jokes and “rules” to share.
Right: A 12 page section of Skoal ads/content was
featured in the January 2009 issue of Playboy. To see
all related content, select “Skoal” from the Brand field
and type “Playboy” into the additional keywords field.
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Left: 2009 direct mail promoting the 75th Anniversary Great Brotherhood Giveback sweepstakes, which users can enter online once a day for a monthly and year-end grand prize, and also promoting a free Mud Jug spittoon gift offer, which users can redeem from Skoal’s website.
Right: A free spittoon received in the mail based on the Skoal gift offer.
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Beating Back Competition from Value Brands
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By May 2009, both Copenhagen and Skoal
announced they were lowering their prices in the
face of “rough times”. The price cut reduces the gap
between these premium brands and value brands
with growing sales.
Left: Skoal direct mail announcing the price cut.
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As of 2010, Skoal has moved away from its emphasis on
“brotherhood” and on to a new campaign and slogan,
“Skoal Up” (image, right), which appears to be more
product and value focused. Skoal recently updated the
look of its packaging (image, left), created a new “slim can”
style available at a lower cost and completely revised its
website, promoting a “Skoal Up Promise” – to allow users
to print coupons on a weekly basis. The emphasis on
product and value is likely influenced by the movement of
Grizzly, a value SLT brand, into the number one SLT
brand position.
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Camel Snus – From Test Marketing to National Promotion
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Test marketing for Camel Snus began in June
2006 in Portland, OR and Austin, TX. Camel
Snus was originally available in three flavors
(original, spice, and frost), with 20 pouches in
each round tin packaging (left). Camel Snus
was launched nationally in early 2009 in revised
flavors (frost and mellow) and packaging (15
pouches per oval shaped tin) (right).
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In 2009, Camel Snus promotional materials included
messages directed at smokers, emphasizing that snus is not
the same as dip, and providing examples of places and
situations that are conducive (or “friendly”) to use of snus (as
opposed to smoking cigarettes). Top Left: example of direct
mailing with coupon for a free trial tin. Bottom left: examples
of 2009 magazine ads.
Unlike the 2009 ads which featured prominent images of
Camel Snus (left), new ads in 2010 include those free of any
product image at all, instead highlighting a new Camel slogan
(“break free”), logo, and different irreverent taglines (images,
top right). In 2008, RJR agreed to stop running cigarette ads in
magazines. Yet, with the name of the Camel Snus product
barely visible in a corner, these new ads seem to promote the
Camel brand as much as Camel Snus specifically.
2010 direct mailings include those specifically advertising
Camel Snus and those promoting it alongside RJR cigarette
brands such as Camel, Kool and Pall Mall (bottom right).
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Email (left) is also used to promote Camel Snus and
provides links to the Camel Snus brand website
(right), where users can learn more about the
product, its Swedish history, provide comments in a
discussion forum, and use a retail locator feature to
find a store near them selling the product.
To see all Camel Snus items in Trinkets and Trash,
type in “Camel Snus” in the additional keywords field.
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Left: Ad for Camel Dissolvables with a coupon for a free trial pack with the
purchase of any tobacco product. Ad found in weekly newspapers in Portland, OR.
Camel Dissolvables are tobacco products made of finely milled tobacco, currently in
test-market in Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, IN and Portland, Oregon. The Camel
Strips (left, “fresh” flavor, 20 strips per package) are intended to be placed on the
tongue and can last between 2 to 3 minutes. The Camel Sticks (middle, "mellow"
flavor, 10 sticks per package) can be placed in the mouth like a toothpick or broken
into a piece that is placed between the upper lip and gum, and can last about 20 to
30 minutes. The Camel Orbs (two products on right, "mellow" and "fresh" flavors, 15
orbs per package) can last about 10-15 minutes.
To see all Camel Dissolvables items in Trinkets and Trash, type in “Camel
Dissolvables” in the additional keywords field of the search engine.
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Camel Dip moist snuff launched for test marketing in the
summer of 2009 in Florida and Colorado. In 2010, test
marketing is expanding to an additional 10 markets. The
product is available in three styles (Dark Milled,
Wintergreen Wide Cut, and Wintergreen Pouches) and
promoted on its website, www.cameldip.com (right).
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Marlboro Snus – “Rides Perfectly Alongside Your Smokes” |
  
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Marlboro Snus was introduced for test marketing in August 2007 in the Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas area. Marlboro Snus
originally came in four flavors (Rich, Mild, Mint and Spice), in slidepacks that held the snus pouches (see image, left).
In 2010, Marlboro Snus was launched nationally, with revised packaging and flavors (Rich, Mild, Peppermint, and
Spearmint (image, middle). In late March 2010, content promoting Marlboro Snus was added to Marlboro’s brand website
(Marlboro.com), including information on how to use it, consumer testimonials, answers to frequently asked questions and
coupon offers for free packs with any Marlboro purchase. The Marlboro Snus packaging is described online as
“convenient” and one that is able to ride “perfectly alongside your smokes”. Direct mailings have also been used to
explicitly promote Marlboro Snus for use when “smoking isn’t an option” (image, right).
To see all related items in Trinkets and Trash, type in “Marlboro Snus” in the keywords field of the search engine.
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