Australian bag brand Crumpler pulls ad in SG following vape mention

Australian bag brand Crumpler has seen a spike in mentions after it pulled an advertisement referencing vapes. 

In a letter published in The Straits Times forum section, a reader identified as Goh Ee Ca questioned whether it is appropriate for Crumpler to indicate that its new bag can fit a vape among other items. 

The poster advertised a collaboration between the bag brand and Australian DJ Andee Frost and added that the Cosmic Taco bag from the collaboration is the "perfect fit for 35.7 inches, or about 200 USB sticks, a vape and a pair of headphones." 

According to media intelligence firm Meltwater, the brand saw a spike in mentions on 8 June. On the same day, the Health Sciences Authority said that it will be investigating whether Crumpler has contravened the Tobacco Act with its recent advertisement. 

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The authority board also instructed Crumpler to remove the advertisement from all its outlets on 5 June, and that the company has complied.

Following the incident, words and phrases such as "vape", "down advertisement" and "remove" were associated to the brand. 

Checks by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE revealed that there are currently no mentions of the word "vape" in the item's description on Crumpler's official website.

In addition, media intelligence firm Truescope found that between June 4 and June 10, a few netizens humorously questioned the practicality of the description and suggested more common alternatives, such as a lipstick or a lighter.

Meanwhile, others highlighted the inappropriate use of "vape" and pointed out differences between Singapore's and Australia's regulations, added Truescope. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Crumpler and the Health Sciences Authority for more information. 

Differences in regulations and culture is something brands need to be mindful of when it comes to advertising in Singapore. In 2022, Samsung Singapore had to pull an ad that featured a drag queen and his mother as it was deemed "offensive to some members of the local community." 

The ad was to promote the brand's new wearable tech products. The team had worked with individuals from different walks of life to test the Galaxy Buds2 and Watch4 Classic and recorded their heart rates as they listened to various genres of music. In a surprise twist, Samsung embedded a voice-recorded message from someone close to the individuals, who wanted to express something personal to them for a long time.

Among the individuals featured were a drag queen who expressed appreciation for his hijab-wearing mother; a pair of best friends whose friendship showcased loyalty; an absentee father who spent years in jail but turned over a new leaf thanks to his daughter; and a man paying tribute to his fiancée’s courage in battling depression while taking care of her ailing mother.

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