How to approach vape marketing in 2026? Just like Smyle Labs!

Smyle Labs: The future of vaping lies in a strong identity and community

Extraordinary yet ordinary

Smyle Labs is a young American brand founded in 2021 in California. Their concept is simple, yet a marketing stroke of genius: it lies in the unusual, or perhaps better put — the unusually ordinary — design of their vaporisers (batteries). These don’t look like classic vape pens, but rather like various objects, such as a felt-tip pen or a Labubu toy.

However, they are still classic 510-threaded batteries, so they are universal and can be used with standard cartridges. These vaporisers are therefore not only visually appealing but also practical, which is the perfect recipe for going viral.

The power of words

Smyle Labs didn’t just rely on an interesting design, but also harnessed the power of words. The brand linked its product range to the term ‘penjamin’, which is Gen Z slang for a vape pen. It’s a portmanteau of:

  • pen: a compact and portable vape pen.
  • Benjamin: after the portrait of Benjamin Franklin on the $100 note, as a symbol of high value.

This was a very clever marketing move, thanks to which awareness of Smyle Labs’ products began to spread even faster.

Penjamin: examples of colour variants — blue, black, purple, with a $100 bill in the background and the Canatura Wholesale logo in the bottom right

Pen for coating and signature

Penjamin™ are vaporisers from Smyle Labs which:

  • serve as powerful, fully-fledged vaporisers,
  • have a discreet design — they look like everyday objects, with the cartridge hidden inside,
  • have a dual function — they also serve, for example, as a pen or a keyring. 

Among these devices, you’ll find vaporisers designed to look like pens, felt-tip pens, car keys, lip balms or even lightsabers.

But that’s not all. Smyle Labs has also introduced the Wandjamin, a range of vaporisers styled like magic wands, as well as a host of other bold designs — from medical inhalers to toys.

Why it works

Smyle Labs currently has over 300,000 followers on Instagram, and their most-watched videos have tens of millions of views and thousands of comments. 

On TikTok, you’ll find over 60,000 user posts under #penjamin — whereas there are just over 5,000 posts under #vapepen and just over 200 under #510battery.

Smyle Labs’ success perfectly illustrates what modern customers respond to. The company’s strategy works on several levels:

  1. The shock factor: “A vaporiser that looks and works like a pen? What on earth is that?” The unusual appearance and dual function of the vaporisers grab attention and encourage sharing.

  1. Response to contemporary culture: Some Smyle Labs devices reflect current trends in pop culture, making them easy for fans to fall in love with.

  1. Community building: Through targeted marketing aimed at a young audience, such as the use of slang, Smyle Labs has succeeded in building a whole community around its products.

Smyle Labs products: Wandjamin, Penjamin Marker, Smyle Labs Lip Balm; Canatura Wholesale logo bottom right

Trends and changes in customer behaviour

1. Discretion

With increasing regulations and stricter rules, there is a growing interest in discretion. Users are increasingly seeking smaller, inconspicuous devices that they can easily carry with them and use anytime, anywhere, without drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. 

Large, conspicuous models are gradually giving way to compact, minimalist solutions. Discretion is becoming one of the key factors influencing purchasing decisions.

2. Vaping as a lifestyle

People do not view vaping merely as a substitute for smoking, but as part of their lifestyle. They are therefore looking for devices that reflect this style. The vaporiser thus also becomes a fashion accessory and part of the user’s personal identity. 

For many customers, design is therefore often more important than technical specifications. The sense of belonging to a group also plays a role.

3. Technical specifications aren’t everything

Smyle Labs devices are fully-fledged, well-made and offer a range of features. But that is not the main reason why they are talked about so much.

There are many technically perfect vaporisers on the market. For the end customer, however, specific technical specifications are often not the deciding factor; they are interested in the product as a whole – not just how it works, but also how it looks and what people say about it.

Performance and technical specifications aren’t exciting. If you want to sell, you need to offer customers added value — whether it’s a unique design that fits the customer’s lifestyle and reflects their personality, or a compelling story they can relate to.

4. Social media marketing

Instagram and TikTok played a key role in Smyle Labs’ success. According to data from February 2025, each platform enables brands to reach approximately a third of all internet users worldwide!

The data also shows that the primary user group on Instagram is aged 18–24 — accounting for almost a third. After Facebook, Instagram is the most popular platform for discovering and purchasing products, with a 20% share. In the US, almost half of Generation Z and more than a third of millennials actively browse or buy products on Instagram every month.

