I get giving eLiquid funny reference names (There's always money in the banana stand after all), and naming it the flavor profile can be rather unwieldy, but do we really need names that are just offensive?
I'm totally not a PC kinda guy, but let me give an example of what I'm talking about.
Some know and some don't that I sell eLiquid (public facing site launch in the next few weeks or so, stay tuned free things are coming). I know many of the people in my local vape industry, and will occasionally drop in to local vape shops to chat and see what's new.
Once in awhile someone will be talking about DIY and I'm always happy to offer advice where I can.
So I'm in a local shop this afternoon and this kid is talking up this juice he made. And he's trying to get someone to try it. I figure what the hell, I've hatevaped plenty of my own garbage mixes, how bad could it be?
So I ask the guy running the counter for a clearo, fill it up and give it a couple of hits. It wasn't stellar, but it was far from the worst thing I've vaped.
It was a fruity blend (tasted like he grabbed about 12 random TFA fruit flavors and mixed it in equal amounts, nothing too distinct but I'm pretty sure it had Strawberry Ripe in it). So I ask him what he's calling it.
With the biggest grin you can imagine, he looks me in the eye and replies "it's called Fucktard".
Really? Now I ask, what store is going to carry a juice named Fucktard?
Do people buy stuff like that? I wouldn't.
Look, your biggest freebie in any business endeavor is word of mouth advertising. Even if this had been the best juice I've ever had, I'm sure not going to tell people about it. I can see me talking it up to my Mother in law now: yeah it's really good, try some of this fucktard.
Not gonna happen. And forget it if it's mixed company. Yes Dr. Smith, I owe my smoking cessation efforts all of the inventor of my favorite liquid, fucktard.
Really?
Is it just me? Is this a sign that I'm finally getting older?
I'm with you. Non-descriptive is fine, offensive is not. It's lame and gives vaping and vapers a bad name.
"gives vapers a bad name"
I'm pretty sure that's holocaust deniers in bird masks on YouTube, sucking down hits between claiming 9/11 was an inside job, not some store giving their wares juvenile names
Personally I don't really care but from a marketing perspective it not a smart move. You alienate a good portion of the market with offensive naming. If you are just sharing diy juice with your friends then call it sweaty ball cheese. If you are trying to make a business out of this you should probably use names that sound appetizing.
There have been a few lines we liked but won't carry in our store because of the name. We have a classy fuckin' joint and don't want to offend people.
"Here, sir, try some of this delicious Jigaboo juice. It's watermelon, banana, and menthol."
yeah, you wouldn't want to eliminate the under 18 market or anything...
smh
RJ Reynolds had a cartoon camel, Budweiser had singing frogs. Since then the laws have changed and you can't use cartoons or puppets to market products intended for adults. Like I said, if the kids want to vape sweaty ball cheese at 0nic then by all means go right ahead, just keep it on the down low. We are still waiting to see what vape regulation is going to look like and in my opinion we shouldn't throw any more fuel on the "vaping is killing our kids" fire.
smd
I'm with you and I'm still a "young guy." I don't like nondescriptives either. If the name is nondescript I'm much less likely to check it out. Mother's Milk is pushing it, but I saw a picture of Dad's Milk and that's just too far for me.
I'm the same way. I'm pretty fond of the way TVC names his juice.
A brand takes work to build. What does Big Mac mean? The Gap?
Verizon means absolutely nothing, and in fact, was a leftover from a failed health care industry merger. The well heeled business consultants just winked at each other and re-purposed it to mid atlantic region telephone company.
Fucktard? GTFOH :-)
Unfortunately , offensive is subjective. I was offended by a friends flavor name until I let it sink in, and honestly, I couldn't have named it better myself. He showed me a bottle labeled "white girl" with a picture of a girl from the waist down in yoga pants and ugg boots.
My first thought was that's pretty sexist and offensive. And what flavor could you possibly think that was a good idea for?
Chai tea...
I take it all back.
Damn and I thought my Nut Tapped name was clever. But Fucktard? Wow does he write scripts for TV shows because if not this man is a genius and should be hired right away!
Stay tuned for his next juice: Cuntface
I actually kind of like Nut Tapped. Fucktard is too much though.
I must be getting old.
reaches for black socks and Velcro shoes
I've worn black socks since I was a teen, I always thought they looked better than white (easier to keep clean looking too).
Never with sandals though. Some lines shouldn't be crossed.
People are entitled to name things as they see fit.
While I'm not as offended as you are at the "fucktard" name in that it's profanity, I'm more upset at it and other juices have names like that that don't even give you a vague idea of the flavor profile. Things like "sweep the leg" and "beetle juice" and "voodoo" make absolutely no sense to someone who's haven't vaped the flavors.
I'm not offended by the name, but I know that some will be.
I could care less, but if you want people to buy it (or even try it), names like that are a nonstarter.
I agree...its why i don't buy local and get weird boutique juices. I drive a bus and having sub teens walk up on my break and talk to me while i am vaping " hey man this falcon feather unicorn horn sasquatch is awesome.. what are you vapin" so i say "juice..peaches" my seduce juice snake venom is ok for me...and every other awesome vendor out there.. local shit has to up their game...give better descriptions. I found one here in Denver rebottling/relabeling Suicide Bunny and selling it at $40 per 30ml. so that happens
Well to his credit... He did name it correctly if he tossed random fruit flavors together without any real thought process involved?
I have no idea how he mixed it or what the thought process was, I'm just describing the flavor.
Lol I bet you pegged it though.
Possible, I've vaped a lot of DIY flavorings.
Also I've met more than a few DIYers who seem to think that it's just pour a few in and see what happens. They're usually the ones that are amazed that DIY juice can be as good if not better than "commercial" juice.
It's art, but it can be science too.
At my store we carry juices called Alien Piss and Cream Pie Special. The risque names just come with the territory: a rather unregulated market, 18+ consumers where the average age is probably between 18-25. It's just the way it is. Shops will still pick it up, if it's good. Let the juice speak for itself. Slap a great label on it, package it nicely, call it poopjuice and if it knocks my socks off, I'll pick it up.
My juice names:
Practically Perfect (Amaretto Sour)
Honeypot (Honeydew/Peach/Strawberry)
Orange Juliette (Just like an Orange Julius)
Sweet Banana Lunacy (Banana Moon Pie)
Still working on the Bloody Perfect (Bloody Mary), too, but it's not quite there yet.
Edit: Formatting.
I agree with you. I enjoy the fun names, but if it isn't something I could say or show to my 7-year-old niece I'm not buying it. It's ejuice. There is just no need for stuff like that. (I'm including bottles with labels that have nearly naked people on them. I love nearly naked people, but not on my ejuice bottles. I can't in good conscious carry that bottle around with me.)
you show your 7 year old niece your vape gear and liquids? just make sure she knows how to properly use batteries in a mechanical mod and of course the safe handling of nicotine concentrates
just stick to giving her camel cigarettes, wouldn't want to risk anything poisoning her mind and PV's can be awfully phallic
I fail to see how not wanting her to read something like "fucktard" while she is with me is a bad thing. I'm sure that would go over well with her parents.
The not wanting to have bottles with scantily clad bodies on the label is more because I carry whatever juice I'm using around with me and do share them with other vapers. I don't feel comfortable pulling out a bottle with that on it when my grandma asks if she can try the ejuice I have that day, for example. I don't think that is unreasonable.