I was browsing through The Michel Fortin Blog on copywriting and marketing when I found out about a product I’d never heard of before: an electronic cigarette. Whoever thought up this design was very creative – I would never think of linking “electronic” with smoking – and I thought it was all a scam at first.
In a recent post Mr. Fortin talks about his discovery of “Green Smoke”, an electronic cigarette that apparently doesn’t have tar or emit smoke. Users of the e-cig still get their nicotine kick, but without all the bad breath/smoke inhalation that comes from regular cigarettes. With these changes, the Green Smoke site claims that their product is better for the environment, cheaper in the long run, and is great for social gatherings (no odours, don’t have to step outside, etc).
I’m interested by this product not because I’m a smoker, but because of its implications. Michael Fortin calls the e-cig “an alternative solution to committed, long-terms smokers”. I agree that the e-cig would be targeted at long-term smokers who just can’t quit. First time smokers, or those “experimenting”, wouldn’t go and buy a basic e-cig “starter kit” that retails for around $139. The e-cig is handled like a normal cigarette, and for many smokers the physical and oral habit of dragging on something is also very addictive.
First, I thought that these e-cigs might motivate people to quit, acting as a bridging step between smoking a normal cigarette and, say, a nicotine patch. Then I had second thoughts: if the e-cig is so safe and appealing, smokers may turn to it as a way to cut down on the health risks without actually quitting their nicotine addiction.
The Green Smoke has a few things going for it. First, it’s targeting a significant part of the population (according to a 2005 poll, around 21% of the US population smokes, which is around 45.1 million). Secondly, it is a novel idea – I don’t think I’ve heard of any other product like it. Thirdly, it has a large online presence – it got itself advertised on Michel Fortin’s blog, which boasts “52,139 readers”!
And finally the e-cig is calling itself “Green Smoke”. Right now going “green” is a big trend – consumers on the lookout for new green ideas might just click on “Green Smoke” out of curiosity, like I did!