A recent vape survey of young vaper in 2024- 58% vape users prefer disposable vapes

A recent survey of vape users among Generation Z in the United States dispels some “misunderstandings” about vape and provides valuable information on how to effectively target this target audience.

It is worth noting that the vape use rate in the United States is 16%, which is much lower than that of cigarettes, indicating that vape is not seen by most people as a tool to quit smoking, but a new addiction epidemic

Young people who smoke vape:

· Stress relief (40%) – the main motivation

· Taste attraction (30%)

· Tobacco addiction (25%)

· Cheap price (24%)

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Most vape users prefer disposable vapes (58%)

The most common place of use is at home (45%), followed by bars and clubs (34%) and other social occasions (34%).

In addition, nearly 2/3 of Generation Z vape users have tried to quit smoking or reduce vape use, but half of them find it very difficult to quit nicotine addiction.

The survey also showed that many young vape users are eager to learn about the long-term effects of vaping, and they believe that the real experiences of other vape users, positive information about healthier lifestyles, and support from friends and family are the most effective sources of information.

These findings suggest that road safety and smoking cessation advertising that relied on shock tactics in the past have failed to work for today’s young people.

For many years, road safety advertising has used the “shock and awe” strategy as a core means of public health campaigns. These ads usually feature young people speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol, presenting bloody accident scenes and emphasizing their serious consequences in order to arouse the audience’s vigilance. These large-scale campaigns, costing millions of dollars, are carefully created by top advertising companies and have won numerous awards.

However, as advertising expert Dee Madigan pointed out, the actual effect of these ads is not satisfactory. Practice has proved that “invincible” young people are not affected by these ads, and they are not worried about putting their own or others’ lives in danger. Instead, a more effective approach may be to use satire to laugh at their “heroism.” The gory, threatening tactics that have been relied on for years could be replaced by more effective methods if agencies can fully understand the target audience and convey key messages.

In addition, the findings also suggest that vape use occurs at all times of the day, so an omnichannel approach is more effective than prime-time TV ads.

For example, in the current crackdown on vaping in the United States, the government has pledged $364 million over the next few years to programs to reduce vaping and smoking, on top of $63 million already committed in the last budget to address the problem. State and federal health departments and their partners are currently actively looking for the most effective ways to stop people from vaping, as well as the best media channels to reach target audiences.

Digital channels such as TikTok, Instagram and other platforms frequently used by Gen Z audiences are crucial. For the allocation of media funds, the focus should be on highly indexed categories such as gaming, fashion and beauty, sports, higher education and the LGBTQ+ community, and investments in areas such as podcasts and outdoor advertising should be considered.

These findings are consistent with the focus group research conducted by Michelle Jongenelis, Associate Professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne. Jongenelis found that vape enthusiasts want to know more about vape chemistry and its health effects. Many of the teens surveyed felt that current anti-vape advertising was “unappealing”, “not relevant” and “not impactful for our generation”.

Cancer NSW’s recent campaign through Fortress seems to hit on most of the above points in terms of how it frames insights, having young people explain the impact of their habits and advertising in places they actually frequent, cinemas, out of home and digital channels rather than buying a big TV.

Currently, campaign planning and media strategies are developed at an alarming speed, and we are often forced to make decisions based on intuition and previous experience rather than taking the time to find new insights. Traditional research often takes months to complete and in this day and age, such research is often outdated before it is implemented. However, it is clear that by gathering accurate insights, strategies can be developed more effectively, new ideas can be inspired, and real impact can be achieved.