Ettan Snuff

[sirloot]

They NEED to release a sterk brand like general sterk, onyx or nick and johnny. Nick and Johnny Xtreme mint seems practically designed for the american market just call it xtreme frost and you've instantly got free marketing. Ettan isn't a bad brand to launch though.

+1 brotha

[fishmeat]

+1 brotha

X2

I would like to see Ettan hit the 10mg per gram mark

[BrianC]

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they've decided to bring the brand to the US, but I just think it's stupid to try and rebrand it. It seems they're just throwing ideas against the wall to see what sticks instead of formulating a plan and executing, but hey...who am I, lol?

I agree with you, and many others here. Rebranding it like that just seems like a bad idea. We already have enough trouble differentiating our tobacco use from dippers to people who aren't familiar. I don't quite get what sm is doing, I mean they are obviously trying to find a way to get their products known in the US, but as you said they don't seem to be following through with anything. It seems that they are just throwing money at this and that hoping that somehow miraculasly their products will catch on, but most of the time it just doesn't work that way.

I don't know what the answer is for them, and as I can see, obviously they don't either. It seems that they are too used to being a brand that EVERYONE knows in sweden.

My post before was based on purely my own personal reasons, I know what the product is and I would love to be able to walk into a store and pick up a can here and again, but as far as getting snus out there and known by the american public, it seems to me that other companies like V2, Gotlands, and GN are on a much more productive path...they simply don't have enough money sitting around to just throw themselves into it, so they actually have to be innovative and as you said, formulate a plan. Personally I think these companies have a much better shot at catching on in america, but I guess we will see. Money can make miracles happen, but 'tried and true' to me seems to NOT be what americans want, I mean how many very similar general products can a company possibly make for example?

[Darwin]

The biggest problem I see with this marketing "push" is that it is so timid. I'd bet we're talking about a few dozen outlets, at best, in a nation of 300 million plus folks. Unless this effort is expanded about ten-fold any conclusions that SM might draw from the sales numbers are likely to be worthless. I realize SM isn't General Motors or GE but they are hardly a piddling mom and pop outfit and since snus is one of their primary potential future revenue generators in an increasingly tobacco hostile world this furtive and minimalist rollout seems extremely unlikely to bear much fruit. If one of these fridges appeared anywhere near me I'd leap on it in a frenzy of course but in this midwestern capitol city of 170,000 souls I, as far as I can tell, appear to the sole major enthusiast and proselytizer for the world of snusy goodness. Public acceptance is a severe chicken/egg dilemma which tepid efforts such as this Ettan rollout with its confusing branding aspects does not seem likely to help alleviate. Easy for me to say I suppose since it's not my dough they're spending but I do hope SM's expectations are not very high.

[jdman321]

You know what we REALLY need to push snus onto Americans?

Commercials explaining what snus is, how it's best used...a neat, catchy commercial. Signs at gas stations promoting it AND it's price. "EXPERIENCE REAL SNUS, UNLIKE ANY OTHER."

[Darwin]

Amen to the above sentiment. That approach would however involve a seriously massive marketing move on SM's part to the tune of at least 10-20 million bucks because advertising works fine unless there is no product for sale. SM would have to hire a flying squadron of take-no-prisoners sales folks to convince regional distributors that such a big push was a really good idea. To get that advertising, and the attendant snus displays, of any brand or type, into large numbers of convenience stores, the holy grail of tobacco sales, will take major marketing mojo and at least that 10-20 million bucks and maybe a lot more.

[jdman321]

The day I see good advertising for Swedish snus will be the best day in the world. Sure tobacco nazis will be all over it, but they already are. It's going to happen either way so why not push it anyway?

Big banners across the top of 7-11. Swedish Snus SOLD HERE, experience the Swedish phenomenon.

