IQOS marketing strategies in the USA before and after US FDA modified risk tobacco product authorisation

Authors

Carla J. Berg, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA carlaberg@gwu.edu.
Katelyn F. Romm, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Yael Bar-Zeev, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, Israel.
Lorien C. Abroms, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Katharina Klinkhammer, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Christina N. Wysota, Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Amal Khayat, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, Israel.
David A. Broniatowski, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Hagai Levine, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem, Israel.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

7-1-2023

Journal

Tobacco control

Volume

32

Issue

4

DOI

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2021-056819

Keywords

advertising and promotion; non-cigarette tobacco products; packaging and labelling; public policy; tobacco industry

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Given that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorised reduced exposure messaging to be used in IQOS marketing, we examined: (1) IQOS ad content; (2) advertising media channels and (3) changes in advertising efforts over time. METHODS: We conducted a mixed-methods study regarding IQOS ad content (headlines, themes, images), ad occurrence characteristics (including content, media channels and adspend) in the USA from August 2019 to April 2021 using Numerator advertising/marketing data. RESULTS: Across 24 unique ads and 591 occurrences (84.6% online, 8.0% print, 7.4% mobile), there was $4 902 110 total adspend (98.9% allocated to print). Across unique ads, occurrences and adspend, prominent themes included 'real tobacco' (45.8%, 47.4%, 30.1%, respectively), less odour/ash (29.2%, 21.0%, 29.9%) and switching from cigarettes (25.0%, 19.5%, 69.4%), and images mainly featured the product alone (58.2%, 61.4%, 99.5%) or with women (25.0%, 19.1%, 0.3%). Per occurrences and adspend, the most prominent media channel themes (eg, magazine/website topics) were technology (19.3%, 10.6%), women's fashion (18.1%, 26.2%), weather/news (9.0%, 15.3%) and entertainment/pop culture/gaming (8.5%, 23.1%). Ad themes appearing only post-FDA authorisation included switching from traditional cigarettes, same-day/home-delivery, convenience (eg, use indoors), reduced exposure to some dangerous substances, science/research and distinction from e-cigarettes. Overall adspend per occurrence increased postauthorisation (p=0.016); the highest adspend per unique ad (69.3% of total) focused on ads featuring reduced exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Regulatory efforts must be informed by ongoing surveillance of IQOS marketing efforts and its impacts, particularly how specific consumer subgroups (eg, tobacco non-users, women, young people) are impacted by marketing exposure.

APA Citation

Berg, Carla J.; Romm, Katelyn F.; Bar-Zeev, Yael; Abroms, Lorien C.; Klinkhammer, Katharina; Wysota, Christina N.; Khayat, Amal; Broniatowski, David A.; and Levine, Hagai, "IQOS marketing strategies in the USA before and after US FDA modified risk tobacco product authorisation" (2023). GW Authored Works. Paper 3181.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/3181

Department

Prevention and Community Health