Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust
Kids as young as 11 report vaping, yet over 60% of parents whose teens vape have no idea. The tobacco industry makes it easy for teens to buy nicotine and tobacco products through discreet shipping tactics. Despite federal age restrictions, 76.3% of online vape shops allow customers to reach the checkout page without proper confirmation they are over 21. Big Tobacco is expanding their products and marketing tactics to target youth more than ever. From enticing flavors to discreet nicotine pouches, the tobacco industry is working hard to hook as many teens as possible. In Oklahoma, nearly 22% of teens report using e-cigarettes, and with the rise of online retailers, access has become even easier. Because of the this, too many teens have easy access to these addictive and dangerous products.
Our client aimed to raise awareness and draw attention to the growing youth vaping epidemic by developing a creative approach that would capture the interest of news stations. The tobacco industry uses enticing flavors, sleek designs and highly targeted marketing strategies to lure teens and kids through discreet shipping by online retailers. These efforts are not only designed to make vaping appealing but also to normalize it within youth culture. The industry's continued innovation in creating products that are both discreet and attractive to teens has made it easier than ever for them to gain access to nicotine.
The press kits were designed to resemble the “discreet packages” that teens often receive when ordering vapes from online retailers. These packages, typically shipped in inconspicuous boxes containing items like slippers, skincare products, or candy, are intended to hide the true contents. Our press kit was specifically crafted to mimic a candy company’s packaging, with a candy overlay that concealed a vape on the imagery. At first glance, the kit appeared to be a fun candy box a teen might order, but in reality it showcased how easy it is for minors to purchase vapes from online retailers with lax age verification laws.
The kit featured impactful messaging aimed at educating parents about the dangers of vaping. We included additional campaign materials, such as a one-page guide on the importance of talking to kids about tobacco and vaping, along with news stories, fact sheets, campaign videos, photos, b-roll, a press release and TV scripts. Over 20 press kits were sent across Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and rural towns in Oklahoma to utilize various media channels, including local TV stations, news outlets and social media platforms, in spreading the campaign’s message. We shared video content, interviews and key statistics to highlight the urgency of addressing the youth vaping epidemic. Alongside the press kit, we provided conversation guides and educational videos to help parents, educators and community leaders start discussions about the risks of tobacco and vaping.
Multiple news stations across the state used press kit materials to create news stories about this important issue, like News 9.
The press kit offered a QR code for news stations to access a multitude of materials. We tracked traffic to the media landing page we created specifically for the press kits from the QR code. Each kit averaged 3.5 sessions on the media page, where over 40% of users accessed resources such as TV news scripts.
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