title: Youth-Targeted E-cigarette Marketing in the US.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this project was to explore the extent to which e-cigarette advertisements use youth-appealing content.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of e-cigarette video ads (N = 154) were coded by 3 independent coders using the content appealing to youth (CAY) index, which measures over 40 youth-appealing features. To calculate a total CAY score for each ad, scores were normalized and summed such that a higher score represented the presence of more youth-appealing elements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All ads included some youth-appealing content, with frequent use of emotional appeals, including happiness (68%), friendship (41%), sex (24%), and success (24%). Over half featured animation. However, product appeals, known to be disliked by youth, were also prevalent. Eighty-seven percent used a direct appeal to e-cigarettes' value over tobacco cigarettes; 66% mentioned product composition; and 40% mentioned health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the unregulated context in the US, e-cigarette marketing currently contains many features that may be particularly appealing to youth.
authors.affiliation: Annenberg School for Communication, Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Alisa A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Padon
authors.affiliation: Annenberg School for Communication, Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Maloney
authors.affiliation: Annenberg School for Communication, Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Joseph N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cappella
keywords: Content Appealing to Youth (CAY) Index; advertising; e-cigarettes; youth