Objective: The author used data from a larger study to examine adolescents' and adults' responses to Winston cigarettes' "No Additives" advertising campaign.
Methods: The author analyzed responses from 400 adolescents ages 12-17 and 203 adults ages 30-50 who were asked what they believed the meaning of the "No Additives" slogan to be. The author also analyzed adolescents' responses to questions about four specific Winston "No Additives" ads.
Results: Two-thirds of adolescents and 27% of adults believed that "No Additives" meant one or more of the following: that Winston cigarettes are healthier than other cigarettes, that they are less likely to harm health, or that they are less likely to be addictive. Adolescents perceived the models in three ads to be younger than 25 years old. Among adolescent respondents, smokers were more likely than nonsmokers to like the ads and to believe the ads made smoking more appealing.
Conclusions: The "No Additives" slogan was perceived by a majority of adolescents and about a quarter of adults as implying one or more health claims. The results of this analysis suggest that the Federal Trade Commission's action in requiring a disclaimer on the "No Additives" ads is well founded but the disclaimer should be strengthened.