Are Adolescents Receptive to Current Sales Promotion Practices of the Tobacco Industry?

doi:10.1006/pmed.1996.9980

Preventive Medicine

Volume 26, Issue 1, January 1997, Pages 14-21

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1996.9980 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.The tobacco industry increased the portion of its marketing budget for sales promotion to $2.5 billion in 1993. Although it claims not to target those under age 18 years, it is important to determine the extent to which adolescents are affected as participation may lead to smoking initiation.

Methods.California population surveys, conducted in 1993 among youth ages 12–17 years (N= 5,531) and in 1994 among both youth (N= 1,735) and adults (N= 4,170), asked questions regarding possession and willingness to use promotional items.

Results.In 1994, young adults (18–24 years) were the most likely topossessa promotional item (27.5 ± 4.1, ± 95% confidence limit). However, willingness tousean item was highest among those ages 15–17 years (35.4 ± 3.4%) and was also high among those ages 12–14 years (24.4 ± 2.7%). Among youth, ownership or willingness to use promotional items was more likely for boys, whites, those reporting below average school performance, and those smoking or susceptible to smoking. Youth ownership of promotional items increased from 1993 to 1994, as did the frequency of their obtaining items from coupons.

Conclusions.Promotional marketing undertaken by the tobacco industry was effective in capturing the interest of adolescents, although actual acquisition was highest among young adults. The rapidly increasing interest in tobacco promotional items from 1993 to 1994 may soon translate into increased adolescent smoking rates.

