Kim Eun-ji, BAT Rothmans Representative: ‘Views’ to Shake Up the Vaping Market

Once, the tobacco industry was referred to as the "graveyard for marketers." Most countries, including South Korea, have strict regulations on tobacco advertising. However, as the tobacco industry rapidly shifts from traditional tobacco to next-generation tobacco products, this old perception is gradually changing. The marketing of electronic cigarettes is continuously evolving, encompassing various forms such as heated tobacco and liquid types, and Kim Eun-ji, the representative of BAT Rothmans, is at the core of this transformation.

Kim is regarded as a "legend" in the field of tobacco marketing. She spent four years at Unilever managing the "Dove" brand before joining BAT Group in 2004, where she created the "Dunhill myth." In a market dominated by KT&G's "Dis" and Philip Morris International's (PMI) "Marlboro," she successfully crafted a "modern premium" image for Dunhill, achieving the number one market share at one point.

In 2021, Kim was appointed head of BAT Rothmans, and in July of this year, she launched another ambitious project. She introduced the leading American liquid-type electronic cigarette brand "Views" to the South Korean market. This situation is reminiscent of her previous promotion of Dunhill. In the South Korean electronic cigarette market, BAT ranks third, behind KT&G's "lil" and PMI's "iQOS."

Kim stated, "Unlike the heated tobacco products lil and iQOS, Views is liquid-based. Views has proven its competitiveness in the U.S. market, enough to shake up the current market landscape."

As a "turnaround expert," Kim's strategy is gradually showing its effectiveness. The domestically sold "Views Go 800" sold out its initial stock within a month of launch. Kim remarked, "Within a week of the first product launch, Views' domestic liquid tobacco market share increased fourfold. Currently, our sales area is limited to the capital region, but we plan to expand nationwide next year."

Kim emphasized that the marketing focus of Views is safety. Besides being manufactured as a liquid during the production phase, users cannot arbitrarily change or refill the internal liquid. Kim explained, "Many liquid tobaccos sold through informal channels make it difficult to know exactly what ingredients are added. As the safety of Views becomes more widely recognized, the health threats to liquid tobacco users will also disappear."

When transitioning from Unilever to BAT Rothmans, Kim often heard people say, "Why would a young person go to a place typically frequented by retirees?" After 19 years at BAT Group, Kim defines tobacco marketing as: "Because there are not many things that can be done, we have to go more on-site and meet more people. Just as fruits that have experienced drought are harder and sweeter."