In October 2023, China Tobacco Sichuan Industrial Co., Ltd announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Sichuan Sanlian New Materials Co., Ltd has won a silver award for the "Kung Fu MINIG exterior design" in the 2023 international MUSE Design Awards.
The MUSE Design Awards was established in 2015 and has successfully held eight editions to date. As one of the global award competitions under the International Awards Associate, this award is open to design works in various fields such as architecture, interior design, product design, and landscape design. The victory of new tobacco products in this open competition signifies the promising future of new tobacco in the design industry.
The trend of "adding screens" seems to have swept through the industry, reflecting B-end's emphasis on product design. In light of the significant shift in exterior design trends, 2FIRSTS conducted an inventory of the exploration and innovation of new tobacco products in terms of appearance.
JT: Collaborates with Design Master to Launch Limited Edition Product
In February 2023, Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT) launched a special red edition of its heated tobacco device "Ploom X ADVANCED", in collaboration with internationally renowned French designer Ora Ito. The red edition will be available for purchase starting from March 1st on CLUB JT online store and Ploom Shops nationwide, priced at 1980 Japanese Yen.
Ito was born in Marseille, France in 1977. "Ora-Ïto" is the brand name of his work, and his notable works include designs for manufacturers such as Swatch for watches, Gorenje for household appliances, and Heineken for beer.
The basic concept behind Ito's work is "Simplexity," often described as a minimalist, futuristic design language with minimal organic technology. The collaboration with this designer reflects JT's conceptual pursuit of its new tobacco products and showcases the company's ambition to match other leading brands in the fashion and fast-moving consumer goods sectors in product design.
G Pen: Teaming up with "The Grateful Dead" to Release Reusable Device
In October 2023, the American rock band The Grateful Dead collaborated with G Pen for the first time, launching a joint branded cannabis vaporizer. This stylish tech product, featuring a blue and red design, boasts reusable vaporization technology.
"The Grateful Dead" was formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band was known for their eclectic style, blending elements of rock, blues, jazz, folk, country, bluegrass, rock, gospel, reggae, and world music with psychedelic music through their improvisational performances.
The impact and structure of the influential band Grateful Dead reaches globally. Musician and writer Lenny Kaye said that the band's music "touches on realms that most other bands don't even know exist." Partnering with the band, G Pen is targeting their loyal fan base and showcasing the company's exploration in the popular culture market.
Timeless Vapes: Mural Artists and Feminism
In March 2023, to celebrate International Women's Day, the cannabis brand Timeless Vapes announced a collaboration with world-renowned artist and muralist Tati Suarez for the "Timeless Artist Legacy" project.
The company collaborated with Tati to develop a special edition flip cover case and evaporator battery, inspired by the fonts and color tones of the Art Nouveau movement. The flip cover case and battery combination will be released in limited quantities in multiple states, including Arizona.
Tati is a world-renowned artist who received a Bachelor's degree in Illustration and Design from the University of Miami in 2005. She uses art as a medium to tell stories deeply influenced by folk tales and rich in symbolic meaning. From Japan to Jamaica, her work has been exhibited in countless galleries and exhibitions around the world. She has also collaborated with brands such as Netflix, L'Oreal, Reebok, and Jansport.
The "Artist Legacy" project provides a platform for artists, musicians, and creatives to share their unique stories through the lens of cannabis culture. Kyle Webb, Vice President of Marketing at the company, expressed excitement to continue the Artist Legacy program, stating that Tati "is a dynamic artist, and each of her special edition collaborative works showcases her unique perspective on the world." Launching her new work and collaborating on the international Women's Day project is "a great honor."
In recent years, there has been a surge in disposable products in the industry. Some manufacturers may have overlooked the importance of product appearance due to the short lifecycle of disposable smoking products, which are typically only used for a few weeks at most. However, whether it's the trend of screen-equipped devices taking over the market or the gradual implementation of disposable bans in major markets, there is a renewed focus on the appearance of new tobacco smoking products.
Will the resurgence of open and replaceable smoking devices stimulate both B-end and C-end's emphasis on product design? How can the addition of screens integrate into aesthetic design? Will exquisite and unique designs maximize the potential of smoking devices as social currency, similar to jewelry, watches, and 3C products? Can they carve out a place in the cultural and opinion output field?
Firsts will continue to focus on the trends and innovation of appearance design of new tobacco products.
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