Selling the “Switch” - A review of marketing promoting switching to Camel Snus

Background: In 2009, a major tobacco manufacturer nationally launched its first smokeless tobacco product. While early ads promoted the product as one to use in situations where smoking is banned, more recent advertising materials have also encouraged smokers to try and switch to smokeless products from smoking. This presentation will explore and describe smokeless tobacco advertising to date directed at smokers and promoting the idea of “switching” with particular focus on an online challenge.

Methods: Description will be based on review of marketing materials tracked by a surveillance system and archive of tobacco advertising.

Results: The online challenge is a campaign which encourages smokers to use smokeless tobacco for seven days and document their experience on the brand's website. The presentation will describe the components of this online challenge feature including the registration process, daily journal pages, testimonials, discussion forum postings by participants and a related sweepstakes. The number and type of unique advertising materials used to drive smokers online to the challenge (including magazine/newspaper ads, direct mailings and e-mails) will also be described. Other ads used to promote switching to smokeless tobacco in times traditionally associated with quitting tobacco (e.g., New Year's) will also be presented.

Conclusions: While it might be argued that the promotion of switching falls in line with a “harm reduction” approach to tobacco use, it may also discourage smokers' efforts to quit tobacco completely and undermine tobacco control's efforts to facilitate cessation.