• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, July 11, 2013

What’s the next promotional frontier for the burgeoning and controversial marketing of electronic cigarettes? Certainly, sports with its young male audience would offer one attractive venue for expansion.

One of the brands, e-Swisher, says its deal with the World Series of Poker (WSOP) brings signage on ESPN broadcasts that will continue in the fall. E-Swisher has already had exposure on ESPN, as its brand is seen on a car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

ESPN is one of the cable networks that takes ads for e-cigarettes. E-Swisher has a two-year deal with Caesars Interactive Entertainment to serve as the official e-cigarette of the WSOP, which has been going on since May 29.

The agreement covers on-site signage, including in a player’s lounge and outdoor smoking area; signage visible on ESPN; exposure on wsop.com; and social media exposure on Twitter and Facebook. There will also be a social media contest to win branded playing cards and poker sets.

Among e-cigarette brands advertising on TV is blu eCigs. In February, Njoy, which started running ads late last year, said it had signed Horizon as its media agency.