Nicorette Ads Offer Sympathy to Quitters

A new ad campaign for Nicorette gum features the tagline, “Quitting Sucks. Nicorette Makes It Suck Less,” Forbes reported Dec. 7.

The ads from pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline will appear on prime-time network TV as well as magazines like ESPN, Time and People. The latter will be formatted like letters to current smokers, beginning, “Dear Smokers, 2010 is going to suck” and intended to capitalize on New Year’s resolutions to quit.

Nicorette will face some new competition next year, once tobacco company Reynolds American completes its acquisition of Niconovum, a Swedish firm that makes Zonnic brand nicotine pouches and gum. The $30-million ad campaign is designed to boost awareness of the Nicorette brand.