[chadizzy1]

Amen to the above sentiment. That approach would however involve a seriously massive marketing move on SM's part to the tune of at least 10-20 million bucks because advertising works fine unless there is no product for sale. SM would have to hire a flying squadron of take-no-prisoners sales folks to convince regional distributors that such a big push was a really good idea. To get that advertsing, and the attendant snus displays, of any brand or type, into large numbers of convenience stores, the holy grail of tobacco sales, will take major marketing mojo and at least that 10-20 million bucks and maybe a lot more.

It's going to take balls. RJR has the balls to say "Hey, let's REALLY push this product. We don't know if anyone will like it - but we're worth a bajillion dollars so let's do it anyway." And they did it. Snus is EVERYWHERE. It's going to take RJR size balls on the part of SM to accomplish this.

About the commercial thing - I think it's illegal to have a tobacco commercial on TV here in the states. It's why you haven't seen the Marlboro Man in a while.

[jdman321]

Well we need great advertising at gas stations and whatnot. Short brief statements to get people curious about it.

"You've tried other "SNUS", now experience the REAL DEAL"
"Swedish Snus, nicotine to go"
"Real Snus, you'll never go back"
"It's not dip, it's better. NOW SELLING SWEDISH SNUS"
"Now selling Oden's XTREME SNUS, the strongest stuff on earth"
"Meet the General, the one and only"

Not the best but I WANT IT DAMMIT LOL.

[Darwin]

Righto Chad about TV advertising but that still leaves ample opportunities in print media. A full page in Sports Illustrated seems like a darn good idea as well as in such mags as Car & Driver and and others who are not so lily-livered as to shun tobacco product ads. I'd also add that even the biggest SM marketing push would likely require that they provide the splashy POP ads and full snus display gratis to prospective major chain retailers. Having such chains pay up front for the privilege of stocking a basically unknown product courts failure from the outset. Unfortunately that would be a multi-million buck Hail Mary on SM's part but that just may be what's required for ultimate acceptance.

[c.nash]

TV ads are allowed, but like the cans they have to have the warning labels on like 40% of the screen and the ad can use no color.. wtf? lol

[chadizzy1]

Righto Chad about TV advertising but that still leaves ample opportunities in print media. A full page in Sports Illustrated seems like a darn good idea as well as in such mags as Car & Driver and and others who are not so lily-livered as to shun tobacco product ads. I'd also add that even the biggest SM marketing push would likely require that they provide the splashy POP ads and full snus display gratis to prospective major chain retailers. Having such chains pay up front for the privilege of stocking a basically unknown product courts failure from the outset. Unfortunately that would be a multi-million buck Hail Mary on SM's part but that just may be what's required for ultimate acceptance.

I wanna say there was a General ad in Rolling Stone or something recently, but it was a basic General ad - it assumed that people already knew what "snus" and "General" were.

And I wanna say this test of Ettan may be due to the fact that American's aren't embracing General or "bergamot". Which is a good idea, as Ettan is pretty neutral and very approachable to Newbie's. The "heritage"/"tradition" pitch is very good.

[teeotee]

I gotta say i'd be happy to see this in my local tobacco store. They already carry General and are signed up with Rick and his outfit to carry Thunder and jaks. Hell on their big ass roadside sign otuside the store they have "Home of General Snus" and they are selling it like crazy.
Now i can see some confusion with it being called snuff. I have never dipped, well i say never, i tried twice. I wouldn't want to bottom lip Ettan los but you know dippers will. I work with two dippers and if they run out they will ask me for a pinch of snus. They always bottom lip it.

I'm assuming SM has a reason for rolling this out in those particular markets, i would love to know what that is though.

Anyways, lets hope the initial sales go well so they expand the market. AND get some ES out here soon too.

[f. bandersnatch]

I think they are calling it snuff because that is English for snus and it's a product for the American market. Just a guess though.

[rickcharles606]

You know what we REALLY need to push snus onto Americans?

Commercials explaining what snus is, how it's best used...a neat, catchy commercial. Signs at gas stations promoting it AND it's price. "EXPERIENCE REAL SNUS, UNLIKE ANY OTHER."

Working on the signs as we speak ;-)