British American Tobacco (BAT) has earned international recognition for its next-generation nicotine product design, with three of its smoke-free devices receiving 2026 Red Dot Design Awards in the Product Design category. The winning products—glo Hilo Plus, Vuse Pro One Box, and Vuse Ultra x McLaren F1 Team Limited Edition—highlight BAT’s growing emphasis on combining industrial design, functionality, and user experience as competition in the smoke-free nicotine market intensifies.
According to BAT, the awards reflect the company’s long-term strategy of integrating design innovation into product development while creating devices that balance aesthetics, usability, and technological advancement.
Three Award-Winning Products Across Heated Tobacco and Vaping
The three award recipients span BAT’s two flagship smoke-free product families: glo, its heated tobacco brand, and Vuse, its vaping portfolio.
The recognition demonstrates BAT’s efforts to diversify its smoke-free offerings while targeting different consumer preferences through distinct product categories.
BAT also announced the achievement on LinkedIn, stating that the awards recognize the collaboration between its industrial design, engineering, research and development, and commercial teams in delivering innovative consumer products.
glo Hilo Plus Recognized for Integrated Design
Among the winners, the glo Hilo Plus represents BAT’s latest approach to heated tobacco technology.
According to the Red Dot Design Award organizers, the device combines a heating pen with a charging case, creating a two-piece ecosystem that emphasizes portability and convenience. It also features a touch-sensitive AMOLED display, allowing users to interact with the device through an intuitive interface.
The Red Dot jury noted that the product’s design incorporates subtle ember-inspired color details that visually reflect the tobacco heating process while maintaining a clean, contemporary appearance.
The award recognizes not only the device’s aesthetics but also its integration of user interaction and functional design.
Vuse Pro One Box Focuses on Everyday Practicality
BAT’s Vuse Pro One Box was also honored in the Product Design category.
Designed as a rechargeable vaping device, it features a compact anodized aluminum body available in seven color options. Battery status, locking mode, and operating mode are displayed through a three-color LED indicator system, providing users with essential information at a glance.
The device supports:
- Replaceable vape pods
- USB-C charging
- VapourBoost performance mode
The overall design reflects the industry’s ongoing transition away from disposable vaping products toward rechargeable, longer-lasting systems that prioritize convenience and sustainability.
Racing-Inspired Design for the McLaren Collaboration
The third award-winning device, the Vuse Ultra x McLaren F1 Team Limited Edition, showcases BAT’s collaboration with the McLaren Formula 1 Team.
The limited-edition device blends vaping technology with motorsport-inspired styling, featuring:
- A polished aluminum front panel
- A semi-transparent rear housing that reveals internal circuitry
- A circuit board layout designed to resemble an abstract racing circuit
- McLaren’s signature Papaya Orange color accents
- Dual replaceable batteries for extended usage
The collaboration reflects a broader trend in consumer electronics and lifestyle products, where premium industrial design and brand partnerships increasingly play a role in product differentiation.
Design Becoming a Core Business Capability
BAT says the awards represent more than recognition for individual products.
According to the company, design has become a core strategic capability supporting its broader smoke-free transformation.
Its in-house design organization now contributes across multiple disciplines, including:
- Industrial design
- User experience (UX)
- Product engineering
- Sustainability
- Brand identity
BAT also noted that participation in the Red Dot Design Awards provides valuable independent evaluation from internationally recognized design experts, allowing its products to be benchmarked against leading global consumer brands.
The company emphasized that the Red Dot judging process evaluates products on more than appearance, considering factors such as innovation, usability, functionality, ergonomics, and overall design quality.
The Red Dot Design Award website lists British American Tobacco, London, United Kingdom, as the manufacturer of all three winning products, with each device developed by BAT’s internal design teams.
Competition Shifts Beyond Hardware Performance
The latest awards illustrate how competition within the smoke-free nicotine industry is increasingly extending beyond nicotine delivery technology alone.
Manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on:
- Premium materials
- User interface design
- Device ergonomics
- Rechargeable ecosystems
- Sustainability
- Brand collaborations
- Long-term user experience
Each of BAT’s winning products reflects a different aspect of this strategy.
The Vuse Pro One Box emphasizes rechargeable convenience for users transitioning away from disposable devices.
The Vuse Ultra x McLaren F1 Team Limited Edition focuses on premium branding, collector appeal, and extended battery life.
Meanwhile, the glo Hilo Plus integrates a charging case, interactive display, and refined visual details to enhance both usability and product identity.
Design Recognition Does Not Replace Regulatory Approval
While the Red Dot Design Awards recognize excellence in industrial design, they are not related to product safety assessments, regulatory approval, or health evaluations.
As governments around the world continue tightening regulations on vaping and heated tobacco products—including restrictions on packaging, advertising, and product presentation—design awards primarily acknowledge innovation in product development rather than compliance with public health regulations.
Nevertheless, the growing emphasis on industrial design reflects a broader evolution within the smoke-free sector, where manufacturers increasingly view device experience, usability, and brand differentiation as important competitive advantages.
Looking Ahead
BAT’s success at the 2026 Red Dot Design Awards underscores the changing priorities of the global nicotine industry. As smoke-free products become more technologically sophisticated, manufacturers are investing not only in nicotine delivery systems but also in industrial design, user experience, sustainability, and premium branding.
With regulatory frameworks continuing to evolve worldwide, product design is emerging as a key differentiator—shaping consumer perception, supporting long-term product ecosystems, and helping brands stand out in an increasingly competitive smoke-free marketplace.