Filter Presence and Tipping Paper Color Influence Consumer Perceptions of Cigarettes

Background

Cigarettes are marketed in a wide array of packaging and product configurations, and these may impact consumers’ perceptions of product health effects and attractiveness. Filtered cigarettes are typically perceived as less hazardous and white tipping paper (as opposed to cork) often conveys ‘lightness’.

Methods

This study examined cigarette-related perceptions among 1220 young adult (age 18-35) current, ever, and never smokers recruited from three eastern U.S. cities (Buffalo NY, Columbia SC, Morgantown WV). Participants rated three cigarette sticks: two filtered cigarettes 85 mm in length, differing only in tipping paper color (cork versus white), and an unfiltered 70 mm cigarette.

Results

Overall, the cork-tipped cigarette was most commonly selected on taste and attractiveness, the white-tipped on least dangerous, and the unfiltered on most dangerous. Current smokers were more likely to select white-tipped (OR = 1.98) and cork-tipped (OR = 3.42) cigarettes, while ever smokers more commonly selected the cork-tipped (OR = 1.96), as most willing to try over the other products. Those willing to try the filtered white-tipped cigarette were more likely to have rated that cigarette as best tasting (OR = 11.10), attracting attention (OR = 17.91), and lowest health risk (OR = 1.94). Similarly, those willing to try cork tipped or unfiltered cigarettes rated those as best testing, attracting attention, and lowest health risk, respectively.

Conclusions

Findings from this study demonstrate that consumer product perceptions can be influenced by elements of cigarette design, such as the presence and color of the filter tip.

Below:  Cigarettes used in demonstration. Left to right; unfiltered, cork-tip, white-tip

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/b6m3y1

By:   Richard J. O’Connor, Maansi Bansal-Travers, K. Michael Cummings, David Hammond, James F. Thrasher, and Cindy Tworek

Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263 USA

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC USA

School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON Canada

Department of Health Promotion, Education & Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC USA

Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV USA

Richard J. O’Connor, Phone: 1-716-845-4517, Email: gro.krapllewsor@ronnoco.drahcir.

  

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