MarketingVape: Promising Industry amid Stricter Regulations, but Vape Companies Need to Create Value

OXVA, a Chinese vape brand, was a notable presence at Vapexpo Spain held on June 3 & 4. Competing against well-established brands like Elfbar and Vaporesso, OXVA managed to draw hundreds of visitors to its booth a day. Aiding OXVA’s predominantly Chinese staff was Daniele Fermani, an Italian who is passionately introducing the brand to local visitors in fluent Spanish and bringing the brand into the exhibition's spotlight.

Daniele is the man behind MarketingVape, a marketing agency helping vape manufacturers and brands to navigate the Spanish market. Daniele has been residing in Spain for the past five years and brings a diverse background in loyalty campaigns for large organized distribution companies, web ad automation, and management experience from one of Spain’s largest vape distributors. Equipped with two master’s degrees in Digital Marketing and Communication, and a series of other certifications, Daniele harnessed his extensive work experience and vast network to establish MarketingVape.

MarketingVape's Niche Strategy

Rather than offering routine marketing services, MarketingVape has carved out a niche for itself in the vape sector. The agency provides a full suite of services including website design, SEO positioning, and social media management, and even serves as a distribution center for communication materials. However, its standout service is its rapidly expanding network of micro-influencers, which has grown from 0 to 45 collaborators in just two weeks. “Why is this important for a brand?”, explains Daniele, “Because we have seen many companies trying to reach big influencers with 30-40k followers.” The price for promoting was proportionally high, and those influencers will make only 1 or 2 publications to their specific audience. What’s more, “in most cases it is also an audience with 60-70% of inactive followers.” MarketingVape’s strategy to promote through micro-influencers with 2,000-10,000 followers brings an alternative. “For now, we have 45 cooperating micro-influencers, the number expected to keep rising, who will not charge for promoting if they get free vapes. Backed by a marketing agency that coordinates and delimits style guidelines, etc., share images and content about a product for a week or more, they can make a more effective promotion than only one big influencer”. This strategy allows vape brands to tap into multiple distinct audiences at a lower cost.

Challenges Hurdling Vape Marketing

Like OXVA, MarketingVape has been cooperating with several Chinese vape manufacturers and brands. From Daniele’s view, language is the most challenging part of marketing for a Chinese vape brand. What’s more, another significant issue is the heavy reliance on distributors for product sales and communication, with operations often driven by their commercial interests. Unlike these companies, “MarketingVape does not engage in product sales, thus it does not face this issue”.

One last challenge lies in the absence of guidance on legal and regulatory matters, and information on market trends. “The vaping market continues to evolve alongside user habits and consumer types. Despite the rising demands of many vapers, a large portion still prefers simplicity and lacks an understanding of available options. Disposable vapes have attracted new users with different needs, but these users often remain uninformed about alternatives, largely due to the industry’s focus on sales over providing information and support”, Daniele said.

“This year’s trend is shifting towards encouraging skeptics to try vaping as a means to quit smoking. For users of disposable vapes, the goal is to guide them towards more professional yet less complicated alternatives. Despite having ample information, some people still need guidance, and it’s essential not to overlook their needs”. To this end, MarketingVape hopes to be “the voice, a point of reference for brands, shops and also with consumers”.

The vaping industry feels anxious about new regulations due to misinformation and proposed laws threatening the business’s stability. 2FIRSTS also learned that the Spanish government does not advocate vaping as a smoking alternative.

According to Daniele, current regulations, like the TPD law, aren't always upheld, leading to sales in non-compliant establishments, sales to minors, and subsequent restrictive policies. “There’s a need for more regulations, but these should respect those working in the sector. Proposals like banning sales to minors, laws on recycling, and nicotine taxes are sensible, but limiting sales to state-run shops disrespects those who depend on the sector for livelihood”.

“This approach seems more like exploiting a market opportunity under the guise of public good”, Daniele said, “The focus should be on tobacco, not potential quitting solutions”.

A Promising Future

Despite a tightening regulatory framework, Daniele foresees a promising vaping industry. “We are in a very big technological advance and there is always room for improvement in studies, products, and values.” He calls on all industry participants to “play a role instead of just wanting to make money”.

“Nowadays, everyone wants to sell even more, but no one asks themselves ‘Why should I buy my product or choose my brand or my shop?’” Daniele concludes, “You have to reinvent yourself, be in time, enter the community, understand it, and create a common value”.

MarketingVape now provides marketing services for vape and liquid manufacturers, local vape and tobacco shops, distributors, and also brands, with its influence extending beyond the Spanish borders. Through tailored marketing strategies, Daniele believes that “everyone can stand out in their unique way.”