On TikTok, users aged 18–24 are also the largest group, accounting for almost 40%. Almost 70% of users discover new products on TikTok, 60% watch video reviews and over 50% follow brand profiles.

It is therefore clear that social media plays a key role in purchasing decisions, particularly among the younger generation. People today are more likely to trust a video review on Instagram or TikTok than a traditional TV advert. Social media:

  • build a sense of closeness and authenticity and therefore appear more trustworthy than traditional marketing,
  • shorten the time it takes to make a purchasing decision,
  • they heighten FOMO (fear of missing out), thereby encouraging purchases.

However, remember that product promotion must not violate the platform’s rules, and every seller should conduct it responsibly with an emphasis on ethics.

It is usually not permitted to directly offer smoking accessories on social media under your own brand, but it is fine to share honest personal experiences, especially if they have informational or educational value. Marketing content should be labelled as intended for adults.

Left: not like this — graph and TV emojis; right: TikTok and Instagram icons, cool smiley, Penjamin, ruler emoji; bottom right: Canatura Wholesale logo

How to sell vaporisers in 2026?

The market is growing, competition is intensifying and regulations are tightening. In 2026, it will no longer be enough to simply have a good product or a low price. If you want to succeed, you need to understand what the customer is actually buying and why.

  1. Identify your target audience: One of the biggest mistakes is trying to sell to everyone. Every customer group is solving a different problem. Think carefully about who you’re targeting. What problem is the customer trying to solve? What feeling do they want to get from the purchase? 

  1. Offer something extra: If your product is interchangeable with dozens of others, you’ll only be competing on price. What sets successful brands apart isn’t just functionality, but added value. This could be, for example:
    • unique design
    • the emotion the product evokes
    • limited and collector’s editions
    • a strong community
    • the brand story

  1. Don’t just sell numbers: Technical specifications are important, but when it comes to buying, emotions often trump rationality. You’re more likely to make a sale if you show the customer what they’ll get out of it and the impression they’ll make when they buy the product. 

  1. Make the most of social media: These days, most shopping happens on a mobile phone. Social media significantly influences customers’ buying behaviour, and if you manage to promote your product creatively and authentically, or even start a trend, your sales could skyrocket. 

But don’t forget that the vape sector is sensitive, and you need to follow platform rules and observe ethical standards. A short-lived viral moment isn’t worth long-term damage to your brand.

The main selling point is no longer battery capacity, but the emotion the product can evoke. At a time when the range of products is practically unlimited and the market is oversaturated, creativity is paramount — all the more so with the growing amount of AI-generated content that brings no innovation.

Expand your range with vapes that sell themselves

Are you interested in Smyle Labs vaporisers? In that case, we have good news for you — you can now add them to your range too.

Try, for example:

  • Penjamin pens in a 5-piece display box: Iconic multifunctional design, available in 9 different colour variants. It has three temperature modes and is compatible with 1g and 0.5g cartridges.

  • Penjamin permanent markers in a display box of 5: a vaporiser and marker in one, in black and silver, holds cartridges up to 4 g.

  • Wandjamin: Battery in a magic wand design, with LED lighting and a sliding mechanism, available in black and brown.

Don’t miss the boat

Despite tightening regulations, the vaporiser market is growing. By 2026, it is expected to grow from USD 32.7 billion to USD 38.9 billion, an increase of 18.9%. This growth is primarily driven by changes in consumer lifestyles, the increased popularity of nicotine alternatives and a favourable economic climate.

Modern customers are interested not only in technical craftsmanship and quality, but above all in design. A vaporiser is becoming part of one’s personal presentation. Building a community and a narrative is just as important.

Discretion is no longer just a competitive advantage, but a crucial factor — due to increased regulation, there is growing demand for devices that do not look like vaporisers at first glance and are easier to carry around.

Social media significantly influences purchasing decisions — a positive review from a real user is more likely to motivate a purchase than standard advertising. However, it is important to take the platform’s rules into account. Properly executed social media marketing can have a significant impact on your sales, so you should not underestimate it.

FAQ

1. Are designer vaporisers just a trend, or do they have long-term value?

At first glance, these quirky vaporisers might seem like a short-lived viral fad. The vaporiser market is highly saturated today, and customers no longer choose products based solely on technical specifications; instead, they evaluate them holistically and select those that align with their personal identity. 

