Marlboro mile rewards3/8/2024 I started thinking about nicotine marketing after I stumbled upon a Marlboro-branded Atari Lynx, complete with motorcycle racing game. around 2006, is perceived to be less dangerous than cigarettes (though the industry doesn’t make health claims and the jury’s still out, with evidence on either side ) and its purchase rewards programs have so far escaped criticism. Branded gear by these companies, which is now somewhat collectable, feels ironic when everyone knows that “smoking kills.” But vaping, which gained popularity after it was introduced in the U.S. The tobacco industry’s advertising and rewards programs seem taboo. Vape shops across the country are encouraging the 12.6 percent of adults who have tried an e-cigarette or other vaping device to spend more on the flavored liquids and vape products the same way your favorite smoothie shop might: by plying their repeat customers with discounts, freebies, and “cash back.” It was an incredibly successful incentive strategy, until the industry was publicly rebuked for its advertising practices and gave up on those programs.īut today, tobacco rewards plans are making a comeback, though they look a little different from the swag-based models of yesteryear. There were Marlboro branded hats, backpacks, thermoses, and pocket knives, and Camel pendants, earrings, clocks, and portable beverage coolers. Back in the 1990s, cigarette brands like Camel and Marlboro supplemented their addiction-based business plan with collectible points, which smokers could spend on products featured in catalogs or magazines. The irony is just too rich.There was a time when smoking was one way to get a cool new jacket. The trend is not surprising given how popular 90’s vintage clothing is with Gen Z and younger millennials, in combination with the trend toward outdoor wear and gear in general. I myself found the bag in the John Mayer social media post two years ago and re-sold it for double what I paid for it. From the reseller angle, you will definitely spot this merchandise at thrift stores on occasion and if priced right, it will re-sell easily. High Snobiety also noted the revival of this merchandise in a well written piece last year. The site Gem profiled a super collector of this merchandise. John Mayer even posted about his Marlboro merchandise with disclaimer. The program was completely over by 2006.Ī Revival of the Merchandise? Enough time has passed that the irony of Marlboro outdoor merchandise is just too rich for hipsters and hypebeasts to resist, and now, it has become quite popular in the reselling community and among vintage fashion collectors. Sampling of Marlboro Miles offerings.Įnd of Marlboro Miles The major 1998 tobacco settlement was the beginning of the end of this type of advertising for tobacco companies as the real ethical angle of big tobacco’s impact made this type of marketing seem even more outlandish. Marlboro Fuji mountain bike, check the front logo. The Los Angeles Times even tried to report on one of these secretive outings in a piece in 2004 to the dismay of those in attendance. The real diehards could even get invited to group camping outings like the odd video depicted above. Back then, you would save your cigarette pack proofs of purchase and turn that into Marlboro merchandise via the Marlboro Miles catalog. For example, I recently found the foldable Fuji Marlboro branded mountain bike at my local thrift store. Marlboro was trying to market an active living brand while pushing a product that would ultimately someday, ironically, make you too sick to use the very merchandise it was marketing. The odd choice of trance music in the video is just as fitting as the odd pairing of the rugged outdoor life and cigarette smoking.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |