2Firsts, reporting from Shenzhen - On March 21, 2025, 2Firsts, the leading global NGP industry media and consultancy, successfully held the "Global NGP Brand and Market Development Forum" in Qianhai, Shenzhen.
The forum lasted for one day, divided into two sessions, attracting high attention from global NGP industry professionals. More than 150 industry professionals attended to discuss the international branding strategy, market development, and future trends of the NGP industry.
At the forum, experts from both domestic and international backgrounds provided in-depth analysis of the current situation and trends in the global NGP market from their respective professional fields.
They shared cutting-edge market data, brand building experiences, and technological innovations, offering valuable insights and perspectives to the attendees. These discussions provided beneficial ideas and directions for promoting the international development of the NGP industry.
Co-founder and CEO of 2Firsts, Alan Zhao, pointed out in his opening speech that under the drive of technological and product innovation, NGP have experienced rapid development in various categories. This has sparked a global revolution in reducing harm caused by tobacco consumption. 2Firsts is committed to building a high-quality communication platform for the industry and promoting globalization and technological breakthroughs.
Zhao emphasized that in the increasingly competitive global market, brand building is not only a part of product marketing but also a key factor for long-term sustainable development of enterprises. In the future, companies need to find a balance between innovation, compliance, and market expansion to ensure a competitive edge in the global market.
Industry Manager for Nicotine at Euromonitor International, Erwin Henriquez, delivered a keynote speech on "Global Nicotine Industry Insights and Outlook", providing a detailed analysis of the global nicotine market's development trends and offering strategic advice for companies to plan for the future.
He emphasized that as consumer demand for safer and more compliant nicotine products increases, government policies and regulations in various countries are having a significant impact on the industry's development path. Companies need to closely monitor regulatory changes in order to formulate appropriate market strategies.
Co-founder and trademark expert Ma Ning of Quan Dashi delivered a keynote speech on "IP Challenges and Opportunities in the Internationalization of E-Cigarette Brands", delving into the importance of intellectual property protection in the process of brand internationalization.
She emphasized that with the accelerating globalization process, trademark registration, patent protection, and brand image construction have become core components of corporate internationalization strategies. Only by establishing a comprehensive IP protection system can companies steadily progress in the global market.
CEO of South Korean e-liquid company Connected Korea, Il Young Hwang, led a delegation to Shenzhen to share the current status of nicotine products in South Korea. The company's sales director, Sam Kim, provided a detailed introduction to the policy environment, user preferences, and growth trends in the South Korean e-cigarette market.
Sam explained that South Korean consumers prefer high-quality, diverse nicotine products and have a high awareness of international brand recognition. He emphasized the importance for companies to accurately target market demands and create products and marketing strategies that cater to the characteristics of the local market.
Echo Guo, co-founder of 2Firsts, presented "A deep Dive into Smoore's 2024 Financial Report", dissecting Smoore's performance in 2024 and its logic behind the development of NGP products.
She specifically emphasized that large companies are investing resources in developing products with age verification technology, which will be crucial for PMTA approval. She suggested that companies pay more attention to the long-term impact of this technology.
Nical Zhang, the head of brand marketing of the well-known e-cigarette brand OXVA, delved deep into the topic of "Breaking the Cocoon to Become a Butterfly: The Underlying Logic and Practical Story of OXVA's Globalization Strategy" to share OXVA's strategic layout and successful experiences in the global market, and reveal the key path to establishing brand influence.
Dr. Gao Yang, a PhD in Advertising from the Communication University of China and the director of the Center for International Communication of Chinese Brands in South and Southeast Asia at Yunnan University of Finance and Economics, delivered a presentation titled "From 'Sell Out' to 'Nail In': The Upgrading Road of Electronic Cigarette Brands Going Overseas".
From the perspective of a brand communication expert, Dr. Gao delved into how e-cigarette brands can transition from simple sales to deep-rooted presence in the overseas market, clearly presenting the strategies and pathways for e-cigarette brands to go global to attendees.
Meanwhile, Gao Yang announced at the event that they will be collaborating with 2Firsts to launch a research project on "A Study on The Initial Methodology of Chinese E-cigarette Brands Going Global". The aim is to provide the industry with a more systematic and practical international development guide to help Chinese e-cigarette brands steadily advance in the global market.
Market analyst Mercedes Gorgni from ECigIntelligence has analyzed global trends in the NGP market, pointing out that consumption of nicotine pouches has increased by over 50% in recent years. The market growth of pod systems may surpass that of disposable e-cigarettes.
NGP such as HNB, pod systems, and nicotine pouches are challenging the market share of traditional tobacco products, leading to differentiation in e-cigarettes in terms of appearance and flavors across different regions globally.