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Pro-tobacco influences and susceptibility to smoking cigarettes among middle and high school students - United States, 2011
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Smoking is a leading cause of cancer, and most smokers begin during adolescence. We examined the proportion of adolescents exposed to pro-tobacco advertising and assessed the association between this exposure and susceptibility to smoking.
Data from the 2011 National Youth Tobacco Survey were used to calculate the proportion of susceptible middle school (MS) and high school (HS) students exposed to pro-tobacco advertisements through stores, magazines, and the Internet. Following previous work, susceptibility to smoking cigarettes was defined as “never smoked but open to trying cigarettes.”
In 2011, 81.5% of MS students and 86.9% of HS students were exposed to tobacco advertisements in stores; 48.2% of MS students and 54.0% of HS students were exposed to such advertising in magazines. Exposure to tobacco advertisements on the Internet was similar for MS (40.8%) and HS students (40.2%). Of those surveyed, 22.5% of MS students and 24.2% of HS students were susceptible to trying cigarettes. Exposure to magazine advertising declined from 71.8% in 2000 to 46.1% in 2009 among susceptible MS students; however, exposure increased to 55.4% in 2011. Tobacco advertising seen through the Internet among susceptible HS students increased from 25.9% in 2000 to 44.7% in 2011.
Adolescents continue to be exposed to pro-tobacco advertisements. Adolescents susceptible to smoking are more likely to report exposure to pro-tobacco advertisements. In addition to continued monitoring, more effective interventions to eliminate youth exposure to pro-tobacco marketing are needed.
Adolescent smoking and volume of exposure to various forms of media
2008, Public Health
Citation Excerpt :
If one of your best friends were to offer you a cigarette, would you smoke it? In populations such as these with large numbers of non-smokers, it is useful to examine this construct of susceptibility to future smoking, as it has been shown to strongly predict actual future smoking.4 For the independent variables, students were asked to estimate how many hours per day, ranging from 0 to 8 h in 30-min increments, they spend watching television (regular, satellite or cable), using the Internet for fun (not for school work), listening to music (via radio, CDs, MP3 s, iPod™), playing video games, reading newspapers/magazines and reading books for fun.
To assess the association between adolescent smoking and volume of exposure to various forms of media after controlling for multiple relevant covariates.
A survey of all adolescents at a large suburban high school assessed: (1) current smoking and susceptibility to future smoking; (2) volume of exposure to various media; and (3) covariates related to smoking. Multivariate logistic regression models assessed relationships between each of the independent variables (media exposures) and the two smoking outcomes after controlling for covariates.
Of the 1138 respondents, 19% (n=216) reported current smoking. Forty percent (n=342) of the non-smokers (n=922) were susceptible to future smoking. Students reported exposure to an average of 8.6 (standard deviation 5.1) h of media daily, including 2.6 h of music. Those with high exposure to films and music were more likely to be smokers (P_trend=0.036 and P_trend<0.001, respectively), and those with high exposure to books were less likely to be smokers (P_trend<0.001). After controlling for all relevant covariates, those with high exposure to music had greater odds of being smokers than those with low exposure [odds ratio (OR) 1.90, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.10–3.30], and those with high exposure to books had lower odds of being current smokers (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.33–0.94).
Exposure to films and music are associated with smoking, but only the relationship between music exposure and smoking persists after rigorous covariate control. Exposure to books is associated with lower odds of smoking.
Receptivity to Alcohol Marketing Predicts Initiation of Alcohol Use
2008, Journal of Adolescent Health
Citation Excerpt :
The idea of being receptive to any form of marketing suggests a willingness to be open and responsive to the sponsor’s ideas, impressions, and suggestions. Receptivity to tobacco marketing has been defined as the development of positive affect toward cigarette advertising and promotions [12], and is more prevalent among males than females and among non-Hispanic whites than among other ethnic/racial groups [13]. Compared to adolescents who were minimally receptive, those who named a favorite cigarette ad (moderate receptivity) were 82% more likely to progress toward smoking at 3-year follow-up, and those who owned or were willing to use a cigarette promotional item (high receptivity) were almost three times more likely to progress toward smoking [14].
This longitudinal study examined the influence of alcohol advertising and promotions on the initiation of alcohol use. A measure of receptivity to alcohol marketing was developed from research about tobacco marketing. Recall and recognition of alcohol brand names were also examined.
Data were obtained from in-class surveys of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Participants who were classified as never drinkers at baseline (n = 1,080) comprised the analysis sample. Logistic regression models examined the association of advertising receptivity at baseline with any alcohol use and current drinking at follow-up, adjusting for multiple risk factors, including peer alcohol use, school performance, risk taking, and demographics.
At baseline, 29% of never drinkers either owned or wanted to use an alcohol branded promotional item (high receptivity), 12% students named the brand of their favorite alcohol ad (moderate receptivity), and 59% were not receptive to alcohol marketing. Approximately 29% of adolescents reported any alcohol use at follow-up; 13% reported drinking at least 1 or 2 days in the past month. Never drinkers who reported high receptivity to alcohol marketing at baseline were 77% more likely to initiate drinking by follow-up than those were not receptive. Smaller increases in the odds of alcohol use at follow-up were associated with better recall and recognition of alcohol brand names at baseline.
Alcohol advertising and promotions are associated with the uptake of drinking. Prevention programs may reduce adolescents’ receptivity to alcohol marketing by limiting their exposure to alcohol ads and promotions and by increasing their skepticism about the sponsors’ marketing tactics.
Association of Cigarette Smoking and Media Literacy about Smoking among Adolescents
2006, Journal of Adolescent Health
To determine whether media literacy concerning tobacco use is independently associated with two clinically relevant outcome measures in adolescents: current smoking and susceptibility to smoking.
We asked high school students aged 14–18 years to complete a survey that included a validated 18-item smoking media literacy (SML) scale, items assessing current smoking and susceptibility to future smoking, and covariates shown to be related to smoking. We used logistic regression to assess independent associations between the two outcome measures and SML.
Of the 1211 students who completed the survey, 19% reported current smoking. Controlling for all potential confounders of smoking, we found that an increase of one point (out of 10) in SML was independently associated with an odds ratio for smoking of .84 (95% confidence interval [CI] .71–.99). Compared with students below the median score on the SML scale, students above the median had an odds ratio for smoking of .57 (95% CI .37–.87). Of the students who were nonsmokers, 40% were classified as susceptible to future smoking. Controlling for all potential confounders of smoking, we found that an increase of one point (out of 10) was independently associated with and an odds ratio for smoking susceptibility of .68 (95% CI .58–.79). Compared with students below the median SML, students above the median SML had an odds ratio for smoking susceptibility of .49 (95% CI .35–.68).
In this sample of high school students, higher SML is independently associated with reduced current smoking and reduced susceptibility to future smoking.
Real-Time Context of Tobacco Marketing Exposure and Community Vulnerability-An Ecological Momentary Assessment among Young Adults
2022, Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Adolescent e-cigarette users at highest risk of cigarette smoking intention
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^☆: This research was funded in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This work was done during the tenure of Dr. Pierce's Established Investigatorship from the American Heart Association.

²: To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be addressed at the UCSD Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Cancer Center 0901, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0901. Fax: (619) 622-1745.

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Lead ArticleAre Adolescents Receptive to Current Sales Promotion Practices of the Tobacco Industry?☆

Abstract

Growing up tobacco free

Research note: effectiveness of floor displays on the sales of retail products

Retailing

Marketing management: analysis, planning, implementation, and control

The smoke clears at Marlboro

Business Week

PM turns to Marlboro to help sales

Advertising Age

Cigs settle back into summer promos

Advertising Age

Cigarette makers outfit smokers in icons, eluding warning and enraging activists

Wall Street Journal

Tobacco promotions in the hands of youth

Tobacco Control