BACKGROUND: We were behind the curve to address tobacco and electronic cigarette marketing on social media, but should have the foresight to get ahead of new technologies like the game-like metaverse environment. The Tobacco Enforcement and Reporting Movement (TERM), a digital media monitoring and reporting system that tracks and analyzes tobacco marketing on India, Indonesia and Mexico social media, found references to tobacco marketing via new tools like the metaverse, advergaming and non-fungible tokens (NFT).
METHODS: Publicly available social media posts were collected by an AI-driven digital media analytics using Boolean keyword searches in Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube, and online news from January-December 2023. These posts and images were content analyzed for account characteristics, tactics and framing using a theory-based codebook. In addition, marketing reports on digital trends were reviewed. We highlighted examples of social media posts and news articles that mention tobacco marketing in new digital platforms.
RESULTS: In 2023, TERM documented 41.598 instances of tobacco marketing, with indirect tactics dominating, such as community events, brand extension and ​corporate social responsibility activities. We highlight examples of innovative strategies observed in Indonesia such as branded immersive concerts and metaverse art on Instagram featuring avatars and virtual cigarette packaging. In India, a tobacco company sponsored cultural events and sold brand-extended products through virtual stores. Additionally, an NFT honoring company founders appeared in digital newspaper ads, showcasing the integration of emerging technologies into tobacco marketing.
CONCLUSIONS: The metaverse, a three-dimensional, game-like version of the internet built on augmented and virtual reality, will become a digital space targeting young people. These technologies will pose challenges for regulators due to their decentralized design, limiting control by media platforms or governments. Policymakers and stakeholders are urged to establish monitoring systems, identify relevant government agencies with jurisdiction, and determine appropriate mechanisms to regulate these emerging and evolving media platforms.