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  • November 2018 (Revised January 2022)
  • Case
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JUUL and the Vaping Revolution

By: Michael W. Toffel, John Masko and Sarah Mehta
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:30
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Abstract

In late 2019, San Francisco-based electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) maker JUUL Labs (pronounced “jewel”) faced intense pressure. Sales of JUUL products exceeded $1 billion in 2018, dominating the e-cigarette category. While JUUL Labs’ stated goal was to help current smokers switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes, the company’s products had become popular with high school and even middle school students, among whom “vaping”—the use of e-cigarettes—was rapidly spreading. Some advocacy groups and policymakers speculated that JUUL Labs had purposefully marketed its products to minors, an allegation the company strongly denied. The debate over JUUL Labs’ marketing and products had made 2019 a difficult year for the company, with a number of states and municipalities imposing bans on the sale of flavored e-liquids, and in some cases, on all e-cigarette products. Given that the company was ostensibly founded to reduce the harm of smoking, what more could JUUL Labs do to prevent misuse of its products, restore its reputation, and grow its business more successfully?

Keywords

Electronic Cigarettes; E-Cigarettes; Vaping; Nicotine Replacement; JUUL; Juuling; Advertising; Digital Marketing; Customers; Innovation and Invention; Marketing; Ethics; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Information Technology; Technology Industry; San Francisco; California

Citation

Toffel, Michael W., John Masko, and Sarah Mehta. "JUUL and the Vaping Revolution." Harvard Business School Case 619-006, November 2018. (Revised January 2022.)
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About The Author

Michael W. Toffel

Technology and Operations Management
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Related Work

    • May 2019
    • Faculty Research

    JUUL and the Vaping Revolution

    By: Michael W. Toffel, Trevor Fetter, John Masko and Sarah Mehta
    • November 2018 (Revised January 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    JUUL and the Vaping Revolution

    By: Michael W. Toffel, John Masko and Sarah Mehta
    • November 2022 (Revised December 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    JUUL and the Vaping Revolution: A 2022 Update

    By: Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Mehta
    • November 2022 (Revised December 2022)
    • Faculty Research

    JUUL and the Vaping Revolution: A 2022 Update

    By: Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Mehta
Related Work
  • JUUL and the Vaping Revolution By: Michael W. Toffel, Trevor Fetter, John Masko and Sarah Mehta
  • JUUL and the Vaping Revolution By: Michael W. Toffel, John Masko and Sarah Mehta
  • JUUL and the Vaping Revolution: A 2022 Update By: Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Mehta
  • JUUL and the Vaping Revolution: A 2022 Update By: Michael W. Toffel and Sarah Mehta
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