How would you market snus to the US market?

[chadizzy1]

I was looking at the Camel "SNUS" ad on the gas station window today and it got me thinking, if I was in advertising for snus and working on ad campaigns for the American market, where would I advertise and what approach would I take?

Make snus seem "fun" and "hip", or make it seem dignified, elegant....

What approach would you take if this was your job? I'm kinda curious what you guys think.

I was thinking of cigar type ads, making snus seem dignified.

[lxskllr]

I go with hip and trendy, for some, and dignified and cultured for others. Show young Swedes out clubbing, ESPECIALLY women for the younger audience, and suit types for the more mature crowd.

[Snusmun]

I agree..hip, trendy, swedish clubbers. I'm thinking a spot with Bruno and a tin of camel placed in his butt cheeks. He pulls it out, takes a big whiff, places a portion in his lips and says something like "rich tobacco isn't just for presidential interns, u too can be hip and special, velcome to svedish paradise".

[Paul]

(not Knowing how americans think)
I'd bet on the Health aspect for the 25 45 yrs range
Trend for the "kids"
and elegance for the eldery people

[BadAxe]

Snus will not be able to market their product as "hip" or "trendy" in the US now that tobacco is in the FDA's hands. They have already begun by eliminating flavored cigs and cigars (Flavored cigars are banned beginning this month I believe). They are changing what words are allowed on cigarette packs. For example, there will be no more "Full Flavor" allowed. No marketing allowed where it makes tobacco sound fun or enjoyable in any way. So marketing snus as "hip" will just not be allowed in the US. In fact, I believe they will be so crippled in trying to market it here, that it probably will just never take off.

[WickedKitchen]

If it's well marketed and a good selling product you can rest assured that good old Uncle Same with make a can of General $8.00US.

I think Camel would've done better going with los snus. More dippers would try it and they'd use a heck of a lot more of it than currently done in the portions. It should've tasted more like tobacco too, that's also where they fell short. I like the can though.

Camel already went through the ringer using a cartoon Joe Camel so a hip message to a younger audience wouldn't fly.

I think a grassroots campaign of it being "less harmful" would be the best approach though our anti-tobacco government (and public sentiment) would not allow for this.

Exclusive and rich would end up being the only choice but that would lend to higher prices, and lets face it...the US snus products aren't exclusive nor rich enough to fit any description.

[tom502]

I would take a good strong snus, like Thunder, figure a way that doesn't require refrideration, and put it on the dip rack, and word of mouth will make this popular.

[gambino]

elgance? clubbing? have any of you folks ever been to a club in nyc or vegas? it doesn't sound like it.
not a place or a sort of crowd that is going to be using oral tobacco anytime soon.
maybe in euroland high society folks use snus, but stateside that's not the case...
no amount of marketing can take away the fact that oral tobacco is a good ole boy habit...snus makers could make huge inroads catering to this trad. dip crowd.
doing the opposite and trying to market to wall street club/kid types IMO would utterly fail and probably alienate the folks who might actually try it: the blue collar dudes like myself.

[Colt]

Market snus as a healthier alternative to dip and cigarettes, and you'll convert millions overnight; however, the snus companies might not be willing or ready for the massive fight they'd have to engage in regarding the "healthier" claims. They'd be fighting the FDA, the anti-tobacco groups, and the existing US tobacco industry.

Trendy won't get people in the US to stick tobacco in their mouths; smokeless tobacco here is pretty well established as stereotypical behavior for hicks and athletes. They'd have better luck selling snus as a Scandinavian tradition than the popular thing to be doing.

Health, though, is the nuclear option. If they can advertise the fact that snus contains fewer nitrosamines and additives than US tobacco, they'll make millions.

[RRK]

I would market it as smart. Reduced risk is the key and I do think it will eventually happen. Start out in the tobacco shops for people to seek out that are interested in quitting other tobacco products. After it gets some traction go for the gas stations. The ads would give the impression that swedes are smart, state some health related statistics, and have some good looking middle aged Swedes to put a face on it.

[justintempler]

If it's well marketed and a good selling product you can rest assured that good old Uncle Same with make a can of General $8.00US. .

Agreed. The loss of revenue from taxing cigarettes will have to be made up so it's not even a question of if, but when.

Tobacco companies hands are pretty much tied as far as marketing.

I would concentrate what little marketing I could do into going after people affected by smoking bans. Bars and restaraunts are a natural. That's how Skruf got their start.

The rest of your marketing should go into grassroots. Encouraging forums and blogs to promote your product.

[gambino]

I would market it as smart. Reduced risk is the key and I do think it will eventually happen. Start out in the tobacco shops for people to seek out that are interested in quitting other tobacco products. After it gets some traction go for the gas stations. The ads would give the impression that swedes are smart, state some health related statistics, and have some good looking middle aged Swedes to put a face on it.

i look at your example and this is how i would react: arrogant euro-snobs trying to poke fun at the millions of american dip losers who must not be smart? how dare this bourgieouse (sp) sorts insult the working man like that, gimme a can of copenhagen.
gurantee you a lot would responce like that...cater to the dip crowd, the hunter, the plumber, the carpenter, etc...

[tom502]

I am fully convinced if Thunder Snus, Original, Frosted, and Wintergreen, could have a foil cover under the lid, and on the dip rack, with maybe a new sign, "NEW Thunder Snus", and on the dip racks, these things would fly off them.

[RRK]

i look at your example and this is how i would react: arrogant euro-snobs trying to poke fun at the millions of american dip losers who must not be smart? how dare this bourgieouse (sp) sorts insult the working man like that, gimme a can of copenhagen.
gurantee you a lot would responce like that...cater to the dip crowd, the hunter, the plumber, the carpenter, etc...

I don't really see the insult part but whatever, thats just my idea.

I was thinking of the people here at snus on. Probably 95% came to snus to quit using some other tobacco.

Personally I think the people you are describing will just continue to use what they were already using no matter how it is marketed. You may be surprised but I don't think a high percentage of snuson members came from dip. The snus marketed in America was already being marketed to dip users.

[Paul]

Are you representative of the "american culture"?