Packaging digital culture to young smokers

According to a spokesman for British American Tobacco (BAT), the launch of the Switch/Convertibles sub-brand was 'the largest scale activity in the history of BAT Russia' ensuring that 'BAT is well positioned to take advantage of this new technology.' 13 The packs, through their association with iconic items of the digital age, may be attempting to become 'extensions of the self' in the way that smartphones represent not only useable items but an intrinsic part of a user's identity. 14 Given the special place occupied by mobile digital technology as a hallmark of status, belonging, and independence for teenagers and other young people, 15-17 cigarette packs that share a stylistic similarity to popular handheld devices (such as smartphones and digital music players) may perhaps reflect a desire to associate these packs with other 'must have' and 'never leave home without it' consumer goods.