The electronic cigarette company, V2 Cigs, has recently released a TV commercial that will be broadcasted nationwide in efforts to complement the print, digital, radio, and social media efforts it already has running. The company is using the infomercial form of TV advertisement in order to educate the consumer and leverage expert opinions about how electronic cigarettes are better than not only the standard options but other tobacco alternatives. The 30-minute commercial showcases two of the flavors for the disposable cigarettes, menthol and tobacco, and the information is presented by a man who goes by Dr. Matthew Huebner. Dr. Huebner is a practitioner in Weston, FL in Emergency Medicine. With V2 Cigs located in Miami, this is naturally a decent fit.
Below is a 30-second YouTube clip of the Doc in action:
It is no longer easy to talk about or advertise smoking. With the normal cigarettes banned in many public places around the nation, those people who are addicted have been searching for companies like V2 Cigs that could provide an alternative. It is interesting that the company went the route of an
infomercial . Thirty minutes to show how its e-cig is better than anything out there? Call it this blogger's generational bias, but it is surprising to hear that the
infomercial is still a viable option. The V2 Cigs national campaign is heavy with content and education. What are they missing with all its other components that made them decide that a 30-minute
infomercial is their best bet? Its Facebook page is filed with information about its products and pretty entertaining videos (including one talking about smoking and impotency...who knew?) that would suffice for even the social smoker.
The press release does not go into detail as to who V2's target audience is, but based on what we've seen, they are trying to go after those people who regularly find themselves in public situations; going out to restaurants and bars, being with family, and facing the brunt of social scrutiny.
If these are social people, then how effective will the 30-minute infomercial be? It could be targeted for the support groups of the smoker, who might be more likely to find themselves at home.
BMA Readers, are we off the mark? Will the addition of an
infomercial improve the national campaign?
Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.
The electronic cigarette company, V2 Cigs, has recently released a TV commercial that will be broadcasted nationwide in efforts to complement the print, digital, radio, and social media efforts it already has running. The company is using the infomercial form of TV advertisement in order to educate the consumer and leverage expert opinions about how electronic cigarettes are better than not only the standard options but other tobacco alternatives. The 30-minute commercial showcases two of the flavors for the disposable cigarettes, menthol and tobacco, and the information is presented by a man who goes by Dr. Matthew Huebner. Dr. Huebner is a practitioner in Weston, FL in Emergency Medicine. With V2 Cigs located in Miami, this is naturally a decent fit.