In the speech on "Branding of Supply Chain Enterprises", 2Firsts CEO Alan Zhao reviewed the company's development since its establishment and discussed how brand awakening is becoming a key aspect of corporate strategy in the face of intensified market competition.
He emphasized the importance for companies to build their brands in order to stand out in similar markets and succeed in the future. Zhao believed that the future belongs to those who are brave enough to embrace change.
Pakistan, with a population of up to 200 million, has emerged as a prominent new market in the NGP industry and is currently in a crucial period of rapid development. In light of this, 2Firsts has set up a special Pakistan session, inviting several Pakistani market experts, distributors, and representatives of companies with years of experience in the country to share their insights on various topics.
In addition, the Pakistan session also included a group discussion segment. The segment was made up of representatives from OXVA, Weicheng Biotechnology, as well as the local service provider Horizon Dream International in Pakistan. They collectively delved into the potential and challenges of the local market, providing attendees with valuable market insights and practical experience.
Pakistan distributor Mohammad Bilal shared the growth trends and mainstream product dynamics of the Pakistan e-cigarette market.
Karen, the Supply Chain Director of Horizon Dream International, a local service provider in Pakistan, provided a detailed overview of the current situation in the local market, the conditions for hosting exhibitions, and the industry's future prospects.
The Global Market director, Ice, and the Business and Product Manager, JC, from Weicheng Biotechnology, after conducting in-depth research in the local market of Pakistan for several days, thoroughly analyzed the current situation of the Pakistani market, the basic structure of the e-cigarette market, and future trends, and presented targeted marketing strategies to the attendees.
During the group discussion session, Roy, the OXVA Pakistan Business Manager, Ice, The Global Market Director from Weicheng Biotechnology, and Karen, the Supply Chain Director of Horizon Dream International, delved deep into the characteristics of the Pakistani market, business promotion models, and future development trends.
They believed that the Pakistani market has a large population size, relatively relaxed policy regulations, and a solid consumer base, indicating enormous growth potential in the future.
Global Editor in Chief at 2Firsts, Taco Tuinstra gave a speech of the "Key Developments in the Global Traditional Tobacco Market in 2024", focusing on how international tobacco companies are accelerating the rollout of NGP products and discussing the future of traditional tobacco growers.
Kirk Martin, operating manager of Vape TV, provided an in-depth analysis of the marketing strategies in the UK e-cigarette market, sharing successful brand cases to help companies navigate through regulatory pressures.
In the article "The Application and Innovation of AI in the Overseas Expansion of E-cigarette Brands," Ren Jiaxian, the intelligent dog AI operations director, discussed the use of AI in e-cigarette research and development, precision marketing, and risk prediction, helping companies optimize advertising strategies and increase market penetration.
At the event, Smart Dog AI teamed up with 2Firsts to launch a new AI course for the tobacco industry, titled "The First AI Training Session for Professionals in the NGP Industry". The course is carefully designed with modules covering industry knowledge and technical foundations, core scenario application development, and real case studies. The goal is to provide a systematic AI knowledge system for practitioners in the NGP industry, helping to empower the industry with innovation and development.
"The First AI Training Session for Professionals in the NGP Industry" will officially commence in the afternoon of April 15th, open to all practitioners in the NGP industry.
In addition, at the forum venue, Echo Guo, co-founder of 2Firsts, conducted a live broadcast outside the venue. She provided a detailed interpretation of the latest developments in the regulation of e-cigarettes in the United States, and engaged in in-depth discussions with several high-profile guests at the conference, bringing cutting-edge industry information and exclusive insights to the audience.
During the breaks in the speeches, the forum venue was carefully set up with tea and exquisite snacks for attendees, creating a relaxed and enjoyable social atmosphere to help everyone break down barriers and chat freely.
After the successful conclusion of the workshop, participants gave high praise and positive feedback. They believed that the speeches at the workshop were extremely valuable, especially the in-depth analysis of the local market and accurate predictions of opportunities, which benefited everyone greatly.
Furthermore, participants all expressed that the 2Firsts have built a high-quality industry communication platform, greatly promoting communication and interaction among various parties in the industry, injecting strong momentum into the industry's innovative development, and providing new ideas and directions for future development.
Zhao emphasized in his concluding remarks that as a leading global NGP industry media and consultancy, 2Firsts will continue to leverage its advantage in resource integration to promote in-depth dialogue and collaboration within the industry on a global scale, providing lasting support and momentum for industry innovation breakthroughs and compliance development, and contributing to the sustainable development of the NGP industry.
We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.
Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn
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