The goal of this online survey experiment is to examine the effect of "natural" descriptors and images on cigar packs among young adults (ages 18-34) who have either used cigars in the past year or are non-users who are susceptible to use. The study will compare effects of cigar pack images with or without "natural" descriptors (that explicitly say "natural" vs. imply naturalness with the word "leaf"), with or without "natural" images (such as leaves), and with or without images of cigar sticks (that are rough-cut (e.g., darker wrapper color with more visible leaf lines) vs. smooth) on product perceptions, intentions to use cigars, and recall. Participants will be randomized to one of 18 conditions and will be shown four cigar pack images from various brands within their condition. After seeing the images, they will complete survey questions assessing product perceptions, intentions, and recall, and will complete other embedded tasks in the survey, before being debriefed about the harms of cigars.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
3,500
Participants will view cigar packs with descriptors which explicitly refer to "naturalness" (i.e., "natural" or "natural leaf")
Participants will view cigar packs which do not use the word "natural, but use "leaf" descriptors, which may implicitly refer to "naturalness"
Participants will view cigar packs which do not use any "natural" or "leaf" descriptors
Participants will view cigar packs which include imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., images of leaves)
Participants will view cigar packs without imagery that may communicate themes of "naturalness" (e.g., leaves)
Participants will view cigar packs featuring an image of smooth-cut cigars on them.
Participants will view cigar packs featuring an image of rough-cut cigars on them.
Participants will view cigar packs which do not show any images of cigars on them.
Product Perceptions: Naturalness
Assessment of perceived "naturalness" of the viewed cigar product. Responses to 3 parallel questions (each asking about a different perception related to "naturalness") will be averaged together in a composite item. The question states: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would...: 1) Be pure? 2) Be additive-free? 3) Be organic?". Responses to each will be on a 5-point scale (from 1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal), and responses will be averaged across the three items. Higher scores indicate perceiving the viewed cigar product as more synonymous with "natural."
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Risk Perceptions: Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
Assessment of perceived risk of being exposed to harmful chemicals if they use the viewed product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would expose users to harmful chemicals?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed product would expose users to harmful chemicals to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
General Perceived Harmfulness
Assessment of the general perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think this product would be harmful to health?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be harmful to health, to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Relative Harm Perceptions
Assessment of perceived harmfulness of the viewed cigar products relative to cigarettes: "How harmful to health do you think these products are compared to cigarettes?" (1=a lot less harmful, 2=somewhat less harmful, 3=about as harmful, 4=somewhat more harmful, 5=a lot more harmful). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products are more harmful than cigarettes.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Attractiveness
Assessment of perceived attractiveness of the viewed cigar products: "How attractive, if at all, are these packs to you?" (1=not at all attractive, 2=not very attractive, 3=somewhat attractive, 4=very attractive, 5=extremely attractive). Higher scores mean perceiving the viewed cigar products as attractive to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Satisfying
Assessment of perceived satisfaction from using the viewed cigar product: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be satisfying?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be satisfying to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Product Perceptions: Harshness
Assessment of the perceived extent to which the viewed cigar product will be harsh tasting: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be harsh tasting?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar product would be harsh tasting to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (during study stimuli exposure)
Future Use Interest
Assessment of interest in using the viewed cigar products in the near future: "Thinking about the products you just saw, how interested, if at all, are you in using any of them in the next 6 months?" (1=not at all interested, 2=not very interested, 3=somewhat interested, 4=very interested, 5=extremely interested). Higher scores indicate a greater level of interest in using the viewed cigar products.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Susceptibility
Three item measures that will be assessed together to assess future susceptibility to using the viewed cigar products: 1) "Thinking about the products you just saw, do you think that you will try any of them soon?"; 2) "Thinking about the products you just saw, do you think that you will use any of them in the next year?"; 3) "If one of your best friends were to offer you any of the products you saw, would you try them?" Each item will be assessed on a 4-point scale (1=definitely not, 2=probably not, 3=probably yes, 4=definitely yes). If indicated anything other than "definitely not" to all three items, participants will be considered "susceptible" to future use of the viewed cigar products.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product perceptions: Taste
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Assessment of perceived taste of the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would taste good?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would taste good, to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Youth Appeal
Assessment of perceived extent to which the viewed cigar products would appeal to young people: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would appeal to young people?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would appeal to young people to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Expensive
Assessment of perceived extent to which the viewed cigar products would be expensive: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be expensive?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would be expensive, to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: High Quality
Assessment of perceived quality of the tobacco in the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would contain higher quality tobacco" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would contain tobacco that is of higher quality.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Product Perceptions: Addictiveness
Assessment of perceived addictiveness of the viewed cigar products: "To what extent, if at all, do you think these products would be addictive?" (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=quite a bit, 5=a great deal). Higher scores mean thinking the viewed cigar products would be addictive to a greater extent.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)
Recall
Assessment of recall of six various elements that may or may not be on the viewed cigar products: "Please indicate if the pack images you saw earlier included the following: 1) a health warning label, 2) the word "natural," 3) the word "leaf," 4) a picture of the cigar stick, 5) leaf images or designs, 6) the word "premium." (1=yes, 2=no, 3=not sure). Recall of each element will be assessed separately. Responses of "yes" indicate recall of the element, while "no" and "not sure" indicate no recall.
Time frame: Day 1 (immediately after viewing study stimuli)