E-Cigarette Retailers’ Use of Instagram in New Zealand: A Content Analysis

Abstract

E-cigarette companies claim their products are key to improving health outcomes by providing smokers with lower-risk alternatives. However, the rapid uptake of e-cigarettes among young people has prompted concern about company marketing practices. In 2019, there was no legislation to govern e-cigarette marketing in New Zealand. This period provides an ideal context for examining how e-cigarette companies promoted their products before the introduction of marketing regulations. We conducted a content analysis of the Instagram accounts of five prominent e-cigarette retailers based in New Zealand during 2019–2020. We assessed health- and risk-related claims and marketing techniques. Less than 10% of Instagram posts refer to smoking alternatives or risk of nicotine addiction. E-cigarette devices were more likely to be promoted for stylistic features such as colours and ease of use (29.7%). Music festival sponsorship (19.1%), social media influencers (9.2%), and lifestyle marketing (41.5%) were identified as youth-oriented promotional strategies. E-cigarette retailers claim to promote harm-reduction tools to smokers, yet this study finds few references to smoking alternatives in any content. Instead, retailers utilised strategies to engage with a young audience, including festival sponsorship and stylish influencers. This youth-oriented marketing, in combination with weak and delayed government action, may have contributed to the high use of e-cigarettes among young New Zealanders.

Marketing claims, promotional strategies, and product information on Malaysian e-cigarette retailer websites-a content analysis

“…Online marketing and sales of e-cigarettes are well-established strategies of tobacco companies [ 11 , 25 , 26 ]. Hence several researchers have studied online marketing, and content analyses of social media websites [ 25 , 27 ]. To our knowledge, very little has been studied in detail about the content displayed on retailer websites in developing countries.…”

Marketing claims, promotional strategies, and product information on Malaysian e-cigarette retailer websites - a systematic content analysis

“…Online marketing and sales of e-cigarette are well-established strategies of tobacco companies [11,25,26]. Hence several researchers have studied online marketing, and content analyses of social media websites [25,27]. To our knowledge very little has been studied in detailed about the content displayed on retailer website in developing countries.…”

An analysis of key stakeholder policy perspectives in the proposed e‐cigarette regulations in New Zealand

“…7 Analysis of e-cigarette marketing shows aggressive targeting of youth through social media, including by high-profile user accounts (influencers) and sponsorship of youthoriented events. 8,9 This evidence contrasts the claims made by the industry that its goals are, for example, "to replace every cigarette for all adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke". 10 Smoking is a leading cause of mortality and is estimated to contribute to up to two-thirds of deaths in current smokers.…”

“…A NZ youth survey in 2019 reported 37.9% of youth ever using e‐cigarettes, and more than 80% of those reported they had never smoked at first use 7 . Analysis of e‐cigarette marketing shows aggressive targeting of youth through social media, including by high‐profile user accounts (influencers) and sponsorship of youth‐oriented events 8,9 . This evidence contrasts the claims made by the industry that its goals are, for example, “to replace every cigarette for all adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke” 10…”