IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v14y2017i10p1234-d115288.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“Their Packaging Has Always Been Like a Power”: A Qualitative Study of U.S. Smokers’ Perceptions of Cigarette Pack Visual Design Features to Inform Product Regulation

Author

Listed:
  • Joseph G. L. Lee

    (Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA)

  • Paige E. Averett

    (School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA)

  • Tiffany Blanchflower

    (Department of Interior Design and Fashion Merchandising, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA)

  • Nunzio Landi

    (Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA)

  • Kyle R. Gregory

    (Department of Health Education and Promotion, College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA)

Abstract

Cigarette packaging matters to consumer behavior. However, it is less clear which changes to packaging design would be salient for adult smokers. Such information is critically important to regulators in the United States who are charged with reviewing new tobacco products for their impact on population health. In this qualitative study, U.S. adult smokers ( n = 33) participated in six telephone-based focus groups in March 2017. Separate groups were comprised of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) participants; participants with less than four years of post-secondary education; a mix of LGB and straight participants; and, the general population. All groups were purposely selected for diversity. Open thematic coding identified salient design elements used on cigarette packaging. Smokers articulated design elements’ use, meaning, and links with consumer behaviors. Three themes were identified: (1) the power of color, (2) supporting color with other design elements (e.g., logos/images, typography, the pack itself), and (3) the combined product brand experience of multiple design elements. Participants linked design elements to product characteristics and to consumer behavior (e.g., purchase). As the Food and Drug Administration is charged with regulating tobacco products, these findings suggest the importance of considering the cigarette pack part of the characteristics of a product.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph G. L. Lee & Paige E. Averett & Tiffany Blanchflower & Nunzio Landi & Kyle R. Gregory, 2017. "“Their Packaging Has Always Been Like a Power”: A Qualitative Study of U.S. Smokers’ Perceptions of Cigarette Pack Visual Design Features to Inform Product Regulation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-11, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:10:p:1234-:d:115288
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/10/1234/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/10/1234/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tian, Kelly Tepper & Bearden, William O & Hunter, Gary L, 2001. "Consumer's Need for Uniqueness: Scale Development and Validation," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 28(1), pages 50-66, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pengji Wang & Adrian T. H. Kuah & Qinye Lu & Caroline Wong & K. Thirumaran & Emmanuel Adegbite & Wesley Kendall, 2021. "The impact of value perceptions on purchase intention of sustainable luxury brands in China and the UK," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 28(3), pages 325-346, May.
    2. Huang, Youlin & Qian, Lixian, 2021. "Consumer adoption of electric vehicles in alternative business models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Wang, Le & Luo, Xin (Robert) & Li, Han, 2022. "Envy or conformity? An empirical investigation of peer influence on the purchase of non-functional items in mobile free-to-play games," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 308-324.
    4. Stathopoulou, Anastasia & Balabanis, George, 2019. "The effect of cultural value orientation on consumers' perceptions of luxury value and proclivity for luxury consumption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 298-312.
    5. Yoshida, Masayuki & James, Jeffrey D. & Cronin, J. Joseph, 2013. "Sport event innovativeness: Conceptualization, measurement, and its impact on consumer behavior," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 68-84.
    6. Bian, Qin & Forsythe, Sandra, 2012. "Purchase intention for luxury brands: A cross cultural comparison," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 65(10), pages 1443-1451.
    7. Javier F. de la Ballina & Isabel de la Ballina, 2019. "Scarcity as a Desirable Attribute of Luxury Fashion Brands in Millennial Marketing," Tržište/Market, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, vol. 31(2), pages 153-170.
    8. Hajiheydari, Nastaran & Delgosha, Mohammad Soltani & Olya, Hossein, 2021. "Scepticism and resistance to IoMT in healthcare: Application of behavioural reasoning theory with configurational perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    9. Ostovan, Nima & Khalili Nasr, Arash, 2022. "The manifestation of luxury value dimensions in brand engagement in self-concept," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    10. Rebecca Pera & Giampaolo Viglia, 2017. "Can snacking be healthy? A comparison between coeliacs and health conscious food consumers," MERCATI & COMPETITIVIT?, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(3), pages 79-99.
    11. Saliha Anwar & Tayyaba Rafique, 2022. "Development Of Service Quality Scale In Online Higher Education," Bulletin of Business and Economics (BBE), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 11(1), pages 53-62, March.
    12. Roux, Elyette & Tafani, Eric & Vigneron, Franck, 2017. "Values associated with luxury brand consumption and the role of gender," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 102-113.
    13. Francesco Polese & Luca Carrubbo & Francesco Caputo & Debora Sarno, 2018. "Managing Healthcare Service Ecosystems: Abstracting a Sustainability-Based View from Hospitalization at Home (HaH) Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, October.
    14. Yoo, Jungmin & Park, Minjung, 2016. "The effects of e-mass customization on consumer perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty toward luxury brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 5775-5784.
    15. Raza, Ali & Wasim, Manahil & Ishaq, Muhammad Ishtiaq, 2024. "Virtual reality-based product displays to inspire consumers’ purchase intentions: An experimental study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    16. Teerling, M.L. & Huizingh, Eelko K.R.E., 2006. "Exploring the concept of web site customization: applications and antecedents," Research Report 06F07, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    17. Boukis, Achilleas & Christodoulides, George & Semaan, Rania W. & Stathopoulou, Anastasia, 2024. "What drives consumers towards shared luxury services? A comparison of sequential versus simultaneous sharing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    18. Bastos, Wilson, 2020. "“Speaking of Purchases”: How Conversational Potential Determines Consumers' Willingness to Exert Effort for Experiential Versus Material Purchases," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-16.
    19. M. Joseph Sirgy & Eda Gurel-Atay & Dave Webb & Muris Cicic & Melika Husic-Mehmedovic & Ahmet Ekici & Andreas Herrmann & Ibrahim Hegazy & Dong-Jin Lee & J. Johar, 2013. "Is Materialism All That Bad? Effects on Satisfaction with Material Life, Life Satisfaction, and Economic Motivation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(1), pages 349-366, January.
    20. Dörnyei, Krisztina Rita & Lunardo, Renaud, 2021. "When limited edition packages backfire: The role of emotional value, typicality and need for uniqueness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 233-243.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:10:p:1234-:d:115288. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.