Exclusive: Philip Morris suspends social media campaign after Reuters exposes young 'influencers'

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Philip Morris suspends a social media marketing operation globally after Reuters inquiries about the company’s use of young ‘influencers’ to help sell its heated tobacco device IQOS c_kirkham

- Cigarette maker Philip Morris International Inc has suspended a global social media marketing campaign in response to Reuters inquiries into the company’s use of young online personalities to sell its new “heated tobacco” device, including a 21-year-old woman in Russia.

They included a paid post plugging the tobacco product by social media “influencer” Alina Tapilina in Moscow - who listed her age as 21 on Instagram - alongside often seductive photos of herself drinking wine, swimming and posing with little clothing in luxurious settings. The company added: “We were deeply disappointed to discover this breach and are grateful that it was brought to our attention.”

Natsumi, who goes by the handle @natsu_772 and whose age Reuters was not able to determine, holds a"heated tobacco" iQOS device One Romanian IQOS marketer is 25 years old, according to a separate actress biography, but did not list her age on Instagram. Tapilina and nine other IQOS marketers did not respond to requests for comment.

When Philip Morris submitted marketing plans with an FDA application for IQOS in 2017, its sample advertisements featured models appearing at least a decade older and wearing modest, professional clothes.That application, which is still pending before the FDA, seeks approval to market the IQOS as less harmful than smoking and outlines company plans to ensure it doesn’t market the device to “non-intended audiences.

Marketing deals between companies and social media influencers vary widely, according to industry experts. But typically a company will work through third-party public relations or advertising firms that have relationships with online personalities. Compensation typically ranges from $20 to $25,000 or more for each post.

Many of the Instagram influencers featuring the products had tens of thousands of followers, and a few had more than a million.Devices such as IQOS and Juul hold potential as a way for cigarette smokers to transition to less harmful nicotine products, but some public health advocates worry the sleek new devices are addicting young people who would have never smoked cigarettes. Among traditional cigarette smokers, 90 percent start smoking before the age of 18, according to federal data.

 

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br0k3nhalos c_kirkham 'including a 21-year-old woman in Russia.' Glad that Reuters is pitching the xenophobia of the modern DNC to hook us like the tobacco companies hook kids.

c_kirkham Great! Now do the oil companies.

c_kirkham Honestly, I'm surprised that a company like Phillip Morris isn't trying to jump on the legal marijuana bandwagon. They already makes cigarettes, can't be that hard to have the same machines roll a joint.

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