British American Tobacco’s Vype Launches the Ultimate Vape in the Philippines

Bank Bar is a discrete afterhours place in the heart of Bonifacio Global City. Discrete in the sense that you literally have to enter a 7-Eleven convenience store before entering a door without a sign, into a nondescript room, and through the curtains to reveal the bar. Inside and fronting the probably 60 or so square meter place was the registration table where bloggers like myself had to write down contact details.

This was the media launch of British American Tobacco’s Vype ePen ultimate vape product, following its successful launch in Europe and South America. But here’s the thing: isn’t British American Tobacco also the makers and distributors of Lucky Strike?

I’m a smoker and shifted to Luckies long before the enormous tax imposed by the Philippine government on all tobacco products. I asked the people of British American Tobacco why are they launching a vape product when they also make cigarettes? Probably to target quitting smokers to shift to vape rather than go cold turkey. Maybe. Read more.

I call Vype the ultimate vape product simply because it isn’t your usual vape product. Ultimate because not only smokers like myself hate vape smokers blowing vapor-smoke like a chimney stack of a diesel-powered power generator, as if they think people around them don’t get annoyed because “Hey! It ain’t smelling cigarettes.” Yeah, right. Ugh!

But Vype is different. I think it was designed primarily for the real smokers who’d like to try vaping without looking like a steam-powered train (wreak!) Haha!

First, it looks like a fat pen; hence, the “ePen” label. Not the size of a cigarette case or a bulky cell phone. A pen.

Second, it’s sleek design is colored black. Well, I got a black colored Vype. I’m not sure if here are other colors. Pink for women? Who knows. And I’m always wondering why all vape products are colored silver, as if when we go broke, we might be able to sell its metal.

Third, no more spilling liquids while refilling your vape machine that’s as fat as your cell phone. Vype has refillable small tubes or vials which you insert, twist and that’s it. The vial is thinner than a Bic ball pen tube and is as short (or shorter) than your pinky finger.

Fourth, the Vype ePen disassembles into two parts, not three nor four. Just two. When you disassemble it, that’s when you insert and twist your refillable liquid.

During the event, I won a contest for disassembling the Vype, removing the small cap on the vial, inserting and twisting the vial into the Vype, then assembling the Vype back as one – all done within seven seconds! Can you do that with those fat, silver vape products?

Fifth, no batteries required. Since we are in the era of charging every tech equipment we have, why not charge your vape product? It only takes two hours to fully charge a dead Vype; dead meaning no power. There’s always a 99% chance you could charge your Vype – electrical outlets, portable power banks, computers, televisions, and a whole caboodle of other charging resources available. Finally!

And lastly, you smoke it like it was a cigarette, not a cigar. Geez! If I wanted to puff that much smoke like a cigar, I’d just buy a real cigar. Just think about it! You’re about to try to quit nicotine-cigarette smoking by shifting to vaping yet the feeling of smoking becomes… umm… monstrous! Vype let’s you inhale vapor like it was a cigarette and exhale like a cigarette. No more annoying fire-breathing smoke that envelops the next five people beside you.

Yeah, I think British American Tobacco got it! It just got the real way to shift from cigarette smoking to vaping. No more “Made in China” vape products or God-knows-where those other dang vape products are manufactured from. I mean, you’re using a product from one of the world’s five largest tobacco companies, with cigarette products sold in over 50 countries and operations in around 180 countries, and known brands such as Dunhill, Lucky Strike, Kent, Pall Mall, Kool, Benson & Hedges and Rothman, among others. Need I say more?

Slogans like “Vaping Made Simple” and “Switching Has Never Been Easier” truly voices Vype, no doubt about it. Simple and easier – I like those words because they truly are what makes Vype a great vaping product.

How much, you ask? ₱1,199 for the Vype Starter Kit that comes with two vials or eCaps (another term) with flavors labeled “Blended Tobacco” and “Crisp Mint,” and ₱499 for a refill pack that contains three ePens or eCaps; confusing so I just call them vials. LOL!

Where do I buy it? At about 100 branches of 7-Eleven convenience stores to start with. The British American Tobacco Philippine people say there will be more places to sell it.

So, trust me as a smoker who has now (probably) found the better or best vape product to shift to. I think British American Tobacco was thinking of me when they developed Vype. Hmm?

_

About Next Generation Products

Next Generation Products is part of British American Tobacco Group, focused on developing and delivering high quality nicotine alternatives to adult smokers in the key areas of: Vapor and Tobacco Heating Products.

About British American Tobacco Group

British American Tobacco is a global tobacco Group with brands sold in more than 200 markets. It employs more than 50,000 people worldwide and has over 200 brands in its portfolio, with its cigarettes chosen by one in eight of the world’s one billion smokers.

For more information, please visit www.govype.com.

Sources: Press release from British American Tobacco Philippines (and my story)

Photos by @raffypekson and British American Tobacco Philippines

_