Perceived effectiveness of tobacco countermarketing advertisements among young adults

Am J Health Behav. 2008 Nov-Dec;32(6):725-34. doi: 10.5555/ajhb.2008.32.6.725.

Abstract

Objectives: To measure relative effectiveness of tobacco countermarketing advertisements by category and emotive execution style among young adults.

Methods: Participants (n=1011) from 2 US 4-year colleges, one southern and one northern were surveyed before and after viewing advertisements in one of 3 categories: social norms, health consequences, or tobacco industry manipulation and with 4 emotive execution styles: drama, testimonial (negative emotive) and humor, sarcasm (positive).

Results: Health consequences and negative emotive advertisements were rated significantly most persuasive.

Conclusions: This is the first study to support the effectiveness of tobacco countermarketing advertisements emphasizing the negative emotive health consequences of smoking among young adults.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Advertising*
  • Attitude*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Marketing*
  • Middle Aged
  • Nicotiana*
  • Smoking / epidemiology*
  • Tobacco Industry*
  • Young Adult