After acquiring Blu e-cigarettes in 2012, Lorillard (the third largest US tobacco company) is the US e-cigarette market leader; however Lorillard’s competitors are also strategizing ways to capture their share of the estimated $2 billion e-cigarette market [1]. The product’s growing popularity, quadrupling in size since 2012, has been linked to unrestricted marketing, product trials and increased retail distribution [1]. Market research conducted by Altria indicates that 90% of US adults have heard of e-cigarettes and 66% of those adults have tried it [1]. Product availability has also skyrocketed, with Blu e-cigarette retail distribution increasing from 12,000 to over 80,000 outlets since 2012 [2]. The competition stiffens for Lorillard as Reynolds America and AltriaGroup vie for e-cigarette consumers this summer. Reynold’s America (second largest US tobacco company and Camel cigarettes manufacturer) is testing its flagship e-cigarette brand, Vuse, in Colorado and Utah [1,3].Vuse first launched in Colorado in the summer of 2013 and then expanded testing to Utah in January 2014 [3]. Vuse is expected to become nationally available June 23. The Altria Group (the US’ leading tobacco company and maker of Marlboro cigarettes) is slated to nationally release its e-cigarette product, MarkTen, some time this year as well. MarkTen has been available in Indiana and Arizona test markets since mid-2013 [1].

It is likely that the national roll-out of Vuse and MarkTen products over the next few weeks will be accompanied by a proliferation of displays and promotions at the point of sale. Be on the lookout for Vuse and MarkTen in your community. Capture and submit images of these products and their promotional materials at the point of sale to Counter Tobacco.

Want to learn more information about e-cigarettes at the point of sale? Check Counter Tobacco’s E-cigarette resource page. For more hard-hitting images at the point of sale, visit Counter Tobacco’s Image Gallery.

References:

1. Altria Set to Pose a Stiff Challenge to Existing E-Cigarette Leaders. (2014, June 2). Retrieved June 10, 2014, fromhttp://www.trefis.com/stock/mo/articles/241272/maryaltria-set-to-pose-a-stiff-challenge-to-existing-e-cigarette-leaders/2014-06-02
2. Reynold Begins National E-cig Launch. (2014, June 6). Retrieved June 10, 2014, fromhttp://www.bizjournals.com/triad/blog/2013/06/reynolds-begins-national-launch-of-e-cig.html?page=all
3. Reynold to expand E-cig Product to Utah in Early 2014. (2013, November 18). Retrieved June 10, 2014, fromhttp://www.bizjournals.com/triad/blog/2013/11/reynolds-to-expand-vuse-e-cig-product.html