Promotions on Newport and Marlboro Cigarette Packages: A National Study.
BACKGROUND
While cigarette pack designs are part of integrated marketing efforts, it is unclear the degree to which packs are used to advertise promotions and whether the tobacco retailers' neighborhood characteristics influence the likelihood and type of pack-based promotion in the United States.


METHODS
Between June and October 2012, data collectors purchased packs of either Marlboro Red (n = 1090) or Newport Green (n = 1057) cigarettes at 2147 stores that were part of a national sample of tobacco retailers in the contiguous US. Coders rated packs for the presence of an exterior and interior pack promotion, placement of exterior promotion (eg, front, back), presentation of exterior promotion (eg, onsert, tear strip), and nature of the promotion (eg, contest/give/away). Using Census tract data, we examined the association of pack promotions with tobacco retailers' neighborhood demographic characteristics.


RESULTS
Marlboro packs were approximately twice as likely to have promotions as Newport packs (31.7% vs. 14.7%). Fewer Marlboro packs (14.6%) and no Newport packs had interior promotions. The majority of exterior promotions were for contests (>80% for both brands), while almost all interior Marlboro promotions (97.5%) were for a discounted price. There were few differences in presence or type of promotion by tobacco retailers' neighborhood characteristics.


CONCLUSIONS
Exterior packs promotions, in particular, were fairly common and may contribute to the allure of tobacco products.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of promotions on the interior and exterior of cigarette packs are a mechanism that the tobacco industry uses to sell its products and should be continually assessed for their influence on consumer behavior.
Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.|Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC.
Joseph G L
JGL
Lee
Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Amanda
A
Richardson
Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Shelley D
SD
Golden
Department of Health Behavior, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC.
Kurt M
KM
Ribisl
D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003710:Demography; D006801:Humans; D011356:Product Labeling; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012907:Smoking / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States