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Playboy And eCigarettes
File Under Playboy e-Cigarettes – Our News Blog Editor, Kelly K, doesn’t like to reprint press releases and post them as news. It’s an excellent practice and I couldn’t be more proud of his stance against companies attempting to make news by purchasing a 1000-word carefully crafted public relations monologue that says basically nothing of real value. For god’s sake, last year South Beach Smoke (Keith Sutherland And South Beach – Keith? You mean Keifer?) was touting, as news mind you, every attempt they made at sticking a South Beach Starter Kit into some celebrity hands and claiming that celebrity is now a fan of the product. Oh how I used to laugh at those press releases. But, well, never mind, I don’t want to get sidetracked. The point is Kelly bypasses press releases…nearly all the time. But, he ran across one that caught his attention and decided it was indeed news worthy.
Playboy Enterprises and e-Cigarettes
Playboy is entering the e-cigarette business. Somehow, I bet you aren’t surprised by this announcement anymore than we were. Maybe you never thought about, but now that it’s out there, it isn’t surprising in the least. Playboy and e-cigarettes ‘can’ be a marriage made in heaven. It could also be a candidate for a quickie divorce in Reno.
Playboy, for many of us older people, was a very important part of our lives. For millions of men, women, boys, and yes, quite a few girls, Playboy offered something for all of us. Some really did read Playboy for the articles. (The naked women didn’t hurt though) And in many ways Playboy is a major force. I can hear the laughter even now, so quiet down. I’m serious.
For any of you younger readers that might not know about the huge impact Playboy has had on the world with regard to sex, politics, and freedom, check out this Wikipedia page and bask in the glory of what was.
Playboy is Still Relevant?
I started reading Playboy at the age of 12 and I believe that’s why I have always been attracted to strong independent women. Women that think for themselves, and are not afraid to express their opinions or their sexuality, have always been the people I sought out to hang with, work with, or just to know as friends. These women were true feminists, not afraid to be sexual and smart at the same time. I have always preferred the company of strong women to men…. always.
Playboy, to those of us that read Playboy before the fake breasts, the complete elimination of body hair, and the skanky reality TV shows and hardcore, Hustle-style videos, knew Playboy was about freedom of thought, and doing the right thing no matter what. It’s about honor, strength in the individual. The right to choose your own path, to follow your dreams, and to do it the way you want, these were the ideals I got from reading the old Playboy Philosophy column and major fiction and non-fiction writers that wrote for Playboy.
In many ways Playboy was my moral compass. Playboy is the reason I just can’t understand why some people are offended by nudity while feeling nothing for serial killers and rapists being portrayed in ‘procedural dramas’ on television. It just doesn’t make sense. I’ve met people that found some of my work in nude photography offensive, but when asked about the TV show Dexter they yap away about how it’s the best show on TV. (I’ve seen two episode of Dexter and was so shocked and offended about the gruesome violence and glamorization about serial killing and the Dexter character that to this day I can’t even watch a trailer for an upcoming episode. That’s pornography.)
Today, in 2013, there is something new happening with Playboy. Playboy is returning to its roots, albeit in a modern fashion, and that is the best strategy for this iconic name, brand, and empire. Playboy is experiencing a resurgence, and it’s exciting to watch. Leading the way in this resurgence is Playboy’s current CEO Scott Flanders, an amazing turn-around executive with a clear plan for Playboy Enterprises.
The Playboy brand and electronic cigarettes
Playboy’s line of e-cigarettes, licensed through United Convenience Supply, LLC, will be the first e-cigarette to be backed by an established brand with global consumer appeal. Their reach will be enormous and it will give Playboy a distribution channel that, if played right, could cripple many of the lesser brands out there that need to just go away.
We still haven’t heard anything about pricing yet, and in that department I have some concerns. The isolated inner-circle of Playboy executives, including newcomer and heir Cooper Hefner, may not have a handle on what reputable vendors price their e-cigarettes for. I hope they don’t think the Playboy symbol on the packages if worth a high premium. Hopefully Playboy will decide to be competitive and realize that Vapers are cost conscious. (But I doubt it)
The Products
The packaging of the Playboy disposable is the same as the NJOY disposable, which retails at Walgreens for $7.99. Should Playboy try to get $9.99 or even $12.99 they won’t last long. Sure, a lot of young men will spring for one just to have an e-cigarette with the bunny symbol, but if the disposable lasts the same length of time that an NJOY lasts, it won’t work. My gut tells me that if they look like NJOY’s they will work like NJOY’s, and that means maybe 125 puffs from their disposable, far from the 500 puffs that will no doubt be claimed.
The Future
Scott Flanders is a smart guy and he took a company that was losing a million bucks a month in 2009, and brought it back into the black by dumping unprofitable or too costly ventures (video mostly), so if he is behind the decision to launch an e-cigarette line things might go well. On the other hand, if this is Cooper Hefner’s first project for the company then god only knows what’s in store. Cooper Hefner is a college student working as a front man for Playboy right now. I’ve watched a couple of interviews with him and he sounds like a nice kid, but his talents are more creative and business oriented.
1953
My affinity for Playboy goes back a long way. I was born on the day it landed on magazine stands in NYC, where I was also born. Hugh Hefner was a hero of mine in my younger days because of his libertarian and anti-war views (along with his love for the ladies), for that reason I’m hoping that Playboy’s reach into the e-cigarette market is for real, and they intend to put out a quality product at a fair price. Though, to be honest, their “hookah” is nothing more than an eGo/Clearomizer setup and if they can get that so wrong, it makes me a bit leery of the people behind the project. If you want a hookah you reach out to 777 eCigs and get yourself a real electronic hookah, know what I mean?
Kelly, our News Blog editor is going to keep an eye on the development of the Playboy e-cigarette project and you can get the latest news in our news blog whenever you want (News Blog). If you’ve heard something and you don’t see it in the news blog, let Kelly know and he’ll track it down and post it.
This project could be something that works out very well for all of us in the e-cigarette industry. Whether or not Playboy succeeds their brand recognition alone will bring more attention to e-cigs than Big Tobacco can bring.
With zero-nicotine Playboy e-cigarettes you just know there are a whole bunch of young non-smoking college kids with the Playboy bunny on their dorm room wall that will try them. That’s huge brand awareness for e-cigarettes in general.
Whatever happens this development proves that e-cigarettes are going mainstream faster than anyone previously believed. It’s now estimated that 2013 will bring in two billion dollars, twice as much that was predicted last November.
John Manzione
Completely off the subject, kind of… Last night I ordered a pizza from a local pizza shop. 20 minutes later a kid no more than 20, 21 years old knocked on the door and within a couple of seconds he recognizing my e-cigarette in his hands. He says to me “Hey, is that a Halo Triton?” I tell it is, and in fact in a Halo Twist Triton, and he proceeds to talk to me for 10 minutes about how he and his friends are all ditching cigarettes and picking up e-cigarettes instead. He tells me that he loves the Halo Triton and he learned about them from a website called “Spinfuel”. I’m serious. Before he turns to walk away he tells me I should check the site out. I told him I would. Then gorged myself senseless on a large pizza, double extra cheese. Good stuff! – jm