Smyle Labs has built its strategy not only on design, but also on quality, a strong identity and community. Their vaporisers are therefore not just toys, but fully-fledged products that respond to the needs of fans, and so there will be demand for them even after the initial wave of success.

2. Who is Smyle Labs’ target customer group?

The company focuses primarily on emotion and community.  It targets:

  • lifestyle-oriented users who value originality and uniqueness,
  • young adults who resonate with contemporary pop culture, use social media and respond to current trends.

These also make popular gifts.

Conversely, these devices are unlikely to appeal to technically-minded customers and those motivated solely by price.

3. Could an excessive focus on a younger audience be a strategic risk?

Targeting younger adult customers is appealing from a marketing perspective. This group is active on social media, quick to respond to trends and willing to experiment.

At the same time, however:

  • due to rapidly changing trends, their loyalty may not be long-term,
  • targeting young people with advertising can be a challenge in this segment; you need to ensure you are not targeting children, which would be both ethically and legally problematic,
  • if a brand remains firmly tied to just one generation and fails to adapt as that generation ages, it may gradually hit a growth ceiling.

Focusing too narrowly on a younger audience may bring the brand rapid growth, but without a long-term strategy and a broader target base, there is a risk that it will lose relevance and stability just as quickly. 

So make sure you’re building a brand that can grow alongside its customers and appeal to other market segments as well.

4. Are Smyle Labs products more of a one-off or a repeat purchase?

Smyle Labs not only catches the eye at first glance, but thanks to its emphasis on building a strong brand and community, it has a significantly higher likelihood of repeat purchases. When a customer perceives a product as part of their identity, they are less likely to switch to a competitor. Conversely, if the purchase is purely rational and price-driven, loyalty is minimal.

5. Where might the vaporiser market be heading in the coming years?

Market development is likely to be influenced by four main factors

  • Regulation: Legislation governing vaping is likely to become even stricter in the coming years. This can be viewed as a complication or as an opportunity for new innovative solutions.

  • Demand for discreet devices: Stricter vaping regulations are also affecting end consumers, who are increasingly favouring unobtrusive devices that they can use anytime and anywhere.

  • Personalisation: Given the current vast range of products on offer, customers are more likely to choose a product that not only meets their technical requirements but also matches their personal style.

  • Community marketing: Whilst social media can currently serve as an excellent way to reach a wide audience, it is expected that marketing will shift towards more closed channels in the coming years. People are overwhelmed not only by user-generated content, but now also by content generated by artificial intelligence and bot accounts. 

Authenticity on social media is fading, and many people are limiting their social media use for the sake of their own mental wellbeing.

To ensure successful sales in the coming years, it may be crucial to build a strong community around the brand and, in addition to social media, consider other channels such as newsletters or loyalty schemes.

6. What impact might the economic situation have on the vaporiser market?

Economic uncertainty always has a significant impact on consumer behaviour. During periods of economic slowdown or higher inflation, customers usually seek out more affordable alternatives. 

However, this does not mean that demand for lifestyle products will disappear. Even in times of economic strain, there is a segment of customers who treat themselves to something extra as a form of personal reward. The key is:

  • build a brand with a clear identity over the long term,
  • offering products in lower price categories alongside flagship products,
  • clearly communicating the value of the product.

7. Does demand differ between the US and Europe? How?

At first glance, it may seem that trends are global – social media connects audiences across continents and a viral product from the US can appear in Europe within weeks. However, there are fundamental differences between the American and European markets.

Europe USA
Regulation stricter less strict
Culture more diverse; whilst customers in Eastern Europe tend to look at the price, customers in Northern Europe are interested in the impact on health strong emphasis on individualism
The influence of social media trends spread more slowly due to language barriers; regional marketing makes sense significant, global

8. Could online shopping return to physical shops?

In the age of online shopping, it might seem that brick-and-mortar retail is losing its significance. However, with the advent of artificial intelligence, much is changing — customers are losing trust not only in content on social media, but in the online environment as a whole. E-shops will certainly not lose their significance, given the speed and convenience of shopping, but the importance of physical branches may well increase.

Customers will always appreciate the chance to physically inspect a product, try it out and seek advice from staff, all the more so at a time when customer service is handled by chatbots and the online environment is flooded with inaccurate or unverified information. 

    

Author: Natálie Kubíčková

   

    

Photo: AI

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