TIM Alerts
Tobacco Industry Marketing (TIM) Alerts provide weekly newsletters to subscribers to keep up to date with tobacco industry marketing and emerging tobacco products. Below are excerpts from the five most recent TIM Alerts. To see an archive of all previous alerts, click here.
Excerpt from the Nov 7, 2025 TIM Alert
SMOKELESS TOBACCO
Skoal announced a new can design for their Skoal Snus in an email, now displayed on their website and the online ordering system, Dip Direct. Compared to the original design, there is more color and a more minimalist look.
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
A new nicotine pouch brand, Riz, was advertised in the October and November editions of B2B Wholesaler Magazine (a trade publication for vape/smoke shops). Riz comes in three nicotine strengths (3mg, 6mg, and 9mg) and seven flavors (e.g., “Bubblegum,” “Vanilla Cold Brew”). Riz is available through the Riz website and several online retailers (e.g., Element Vape).
Excerpt from the Oct 31, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARS
Al Capone recently advertised their cigarillos and leaf wraps in retailer focused magazines. The ad promotes a new 2-pack for their “Blues” cigarillos, and it also boasts about their position in the cigarillo market. Al Capone says that their products are the “fastest growing natural leaf cigarillos.”
ENDS
An ad for a Nixodine version of Fifty Bar disposable vapes was recently seen in a business-to-business magazine. The ad shows a nicotine warning label being ripped off the page, suggesting that the product is not subject to warning label requirements.
Excerpt from the Oct 24, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARETTES
Lucky Strike announced new limited-release pack designs via email and featured them on the brand website. Themes include motorcycles, denim, tattoos, and vinyl records, with the slogan “Stay Original.” The packs feature QR codes which link to stories on the website that describe the artistry and culture around these themes and how they earned their place in American iconography.
SMOKELESS TOBACCO
Grizzly is advertising their annual “Camo Life” giveaway on their website. From mid-October until mid-November, customers can answer a daily question for a chance to win an ATV. They are also releasing this year’s limited edition camo cans to commemorate the giveaway.
Excerpt from the Oct 17, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARETTES
VLN cigarettes, which have exposure modifications orders from FDA to make certain reduced exposure claims regarding nicotine, have new packaging, as shown on their website. The former packs were previously white with a stripe in the middle with the brand name and the modified exposure claim on the top of the pack. The new packs are black with less prominent modified exposure claims. The pack also now states that VLN is “American’s lowest nicotine cigarettes.”
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
Nate Bargatze, a popular comedian who recently hosted the 77th Emmy Awards, performed at a ZYN Presents show in Nashville, Tennessee on October 11, as documented by attendee @calvin.givens on Instagram and members of Reddit. The exclusive tickets were only available to ZYN Rewards members at the cost of 3,000 points for 2 tickets.
Excerpt from the Oct 10, 2025 TIM Alert
CIGARETTES
American Spirit has announced a fan vote for new pack designs on their website. There are 3 themes to choose from, and customers need to join their "Spirit Circle" rewards program to vote. The design with the most votes will be the special summer pack for 2026.
MODERN ORAL NICOTINE PRODUCTS
In the October 2025 issue of NACS Magazine, JOEY™ is unveiled as a new brand of synthetic nicotine pouches featuring 36 flavors and a patented “flavorbeads” technology to extend flavor duration up to an hour. Available in three nicotine strengths - 3mg, 6mg, and 9mg - JOEY™ claims that all 108 SKUs were part of a PMTA application submitted in May 2022. The brand’s retail launch is slated for December/January, beginning with 20 core flavors, and is designed to appeal to adult nicotine consumers, including women, with flavors like salty pineapple, orange sea salt, and vanilla latte.