Zyn pouches, ‘Zynfluencers’ and ‘the Zyndemic’

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, Business News, News

4.2 • 5.3K Ratings

🗓️ 21 June 2024

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For about a decade, Zyn, a brand of nicotine pouch, was a niche product used by former smokers. But now it’s exploded in popularity and is hard to find on store shelves. WSJ’s Jennifer Maloney explains how Zyn achieved social media virality and has found itself in the middle of a culture war. Further Reading: - Zyn Nicotine Pouches Take Off—and Land in the Culture Wars - Why America Is Running Low on Zyn Nicotine Pouches Further Listening: - The Juul Paradox - The ‘Existential Threat’ Facing Big Tobacco - How Puff Bar Became the Most Popular Vape for Kids Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This week we set our colleague Jennifer Maloney on a mission.
0:10.0	I'm in Midtown Manhattan and I'm looking for some sin.
0:14.0	Zinn, it's a nicotine pouch made by Philip Morris International.
0:21.0	I'm standing in front of a smoke shop called Style Smoke and Bape and the windows are full of hookas and other cannabis smoking paraphernalia.
0:34.2	So I'm going to go inside and check it out.
0:35.2	Hi, I'm looking for Zinn, do you have any?
0:39.6	I'm not getting any.
0:43.3	I have no like Zinn.
0:42.3	We are not getting supply for zeros.
0:44.0	Jennifer hits smoke shops, Bodegas, convenience stores from Manhattan to Queens.
0:51.0	Hi, I'm looking for ZIN. Do you have any ZIN?
0:54.0	But no dice.
0:57.0	Okay, I'm still on a hunt for ZIN.
1:00.0	Do you have any idea when you're going to get ZIN in stock?
1:02.0	ZINs are not supplying it.
1:03.7	Not supplying at all.
1:05.2	Like no.
1:06.2	The company has been stopped now.
1:08.2	So what's going on with Zen?
1:15.0	Zen's popularity has gotten to the point where its factory can't turn it out fast enough.
1:24.0	It has gone viral on social media,
1:28.0	but also at the same time
	...

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