According to information published by the University of Southern California, some distributors of electronic cigarettes use Pokémon Go to sell their products. This controversial practice takes place years after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) banned the use of cartoon characters to sell tobacco.
POKEMON GO: USEFUL TO PROMOTE THE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE?
Last summer, the world got carried away Pokemon Go, in the streets, parks and beaches people spent their time watching and tapping on their phones, with part of the population becoming totally addicted to this immersive game. And according to an article proposed by USC, some electronic cigarette stores have seen the great opportunity to promote.
Some examples of promotions are mentioned :
- An e-cigarette seller offered to his customers to win material by posting a photo of the “Pokemon Go” profile associated with an e-cigarette.
- On Tweeter, in-store discounts have been offered depending on the customer's “Pokemon Go” level (5% for level 10, 10% for level 20)
- Vape / Pokemon Go events are organized for promotional purposes.
Using Yelp, USC researchers were able to identify 19 vape shops in Los Angeles within range of “PokéStop”, making it easier for owners to attract customers using the “Pokemon Go” game.
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TOBACCO GIANTS HAVE USED THIS PROCESS FOR YEARS
The tobacco giants have often used comic book characters such as Joe Camel to promote their cigarettes, which is what led the Federal Trade Commission to declare this process causing significant damage to health and the safety of children and adolescents. In response to these concerns, the federal government has banned tobacco advertising directed at people under the age of 18, including the use of cartoons.
The experts of University of Southern California commented wished to comment on this promotion of e-cigarettes through augmented reality games such as "Pokemon Go": " The big tobacco companies have signed a legal agreement to commit not to use cartoons and interactive games in their marketing as this could attract young people. Recently, the FDA considered electronic cigarettes to be tobacco products just like regular cigarettes. It would therefore make sense to apply the same types of trade restrictions to these new products. »
UNDERSTANDING THE LINK BETWEEN THE GAME AND THE VAPE
To Matthew Kirkpatrick, Assistant Research Professor of Preventive Medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine: “ This marketing strategy is similar to that of tobacco companies who have used cartoons and placement in video games to advertise. As augmented reality games grow in popularity, public health professionals will need to understand how video games can relate to the marketing and use of electronic cigarettes. »
Jennifer Unger, professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine at USC and co-investigator at the USC Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science studies how messages about new tobacco products are delivered to vulnerable populations through social media. According to her " Increasingly, augmented reality offers the ability to customize marketing to specific users. »
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Source : News.usc.edu
