Philip Morris Bulgaria shows how the release of new limited products can simultaneously “scratch” consumers’ itch to wear according to fashion trends, satisfy some kind of collector’s passions, but also make a business more sustainable.
The company presented on Wednesday evening to journalists the limited edition Neon Purple of IQOS ILUMA, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the launch of the tobacco heating system on the world market. The collection of three devices has been available in the company’s retail outlets since June 3, but already in the pre-sale of the product for the most impatient fans of the brand, a significant amount of devices were delivered and purchased, Polina Ninova, Head of “Marketing and User Experience” told Mediapool for category smokeless products” in the company
This is not the first limited edition of Philip Morris International’s leading smokeless alternative, but it is the first to be re-launched after its huge success in 2022 in Japan. It is the Land of the Rising Sun, where IQOS was first released in 2014, with its skyscrapers, neon lights and glitz, that inspired this unique product. With its appearance, it won the world Red Dot design award two years ago, which is the goal of all brands, says Ninova.
She adds that the essential difference between the limited products and those on permanent sale is not only the short term of their offering on the market, but also the change of colors, some of the materials and the design of the case.
And while it may seem like a provocation to consumers to buy new and new smokeless devices just because they are more fashionable and impressive than the previous ones, and in fact to some extent it satisfies precisely the desires of modern consumers to stand out, the approach also so it is extremely resistant, it is clear from Ninova’s words.
“We make all these new products with the aim of meeting the expectations of our users, but also with responsibility towards the environment, because unused devices can be returned and in return customers get new ones at a discount,” she notes. The “old” ones are inspected, cleaned, repaired, refurbished and put back on the market. And those that are “unsalvageable” are recycled and their materials reused. “The goal is that the devices are not thrown into nature as garbage, just because they are tired. By cleaning, replacing some components and repairing, we renew the devices and by reusing them, we reduce the company’s footprint on the environment, which is part of the circular economy” , adds Polina Ninova. It also raises the curtain on ready-made new offers to customers, in sync with the company’s sustainable development policies, which is of particular importance for the brand.
“In total, we have refurbished 320,000 devices in the world, but the program started not too long ago. The number is constantly increasing. The discount given for buying a new device when returning a used one is considered primarily from a commercial point of view, but it is actually extremely important precisely from the point of view of the sustainability of both our products and our business,” says the representative of Philip Morris Bulgaria.
The offering of various limited series has unlocked pure collector’s passions among some of the users, and they collect all types of Philip Morris International tobacco heating devices and their accessories precisely for collecting purposes, according to the company’s observations.
The Neon Purple series is being relaunched in 22 countries, and the Bulgarian company has decided to bet not only on the neon shades of the device, but along with the visual ones, to unlock the taste senses of its most outspoken fans, as well as to create a full-scale experience for them. The first of them who buy the neon devices will receive as a gift candies created especially for the Bulgarian market.
Culinary stars chef Ilian Kustev and restaurateur Yavor Sarafov have created, as an addition to the series, three special types of candies with a neon glow on the chocolate and various fillings. Sarafov opted for salted caramel, and Chef Kustev – for the taste of cherry tobacco. The third type is a joint development with cassis and a hint of acidity, as the two explained at the party on the occasion of the entry of Neon Purple into Bulgaria.
“Creating color with food is a real challenge, but we were extremely inspired by the idea and that’s why the end result is so successful,” said chef Ilian Kustev.
“This is the first time I have developed food based on color, technology and design. I believe we have come as close as possible to recreating the feeling of the limited edition IQOS ILUMA Neon Purple using food as a means of expression. Inspired by innovation, we have created a collection of chocolates, each with its own character and original recipe.We bet on the sweet notes of the cherry infused with a light hint of tobacco aroma, complementing the experience with the sweet-salty flavors of salted caramel and the slight acidity of the blackcurrant, balancing the three candies together and supplement,” said Yavor Sarafov.
In 10 years since the launch of the IQOS tobacco heating system, with which the company began the realization of its vision for a smoke-free future, the devices have been used by more than 28 million smokers, 350 thousand of whom are Bulgarians. Of these, 20.8 million have completely stopped smoking conventional cigarettes, and the rest are in various stages of the process of fully switching to the product. In 25 markets, revenues from the company’s leading smokeless alternative exceeded 50%.
“This anniversary gives us the opportunity to look back at the work done and the experience gained so far in real-world conditions, as well as to reinforce our commitment to building a smoke-free future. Over the past ten years, we have gone through a continuous improvement process in which our portfolio of smoke-free alternatives has been growing, having a positive impact on millions of adult users around the world and in Bulgaria. We continue to innovate, rely on science and offer our users products that meet their needs and represent a potentially better alternative to smoking.” , said Demian Pintos, general manager of Philip Morris Bulgaria, at the presentation of the limited Neon Purple series in Bulgaria.
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