Content analysis of marketing features in US nicotine pouch ads from 2021 to 2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Since their 2016 US debut, nicotine pouches, which are available in various flavours and strengths, have grown in popularity. Nicotine pouches may appeal to people who use tobacco, but there is also concern that they may appeal to youth and non-nicotine users. This study analysed nicotine pouch advertising trends from 2021 to 2023 to explore advertising features and inform regulatory strategies.

Methods: We conducted a content analysis of 2147 nicotine pouch print, radio, online/mobile, direct emails and social media ads from 2021 to 2023. Ads were coded for flavours, terms and claims. Two trained coders double-coded all ads, and any discrepancies were reconciled. We conducted χ² and post-hoc tests to assess changes over time, using Bonferroni adjustments for multiple comparisons.

Results: Most ads (84.6%) were posted on brands' social media accounts. Zyn ads comprised 54.5% of ads across media platforms. Most ads (72.3%) featured flavoured products, particularly fruit (27.1%) and mint (26.1%). Common terms included 'smoke-free' (19.2%), 'tobacco-free' (18.4%), 'synthetic' (12.9%) and 'spit-free' (10.6%), which all significantly declined from 2021 to 2023. The most common claim featured how convenient the product was to use, which significantly increased over time. Claims about product discreetness and the presence of coupons/discounts also significantly increased over time.

Conclusions: We observed a decline in terms of connecting nicotine pouches to other tobacco products and an increase in potentially youth-appealing convenience claims. Future research should investigate how these features impact risk perceptions and use intentions among people who never and currently use tobacco to inform regulations (ie, restrict youth-appealing claims).