Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Hillel R. Alpert, ScM, Public Health Practice, Tobacco Control Research and Training, Harvard School of Public Health, Landmark Building; 3rd Floor East, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, 617-998-1086, halpert@hsph.harvard.edu

Objectives: The Master Settlement Agreement prohibits tobacco companies from directly or indirectly targeting youth with tobacco products advertisements. We examine post-MSA exposure of youth to magazine advertisements for tobacco products.

Methods: Tobacco advertisement placement and expenditures data for 208 magazine titles in 1998-2004 were merged with industry standard survey-based estimates of publication audiences. A Youth Index (YI) was computed for all tobacco product types and brands assessing exposure of youth, ages 12-17 years, to magazine advertisements relative to all persons aged 12 years and over. YI greater than 100 reflects exposure of youth disproportionately more than the general population.

Results: YI for all tobacco products averaged 108 during the period 1998-2004. In 2004, YI was 103, 95, and 105 for the major manufactures continuing magazine advertising. YI for the three brands most popular among youth, Marlboro, Camel, and Newport, was greater than 100 almost every year. YI was 103 and 106 for candy-flavored products in 2003 and 2004. YI was over 100 for all smokeless tobacco products advertised in 1998 – 2002, and 75 and 71 in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Each of the major cigarette manufacturers advertised tobacco products in magazines having greater than 15% youth readership through 2001. Two major manufacturers spent $2.3 and $3.9 million in 2004 for such advertisements.

Conclusions: Youth continue to be exposed to magazine advertisements for tobacco products disproportionate to the general population. Youth exposure is relatively high for advertisements of brands most popular with youth, candy-flavored cigarettes, and smokeless products.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least three tobacco product types being advertised to teen readers disproportionate to their population.
• Discuss two to three measures that reflect youth targeting in magazine advertising for tobacco products.
• Assess trends in targeting of advertising of tobacco products to youth and other high-risk groups.

Keywords: Tobacco Control, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation