A content analysis of promotional features in US direct-mail from ads across tobacco products from 2018-2020

Objective Characteristics and Subjective Responses of 18-24-Year-Olds to U.S. nationally Televised Tobacco Advertisements

Background: Restrictions on televised tobacco ads do not apply to vaping and oral nicotine products. Several campaigns are currently active on U.S. national television. This research examines the extent to which objective ad features are associated with ad, brand, and product appeal and use intentions among 18-24-year-olds. Methods: We identified seven unique campaigns for Vuse, Velo, and JUUL from the Mintel Comperemedia database, coded for youth-appealing content, and then randomly assigned among N = 1450 18-24-year-olds. Following exposure to one 15-second ad, participants completed a survey assessing their subjective responses. Results: Youth-appealing content was prevalent across these ads to varying degrees. Mixed effects regression analyses showed a positive association between features from the Content Appealing to Youth (CAY) index and pro-social brand perceptions, positive attitudes, reactions, and perceived effectiveness of the ad, and positive use perceptions. Moreover, themes related to customization of the device and environmental sustainability were associated with similar positive perceptions, including that using the product would be cool, as well as behavioral intentions to try, use occasionally, and use daily. Conclusions: Regulators need to update tobacco advertising restrictions to accurately reflect the current tobacco product landscape. This study contributes to the research on tobacco promotion strategies by examining the current marketing landscape for newer tobacco products and their appeal to youth. Findings from this study inform comprehensive tobacco marketing regulations, recommending the FDA update its guidelines and apply current marketing restrictions to e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products.

Factors associated with transitions in tobacco product use states among young adults aged 18-29 years

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This study examined young adults' tobacco use transitions based on their past 30-day use states, and identified factors associated with their transitions.

METHODS

Participants (N = 12377) were young adults aged 18-29 years at Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study. Self-reported tobacco use states were categorized by the number of past-month use days (0, 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-30 days) for cigarettes, electronic cigarettes [e-cigarettes], traditional cigars, filtered cigars, cigarillos, smokeless tobacco (SLT), and hookah. Multistate Markov models examined transitions between use states across Waves 1-5 of unweighted PATH data and multinomial logistic regressions examined predictors of transitions.

RESULTS

Most young adults remained nonusers across adjacent waves for all products (88%-99%). Collapsed across waves, transitioning from use at any level to nonuse (average 46%-67%) was more common than transitioning from nonuse to use at any level (average 4%-10%). Several factors that predicted riskier patterns of use (i.e., transitioning to use and/or remaining a user across adjacent waves) were similar across most products: male, Black, Hispanic, lower education levels, and lower harm perceptions. In contrast, other factors predicted riskier patterns for only select products (e.g., e-cigarette and SLT use among Whites).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Few sampled young adults escalated their tobacco use over time, and escalations for many products were predicted by similar factors.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Prevention and regulatory efforts targeted towards adolescents should continue, but also be expanded into young adulthood. These same efforts should consider both shared and unique factors that influence use transitions.

Use of Brand Engagement Appeals in US Cigarette and E-Cigarettes Ads (2019-2020)

Background: The tobacco industry has historically used brand engagement - communication tactics companies use to increase customer attachment to a brand and brand loyalty - to recruit and retain consumers. Limited information is available to assess the brand engagement tactics used to promote the two most popular tobacco products in the US - cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) - across different advertising platforms (e.g., direct-to-consumer (DTC), social media). Material and methods: We acquired 520 cigarette and 5,502 e-cigarette ads that ran in the US January 2019 to December 2020 from market research firms (Kantar, Numerator), Rutger's University ad surveillance website (trinketsandtrash.org), and branded social media accounts. Ads were double-coded for eight types of brand engagement tactics: Price Promotion, Sweepstakes, Mobile App, Email/Mail List, Free Gift, Social Media engagement request, Sponsored Events, and Auto-Ship subscription program. We report presence of brand engagement tactics by product type and advertising platform. Results: Overall, 62.9% of cigarette ads and 49.9% of e-cigarette ads contained at least one brand engagement tactic. For cigarette ads, the most common tactics were Sweepstakes and Mobile App requests, which were most commonly featured in DTC ads. For e-cigarettes, the most common tactic was Price Promotion which was featured in most DTC and online e-cigarette ads. Conclusions: Brand engagement was common in this sample of cigarette and e-cigarette ads. Our findings highlight key differences in the type of brand engagement tactic used to promote each product on different advertising platforms. Results can inform continued advertising surveillance studies and regulatory efforts.