Social Media Marketing by E-cigarette Brands in China

Researchers searched four popular social media platforms in China—Douyin (TikTok), Weibo, Weixin (WeChat), and Xiaohongshu—to examine the marketing strategies used and product characteristics advertised by e-cigarette brands on social media. From text and imagery to hashtags and links, 300 posts were assessed for what information was—or was not—included, depicted, and contextualized. The resulting evidence can inform policy interventions that can help prevent people who do not use cigarettes from developing positive associations with e-cigarette products and brands.