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Accepted (AM)Open Access (License Unspecified), Open
Journal article
The Impact of Cigarette Pack Design, Descriptors, and Warning Labels on Risk Perception in the US
American journal of preventive medicine, v 40(6), pp 674-682
01 Jun 2011
PMID: 21565661
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Background: In the U.S., limited evidence exists on the impact of colors and brand imagery used in cigarette pack design.
Purpose: This study examined the impact of pack design, product descriptors, and health warnings on risk perception and brand appeal.
Methods: A cross-sectional mall-intercept study was conducted with 197 adult smokers and 200 nonsmokers in Buffalo NY from June to July 2009 (data analysis from July 2009 to December 2010). Participants were shown 12 sets of packs randomly; each set varied by a particular design feature (color, descriptor) or warning label style (text versus graphic, size, attribution, message framing). Packs were rated on criteria including risk perceptions, quit motivation, and purchase interest.
Results: Participants selected larger, pictorial, and loss-framed warning labels as more likely to attract attention, encourage thoughts about health risks, motivate quitting, and be most effective. Participants were more likely to select packs with lighter color shading and descriptors such as light, silver, and smooth as delivering less tar, smoother taste, and lower health risk, compared to darker-shaded or full-flavor packs. Additionally, participants were more likely to select the branded compared to plain white pack when asked which delivered the most tar, smoothest taste, was more attractive, appealed to youth aged <18 years, and contained cigarettes of better quality.
Conclusions: The findings support larger, graphic health warnings that convey loss-framed messages as most effective in communicating health risks to U.S. adults. The results also indicate that color and product descriptors are associated with false beliefs about risks. Plain packaging may reduce many of the erroneous misperceptions of risk communicated through pack design features. (Am J Prev Med 2011;40(6):674-682) (C) 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine
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Details
- Title
- The Impact of Cigarette Pack Design, Descriptors, and Warning Labels on Risk Perception in the US
- Creators
- Maansi Bansal-Travers - Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer CenterDavid Hammond - University of WaterlooPhilip Smith - University at Buffalo, State University of New YorkK. Michael Cummings - Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Publication Details
- American journal of preventive medicine, v 40(6), pp 674-682
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- U.S. National Cancer Institute; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI) P01 CA138389 / Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo NY P50 CA 111236 / Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, NCI; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000290470400016
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-79955867559
- Other Identifier
- 991022031022204721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health