Big Tobacco’s Viral Sensation: Biggest Success Since Cigarettes

Governments worldwide have long attempted to curb the tobacco industry. Zyn, a brand of flavored oral nicotine pouches resembling breath mints, represents the latest strategy in this ongoing battle.

Owned by tobacco giant Philip Morris International, Zyn is a tobacco-free product. These small, gum-sized pouches deliver more nicotine than a cigarette directly into the bloodstream. Unlike traditional chewing tobacco, there’s no need to chew or spit.

Several factors have contributed to Zyn’s growing popularity. Users appreciate its convenience and subtlety, and a wave of online advertising promotes Zyn as a healthier, smoke-free alternative to cigarettes. This shift highlights how tobacco companies are diversifying from traditional cigarettes to tobacco-free products like vapes, snus, nicotine gums, and inhalers. Researchers refer to this shift as the “pharmaceuticalization” of the tobacco industry.

Zyn’s marketing mirrors that of many lifestyle and health products, using simple blue and white colors to emphasize its convenience, variety of flavors, and versatility. One online ad states, “Simple. Discreet. Satisfying,” showing the pouches next to someone working on a laptop. “You’re free to enjoy it wherever your curiosity leads you.”

First tested in 2014 and launched nationwide in 2019, Zyn has quickly become the leading nicotine pouch brand. In 2023, Zyn shipped 385 million cans in the U.S., a 62% increase from the previous year, with expectations for another 35% growth this year. Following a surge in demand that caused shortages—dubbed the “Zynpocalypse”—Philip Morris International announced a $600 million investment in a new manufacturing facility in Aurora, Colorado.

 

Rise of ‘Zynfluencers’

Danny Whalen, 26, switched to Zyn last year after a decade of using chewing tobacco. He finds Zyn cleaner, less harmful to his gums, and more convenient, especially at work. Though he believes Zyn is better for his health, he now wants to quit due to anxiety caused by nicotine. Health experts agree that nicotine pouches are safer than smoking or chewing tobacco, but they still carry risks, and long-term effects are unknown.

Whalen’s experience is common among Zyn users, who appreciate the convenience and perceive it as a healthier option. However, quitting remains a challenge due to nicotine’s addictive nature.

In 2023, Zyn’s digital advertising spending soared to $28 million, a 1,300% increase from the previous year. This surge was noted in a study by the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, which also highlighted the role of social media influencers, known as “Zynfluencers,” in promoting the brand. On platforms like TikTok, Zyn has cultivated a subculture, especially among young men. Notable influencers like the Nelk Boys and podcasters Joe Rogan and Logan Paul have contributed to its popularity.

Philip Morris International, which acquired Zyn manufacturer Swedish Match in 2022, stated that it does not use social media influencers and targets its online content to legal-age nicotine consumers.

 

Marketing Strategies and Public Health Concerns

Zyn’s rapid rise is attributed to aggressive marketing, as highlighted by the Rutgers researchers. The brand advertises on mobile apps and sponsors events such as the Beale Street Music Festival, the National Championships for Pickleball, and IndyCar’s Music City Grand Prix. During the solar eclipse in April, Zyn compared its 60-minute pouches to the 4:28-minute eclipse duration. Philip Morris International emphasizes that it only advertises at events with an adult audience of over 85%.

Pamela Ling, director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco, points out that Zyn’s “clean appearance” and distinction from traditional tobacco have led many to view it as safer. However, nicotine addiction remains a serious issue, with significant challenges for those trying to quit.

Public health experts argue that while nicotine pouches may reduce harm compared to smoking or chewing tobacco, the aggressive marketing strategies could perpetuate addiction or introduce nicotine to new users. Long-term nicotine use is associated with various health issues, including heart and vascular diseases, reproductive disturbances, and more, although nicotine itself does not cause cancer or lung disease.

Philip Morris International, which does not sell cigarettes in the U.S., maintains that Zyn is not marketed as a smoking cessation product. Ling suggests that a better public health strategy would involve limiting nicotine pouch availability to prescriptions, smoking cessation clinics, and other support programs.

“The mass marketing, especially on digital and social media, is the wrong way to promote health,” Ling said. “It’s driving popularity and creating a large pool of nicotine addicts.”