Nicotine Tob Res. 2022 Sep 7:ntac209. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntac209. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: E-cigarette advertising exposure is linked to e-cigarette initiation and use. Thus, monitoring trends in e-cigarette advertising practices is important to understand e-cigarette use patterns observed over recent years.
METHODS: E-cigarette advertising expenditures (January 2016-July 2021; Numerator Ad Intel) for 154 U.S. market areas were harmonized with U.S. Census sociodemographic data through Nielsen market area/zip code designations. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regressions were used to examine trends in e-cigarette advertising expenditures across media outlets and associations between sociodemographic characteristics and e-cigarette advertising over time.
RESULTS: E-cigarette advertising expenditures peaked in 2018/2019, followed by a sharp decline in 2020. Expenditures were concentrated primarily on print (58.9%), TV (20.6%) and radio (14.4%). Major print outlets were Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, and Star magazines. Top TV channels were AMC, Investigation Discovery, and TBS. TV advertisements were purchased commonly during popular movies/series (e.g., King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, The Walking Dead). Higher expenditures were associated with U.S. market areas that had (a) a larger percentage of non-rural zip codes (radio), (b) smaller male populations (radio), and (c) larger White/Caucasian, Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, and Other/Multiracial populations (radio, print, online display, online video).
CONCLUSIONS: E-cigarette companies advertised in print magazines geared toward males and youth/young adults, radio commercials focused in urban areas with smaller male populations, and nationwide TV commercials. Declines in e-cigarette advertising expenditures in 2020 demonstrate the potential impact that federal policies may have on protecting populations who are at higher risk for tobacco use from predatory advertising practices.
IMPLICATIONS: E-cigarette advertising exposure is associated with initiation and use of e-cigarettes. This study shows how e-cigarette marketing expenditures in the U.S. may have targeted specific consumers (e.g., youth/young adults) between 2016 and 2021. The precipitous drop in advertising expenditures across all outlets during early 2020 corresponds with the implementation of the Tobacco 21 federal policy, the federal enforcement policy to remove most unauthorized flavored e-cigarette cartridges from the U.S. market, preparations for FDA’s premarket review of e-cigarette products, and the decision by several TV broadcast companies to stop showing e-cigarette ads. The potential impact of federal policies may have far-reaching implications for protecting populations who are at high risk for tobacco use and its health consequences.
PMID:36070398 | DOI:10.1093/ntr/ntac209
