Young Adults’ Attention to Reduced Exposure Claims in IQOS Advertising and Associations With Product Perceptions and Use Intentions.

Introduction:
This article presents the findings of a study examining young adults' attention to reduced exposure claims in IQOS advertisements and its associations with product perceptions and use intentions. The study aimed to explore visual engagement patterns with IQOS' reduced exposure claims and how they differ based on smoking status. Additionally, the study compared harm perceptions, attitudes, and intentions to use IQOS by smoking status and determined if attention to reduced exposure claims was associated with IQOS perceptions, attitudes, or intentions.

Key Points:

* The study used a cross-sectional design, recruiting young adults aged 21-29 and exposing them to an IQOS advertisement containing two reduced exposure claims.
* Eye-tracking was used to measure attention to different areas of interest (AOIs) in the advertisement, including the nicotine warning, large and detailed reduced exposure claims, IQOS image, Surgeon General's warning, and company logo/website.
* The study found that the large reduced exposure claim attracted young adults' attention more quickly, while the detailed claim held attention longer than all other advertisement features.
* Young adults who smoked spent more cumulative time looking at the large claim and less time looking at the detailed claim.
* Among those who smoked, greater dwell time on the detailed reduced exposure claim was associated with more beliefs about reduced harm, lower perceived risk of addiction, and greater intentions to try IQOS.

Main Message:
The study suggests that detailed information on reduced exposure in IQOS advertising may convey reduced risk information and potentially promote uptake of IQOS among young adults who smoke and attend to this content. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that reduced exposure claims are presented clearly and accurately to prevent misunderstandings and potential harm. The study highlights the importance of regulating tobacco advertising and the need for further research to understand the impact of such claims on consumer behavior.

Melissa Mercincavage, Olivia A Wackowski, Julia Chen-Sankey, James F Thrasher, Janet Audrain-McGovern, Andrew A Strasser, Young Adults’ Attention to Reduced Exposure Claims in IQOS Advertising and Associations With Product Perceptions and Use Intentions., Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 27, Issue 2, February 2025, Pages 351–359, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae195