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Mistic E-Cigs Returns to the Indy 500
[May 19, 2015]

Mistic E-Cigs Returns to the Indy 500


Mistic® E-Cigs, independent maker of high quality, value-priced vapor products including the HAUS™ Personal Vaporizer, and co-primary sponsor of the No. 11 car in the 2015 Verizon (News - Alert) IndyCar Series, will be making history again as the only e-cig company to co-sponsor a car running in the 99th Indianapolis 500, also known as "the greatest spectacle in racing."

Piloted by four-time Series champ Sebastien Bourdais, KVSH Racing's No. 11 Indy 500 superspeedway car will feature the HAUS™ Personal Vaporizer by Mistic logo, along with an updated black and white "shattered" theme highlighted by green- and red-colored accents.

Mistic served as co-primary sponsor of KVSH Racing's No. 11 car in last year's Indy 500 driven by Bourdais. Starting P17, the French-born "bespectacled badass" finished an impressive 7th in the annual 200-lap race with an average lap speed of 186.511 mph. Bourdais has qualified P7 for the 2015 Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average speed of 225.193 mph.

"We are making history for the second year in a row with Seb behind the wheel as our HAUS Personal Vaporizer by Mistic logo will adorn the No. 11 car at this year's Indy 500," said John Wiesehan Jr., CEO of Mistic. "HAUS has become our top-selling brand as more adult vapers are switching to e-cigs and vapor products while looking for choice and flexibility with their vaping experiences."

Race Fans Weigh In on E-Cigs

While traditional tobacco historically has dominated auto racing in the past, Mistic E-Cigs quickly has become a prominent sponsor within IndyCar as e-cigs and vapor products continue to replace smoking as significant alternatives.

According to a recent survey conducted by Sponsorship Science, a Colorado-based research, measurement and evaluation firm, more than half of IndyCar race fans (51 percent) say e-cigs are more acceptable in public spaces compared to traditional cigarettes. Only 23 percent said e-cigs are less acceptable than traditional smokes. *

"These findings indicate that half the respondents had a general positive attitude regarding public e-cig use relative to traditional cigarettes," said Brett A. Boyle, Ph.D., research director for Sponsorship Science and author of the survey."

Results vary significantly between younger and older adults. Sixty-two percent of adults ages 18-34 say e-cigs are more acceptable than smoking, with only 12 percent saying they are less acceptable than traditional cigarettes. While 44 percent of adults 55+ say e-cigs are more acceptble than smoking, the survey revealed that 40 percent of older adults said e-cigs were less acceptable.



Positive attitudes toward e-cigs extend outside of the racetrack. Nearly two-thirds of Americans (63 percent) say they would not be bothered by someone using an e-cig in close proximity, according to data released in the 2014 American E-Cigarette Etiquette Survey conducted by Harris Interactive (News - Alert). The study also found that 58 percent of Americans approved of allowing e-cigs to be used at sporting events, followed by malls (47 percent), and restaurants and bars (45 percent). **

"It's clear that most Americans and race fans in general have positive attitudes when it comes to vaping," added Wiesehan. "Our involvement with IndyCar has allowed us to talk to current adult smokers across the country about the benefits of vaping as a significant alternative to smoking."


Race fans will be able to enjoy Mistic's brand experience at IndyCar racetracks during the 2015 season. Adult smokers can visit the Mistic-HAUS kiosk and engage with members of the Mistic Pit Crew to learn more about the company's products. Additionally, fans can ride in virtual race simulators and get the chance to compete against Sebastien Bourdais in mock competitions.

* An in-person survey of 561 fans conducted during the 2015 Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana held April 10-13.

** The 2014 American E-Cigarette Etiquette Survey was conducted by telephone within the United States by Harris Interactive between December 12-15, 2013 among 1,011 Americans ages 18 and over.

About Mistic

Mistic® E-Cigs is an independent manufacturer of high-quality vapor products, primarily sold through brick-and-mortar retail channels under the direction of its parent company, Ballantyne Brands. The company's Mistic brand of rechargeable and non-rechargeable e-cigarettes, including the Mistic Bridge™, as well as its HAUS™ line of vapor products, such as the HAUS™ Personal Vaporizer by Mistic and HAUS™ e-liquids, are sold in approximately 68,000 retail outlets and wholesalers across the U.S., including Walmart, Walgreens, Dollar General, Kangaroo Express, Circle K, Hess, Speedway, Family Dollar, Winn Dixie/Bi-Lo and Food Lion, HT Hackney, McLane Company, Coremark, Nash Finch and Petrey. The company produces all of its e-liquid in the U.S., including the bottling and filling of its HAUS branded e-liquid bottles, as well as the filling and assembly of Mistic refill cartridges and starter packs.

For more information on the company, visit www.misticecigs.com and www.HAUSvape.com, follow on Twitter (News - Alert) @MisticEcig and @HAUSpv, watch on YouTube, or like on Facebook (News - Alert) at MisticElectronicCigarettes and HAUS.

About Sponsorship Science

Sponsorship Science (www.sponsorship-science.com) is the North American leader of independent, solutions-based research in the area of sports marketing and communication. The firm is focused on providing actionable information and insight for clients to drive business performance and leverage success. Sponsorship Science's core competencies consist of providing: 1) outputs research (e.g., reach, frequency, and measured media); 2) consumer demographics and behavior; 3) economic impact studies for event stakeholders; and 4) sponsorship impact assessments.


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