Zyn Rewards Program Follows Big Tobacco’s Marketing Playbook

Zyn, the popular oral nicotine pouch brand owned by Philip Morris International, has introduced a new rewards program where customers can earn points for purchasing their products by scanning a QR code on the product’s container. In return, customers can exchange their points for gifts, from Amazon gift cards to electronic devices and even beauty products. Using rewards programs to attract customers and promote brand loyalty is not a novel marketing strategy. The tobacco industry began using this tactic as early as the 1930s, and many of the biggest cigarette and e-cigarette brands have introduced a point-based rewards program at some point. Critics of the Zyn rewards program say that the nicotine pouch brand is following the same marketing “playbook” used by cigarette and e-cigarette brands. Concerns have been raised over how the new rewards program, coupled with social media influencer marketing (“Zynfluencers”), appealing product flavors, and sponsored events, may further attract young people to use Zyn products. In response, Truth Initiative has called for increased regulations to prevent nicotine pouch manufacturers from following the same “playbook” that cigarette and e-cigarette brands have used to attract young people. Read the full article at TruthIniative.org.

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