Abstract: This study examined the effects of joining and actively participating in e-cigarette-related social media communities (SMCs), along with e-cigarette-related subjective norms, and social identification with other e-cigarette users, on current e-cigarette users’ attitudes towards quitting, self-efficacy, and intention to quit. Results (N=1016) indicated that greater e-cigarette-related social media use, more positive e-cigarette-related subjective norms and greater identification with other e-cigarette users, resulted in significantly more negative attitudes towards quitting, lower self-efficacy and lower intention to quit. E-cigarette-related social media use also interacted with subjective norms to influence intention to quit, and with identification with other e-cigarette users to influence self-efficacy.
Tag: E-cigarette
Content Analysis of JUUL Electronic Cigarette Posts and Comments on Instagram.
Abstract: With an estimated 10.8 million adult users, particularly amongst 18 to 24-year olds, e-cigarette use is an increasingly serious health issue within the United States. These products are often promoted as smoking cessation devices for use in quitting smoking and nicotine replacement therapy. JUUL, a leading brand of e-cigarettes, is also heavily featured in online social media posts. This content analysis examined posts related to JUUL on the Instagram for their product relevance, how they are promoted, and how they are featured. Descriptive analysis and unsupervised topic modeling were used in preparation for future analysis involving additional relevance coding to analyze for links between content features and topic modeling results. Preliminary results reveal our TM topics and terms for analysis, a lack of promotion of JUULs as smoking cessation/NRT devices by commercial interests, and that half of JUUL-related posts were not JUUL relevant, suggesting its use to promote unrelated posts.
Electronic Cigarette Advertising on Instagram: Influence of Advertising Message Claims and Health Warning Labels on Consumers’ Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions towards Electronic Cigarettes
Abstract: Through a 2×3 between-subjects experiment, this study examined effects of health warning labels (presence or absence) and advertising message claims (“Quit smoking using e-cigarettes,” “Healthier than regular cigarettes” or none) in celebrity-endorsed Instagram e-cigarette brand advertisements. Results indicated health warning labels exerted significant main effects on attitude towards e-cigarettes, intention to use e-cigarettes, and brand attitude, and interacted with message claim type to affect these dependent measures. Health consciousness, perceived information value and social media usage also significantly moderated between health warning labels and attitude towards e-cigarettes, intention to use e-cigarettes and brand attitude. Research and practical implications are discussed.
Celebrity-Endorsed E-cigarette Brand Instagram Advertisements: Effects on Young Adults’ Attitudes towards E-cigarettes and Smoking Intentions
Abstract: Celebrities endorsing e-cigarette brands on social media may exert a strong influence on e-cigarette uptake. Using a between-subject experiment, this study examines the effects of endorser type (celebrities, non-celebrities and products only) in e-cigarette brand Instagram advertisements on e-cigarette attitudes and smoking intentions. Results showed that celebrity endorsers significantly increased positive attitudes towards e-cigarettes and smoking intentions, compared to non-celebrities or products only. Celebrity endorsers also rated significantly higher on trustworthiness, expertise, goodwill and attractiveness, compared to non-celebrities. Additionally, identification, social comparison, health consciousness and social networking site use moderated between endorser type and key dependent measures. Implications for e-cigarette marketing regulation are discussed.