Marketing a healthier choice: exploring young people’s perception of e-cigarettes (original) (raw)
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BMC Public Health
Background Launched in 2000, the truth campaign was one of the first health-related campaigns to embrace the building of a brand to further amplify its message, such as by building brand equity. Brand equity is an asset that represents the audience’s perception of the brand. Previous research supports that strong brand equity is associated with lower tobacco intentions and behaviors; however, brand equity and its change over time have not been studied as it relates to e-cigarettes. This study examines the effects of change in brand equity on e-cigarette attitudes, intentions, and behaviors among youth and young adults. Methods The sample (N = 6427) is from the Truth Longitudinal Cohort, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort of youth and young adults, ages 15–24. Variables include brand equity tobacco scale, demographic characteristics, and e-cigarette use status. The outcomes included anti-e-cigarette attitudes, intentions to use e-cigarettes, and use of e-cigarettes. Mul...
BMC Public Health
Background: Article 20 of the EU Tobacco Products Directive [TPD] stipulates that e-cigarette packets and refill products must carry a nicotine addiction health warning. Although previous studies conducted in North America have found that perceived harm, addictiveness and intention to use declined following exposure to e-cigarette health warnings, possible effects of the TPD health warnings on smokers and non-smokers has not been studied. This study will investigate the effects of the EU TPD e-cigarette health warnings and a comparative harm message (COMP; developed specifically for this study) on smokers' and non-smokers' perceptions of harm, addictiveness and social acceptability of e-cigarettes. Additionally, the potential effects of the TPD warnings and the COMP on smokers' intentions to purchase and use e-cigarettes will be explored. Methods/design: A sample of 2400 UK residents will be recruited in this experimental, randomised design, with Smoking status (Smoker vs. Non-smoker), TPD presence (TPD1 vs. TPD2 vs. No-TPD) and COMP presence (Presence vs. Absence) as between subjects independent variables, and Time (pre-post exposure of images) as a within subjects factor. Dependent variables comprise self-reported perceived harm, addictiveness, social acceptability, e-cigarettes' effectiveness, intentions to purchase and use e-cigarettes. Cigarette dependence, previous e-cigarette exposure, and baseline intentions to quit will be measured as covariates. Discussion: Health warnings, such as those implemented by the TPD, may help to prevent non-smokers from e-cigarettes use, but it is possible that they may inadvertently deter smokers from initiating use and substituting their tobacco smoking for e-cigarettes use if their content is deemed too negative. It is hoped that this study will help identify the most effective message or combination of messages that encourage use among smokers without promoting use among non-smokers. Trial registration: ISRCTN registry ISRCTN76967031; date of registration: 23/10/18.
Youth’s engagement and perceptions of disposable e-cigarettes: a UK focus group study
BMJ Open
ObjectivesEvidence suggests that use of flavoured disposable electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is increasing. Considering the growing popularity and rapid evolution of e-cigarettes, we explored youth’s perceptions and engagement with disposable e-cigarettes.DesignTwenty focus groups were conducted between March and May 2022, with 82 youths aged 11–16 living in the Central belt of Scotland.MethodsYouths were asked about smoking and vaping behaviours and disposable e-cigarettes and were shown vaping-related images and videos from social media which were used to stimulate discussion about different messages, presentations and contextual features. Transcripts were imported into NVivo V.12, coded thematically, and analysed.ResultsYouths described disposable e-cigarettes as ‘cool’, ‘fashionable’ and enticing and viewed as a modern lifestyle ‘accessory’. Tank models were perceived as being used by older adults. Youths stated that disposable e-cigarettes were designed in a way to target ...
Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2017
Introduction: Very little is known about how e-cigarette marketing is being perceived by youth, and the potential effect it will have on youth vaping and smoking behaviors. This limits the ability to identify youth-focused marketing efforts and to design effective policies for the regulation of e-cigarette marketing content and placement. Methods: A sample of 417 nonsmoking youth (mean age = 15, SD = 1.3) were randomly assigned to either view four e-cigarette ads with low youth appeal, four e-cigarette ads with high youth appeal or four control ads. After exposure, participants completed covert and overt measurements of e-cigarette and tobacco cigarette attitudes and susceptibility to use. Results: Youth in an e-cigarette ad condition were more likely to select an e-cigarette item in a product choice task compared to control, and had more positive e-cigarette beliefs. Contrary to hypotheses, youth in the low youth appeal condition reported greater susceptibility to trying e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes compared to control. Conclusions: Exposure to any e-cigarette advertising may play a role in teens' decision to initiate e-cigarette and tobacco cigarette use. As the Food and Drug Administration now has regulatory authority over the marketing of e-cigarettes, regulations on e-cigarette advertising are suggested. Implications: Teens are increasingly being exposed to e-cigarette advertising, and many places are considering e-cigarette regulations, yet we know very little about how e-cigarette advertisements might influence youth tobacco use. This study utilized a novel dataset of e-cigarette ads coded for youth appeal and presented them to a sample of 417 nonsmoking teens in a randomized controlled design to test the effect of features on youth susceptibility to initiating e-cigarette and tobacco cigarette use. The findings inform evidence-based recommendations for regulating the marketing of e-cigarettes.
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Introduction: Given the lack of regulation on marketing of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in the United States and the increasing exchange of e-cigarette-related information online, it is critical to understand how e-cigarette companies market e-cigarettes and how the public engages with e-cigarette information. Methods: Results are from a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on e-cigarettes via a PubMed search through June 1, 2017. Search terms included: "e-cigarette*" or "electronic cigarette" or "electronic cigarettes" or "electronic nicotine delivery" or "vape" or "vaping. " Experimental studies, quasi-experimental studies, observational studies, qualitative studies, and mixed methods studies providing empirical findings on e-cigarette marketing and communication (ie, nonmarketing communication in the public) were included. Results: One hundred twenty-four publications on e-cigarette marketing and communication were identified. They covered topics including e-cigarette advertisement claims/promotions and exposure/ receptivity, the effect of e-cigarette advertisements on e-cigarette and cigarette use, public engagement with e-cigarette information, and the public's portrayal of e-cigarettes. Studies show increases in e-cigarette marketing expenditures and online engagement through social media over time, that e-cigarettes are often framed as an alternative to combustible cigarettes, and that e-cigarette advertisement exposure may be associated with e-cigarette trial in adolescents and young adults. Discussion: Few studies examine the effects of e-cigarette marketing on perceptions and e-cigarette and cigarette use. Evidence suggests that exposure to e-cigarette advertisements affects perceptions and trial of e-cigarettes, but there is no evidence that exposure affects cigarette use. No studies examined how exposure to e-cigarette communication, particularly misleading or inaccurate information, impacts e-cigarette, and tobacco use behaviors. Implications: The present article provides a comprehensive review of e-cigarette marketing and how the public engages with e-cigarette information. Studies suggest an association between exposure to e-cigarette marketing and lower harm perceptions of e-cigarettes, intention to use e-cigarettes, and e-cigarette trial, highlighting the need to for advertising regulations that support public health goals. Findings from this review also present the methodological limitations of the
Attitudinal and normative responses to advertising stimuli and vaping intentions
International Journal of Market Research, 2020
Empirical data to show whether exposure to e-cigarette advertising stimuli may influence former- and never-smokers to consider vaping is lacking. We examined whether former- and never-smokers’ cognitive, affective, and normative responses to e-cigarette stimuli in retail outlets will predict their vaping intention. A repeat cross-sectional study recruited 876 participants aged 18–24 years at Waves 1 and 2 in the United Kingdom. Bayesian structural equation modeling tested mediation and moderation effects of the variables of interest. Results from Waves 1 and 2 revealed that the association of salience of e-cigarette advertising in stores and gas stations with vaping intention was mediated by affect and subjective norms among former smokers. Cognitive attitudes of never smokers mediated the relationship between salience of e-cigarette advertising in retail outlets and vaping intention at Waves 1 and 2. Former smokers were more likely to hold stronger affect toward vaping than never s...
Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
INTRODUCTION Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are a relatively new type of nicotine-containing product that has risen greatly in use within the past decade, displacing conventional tobacco products as the dominant source of nicotine exposure by many groups. Among those impacted are large sections of US youth. Though health outcomes associated with ENDS use are still being assessed, several potential harms have been noted in the extant literature. The purpose of this study is to examine which US youth subpopulations are at greatest risk for ENDS ever use and how perceptions pertaining to nicotine-containing products relate to this risk. METHODS A nationwide online survey was administered to US youth ENDS users and non-users aged 13-18 years. A total weighted sample of 2501 participants was obtained. Statistical analyses included binomial logistic regression and a likelihood ratio test. RESULTS Of these youth, 1346 (53.8%) reported having ever used an ENDS product. Those most likely to have used ENDS were White males in their late teens. Those who reported ever using a conventional tobacco product were much more likely to have reported ever using ENDS (AOR= 19.96; 95% CI: 15.30-26.05). A number of perceptions related to nicotine-containing products, including product safety and health effects, were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of ENDS use. CONCLUSIONS Certain sections of the US youth population have elevated odds of being ENDS ever users. As increasing evidence supports the need to combat ENDS use by youth, effectively targeted education and prevention campaigns will be necessary.
Preventive medicine, 2018
Understanding factors associated with youth e-cigarette openness and curiosity are important for assessing probability of future use. We examined how e-cigarette harm perceptions and advertising exposure are associated with openness and curiosity among tobacco naive youth. Findings from the 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) were analyzed. The 2015 NYTS is a nationally representative survey of 17,711 U.S. middle and high school students. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates of never users of tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars/cigarillos/little cigars, waterpipe/hookah, smokeless tobacco, bidis, pipes, dissolvables, e-cigarettes) who were open to or curious about e-cigarette use, by demographics. Weighted regression models examined how e-cigarette harm perceptions and advertising exposure were associated with openness using e-cigarettes and curiosity about trying e-cigarettes. Among respondents who never used tobacco products, 23.8% were open to using e-cigarettes and...