Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors
Introduction Cigarette brand descriptors such as ‘light’ are banned in several countries and often replaced by alternative descriptors that continue to mislead smokers about the relative risk from those brands. The objective of this study was to evaluate perceptions from current brand descriptors wh...
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doaj-2b70ca1fc6b44202927719d549fd02082021-03-10T08:40:31ZengEuropean PublishingTobacco Prevention and Cessation2459-30872021-02-017February11110.18332/tpc/131243131243Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptorsNicholas J. Felcione0Kaila J. Norton1Maansi Bansal-Travers2Vaughan W. Rees3K. Michael Cummings4Richard J. O'Connor5Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, United StatesThe Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus, United StatesDepartment of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, United StatesDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, United StatesDepartment of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, United StatesIntroduction Cigarette brand descriptors such as ‘light’ are banned in several countries and often replaced by alternative descriptors that continue to mislead smokers about the relative risk from those brands. The objective of this study was to evaluate perceptions from current brand descriptors when presented independently of cigarette packaging. Methods Eighty-eight daily cigarette smokers attended semi-structured interviews at three US research laboratories in 2018–2019 to assess smokers’ perceptions of cigarette brand descriptors in four classes of brand features: prestige, connotation, taste, and color. Participants ranked descriptors within each brand feature on perceived harm, attractiveness, and appeal (willingness to try). Ranked perceptions were described using median rankings and percentages. Chi-squared was used to assess demographic effects on perceptions. Spearman’s correlation was used to assess the association between harm, attractiveness, and appeal rankings. Results Brand descriptors influenced perceptions of harm, attractiveness, and appeal within each brand feature. Smooth was perceived as the most attractive (42.5%) and appealing (33.0%) taste descriptor. Red was perceived as the most harmful (45.4%) and least appealing (22.7%) color descriptor. Perceptions of certain descriptors differed by demographic characteristics such as sex and age. Rankings of attractiveness and appeal were more strongly correlated (r=0.63) than rankings of harm and appeal (r=0.20, p<0.01). Conclusions Cigarette manufacturers replaced banned descriptors with alternative descriptors that continue to influence perceptions of cigarettes. Regulatory agencies should closely evaluate all brand descriptors and consider implications for alternative products with fewer regulations.http://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Smokers-perceptions-of-different-classes-of-cigarette-brand-descriptors,131243,0,2.htmltobaccopackagingperceptionscigarettebrand descriptors |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Nicholas J. Felcione Kaila J. Norton Maansi Bansal-Travers Vaughan W. Rees K. Michael Cummings Richard J. O'Connor |
spellingShingle |
Nicholas J. Felcione Kaila J. Norton Maansi Bansal-Travers Vaughan W. Rees K. Michael Cummings Richard J. O'Connor Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors Tobacco Prevention and Cessation tobacco packaging perceptions cigarette brand descriptors |
author_facet |
Nicholas J. Felcione Kaila J. Norton Maansi Bansal-Travers Vaughan W. Rees K. Michael Cummings Richard J. O'Connor |
author_sort |
Nicholas J. Felcione |
title |
Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
title_short |
Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
title_full |
Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
title_fullStr |
Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
title_full_unstemmed |
Smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
title_sort |
smokers’ perceptions of different classes of cigarette brand descriptors |
publisher |
European Publishing |
series |
Tobacco Prevention and Cessation |
issn |
2459-3087 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
Introduction
Cigarette brand descriptors such as ‘light’ are banned in several
countries and often replaced by alternative descriptors that continue to mislead
smokers about the relative risk from those brands. The objective of this study
was to evaluate perceptions from current brand descriptors when presented
independently of cigarette packaging.
Methods
Eighty-eight daily cigarette smokers attended semi-structured interviews
at three US research laboratories in 2018–2019 to assess smokers’ perceptions
of cigarette brand descriptors in four classes of brand features: prestige,
connotation, taste, and color. Participants ranked descriptors within each brand
feature on perceived harm, attractiveness, and appeal (willingness to try). Ranked
perceptions were described using median rankings and percentages. Chi-squared
was used to assess demographic effects on perceptions. Spearman’s correlation
was used to assess the association between harm, attractiveness, and appeal
rankings.
Results
Brand descriptors influenced perceptions of harm, attractiveness, and
appeal within each brand feature. Smooth was perceived as the most attractive
(42.5%) and appealing (33.0%) taste descriptor. Red was perceived as the most
harmful (45.4%) and least appealing (22.7%) color descriptor. Perceptions of
certain descriptors differed by demographic characteristics such as sex and age.
Rankings of attractiveness and appeal were more strongly correlated (r=0.63)
than rankings of harm and appeal (r=0.20, p<0.01).
Conclusions
Cigarette manufacturers replaced banned descriptors with alternative
descriptors that continue to influence perceptions of cigarettes. Regulatory
agencies should closely evaluate all brand descriptors and consider implications
for alternative products with fewer regulations. |
topic |
tobacco packaging perceptions cigarette brand descriptors |
url |
http://www.tobaccopreventioncessation.com/Smokers-perceptions-of-different-classes-of-cigarette-brand-descriptors,131243,0,2.html |
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