Institute for Social Marketing and UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland.
Usher Institute for Population Health Sciences and Informatics, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2020 May 26;22(6):984-989. doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntz075.
The use of audio pack cues or messages is a recent trend in packaging design. There is scope to use audio technology to communicate health and cessation messages via cigarette packaging. We explored how smokers responded to cigarette packs which played audio health messages.
Twenty focus groups were conducted in Scotland in 2015 with smokers (n = 120) segmented by age (16-17, 18-24, 25-35, 36-50, >50), gender and social grade. Perceptions of cigarette packs which played audio warnings were explored, with four messages used: (1) a cessation message with a quitline number, (2) mortality message, (3) fertility message, and (4) message about ageing skin.
Audio warnings were thought to increase message impact, particularly among younger smokers, as they would be hard to ignore or avoid, and repetition may lead to the messages being memorized. The warnings were considered annoying or embarrassing, and participants suggested they may discard the packs and use alternative storage. Some participants suggested that the audio warnings were off-putting and may alter their smoking behavior, with the mortality message deemed most effective and was considered relatable and felt personal. Older smokers were least likely to believe that audio warnings would affect their smoking behavior, although some thought that they may enhance cessation attempts among smokers seeking to quit, and could deter new or potential smokers, for example, young people.
Cigarette packs with audio messaging may have a role to play, now or in the future, as a novel way of communicating health and cessation information.
There is a lack of research exploring smokers' perceptions of cigarette packs which play audio health messages. This focus group study provides an understanding of smokers' immediate responses to cigarette packs which played a short health message when opened. Smokers generally viewed them as annoying or embarrassing, and some suggested the use of alternative storage. Audio warnings were thought to increase message salience, memorability, and impact, for younger smokers in particular, and some suggested that they be off-putting for themselves or others.
音频包装提示或信息的使用是包装设计的一个新趋势。利用音频技术通过香烟包装传达健康和戒烟信息是有空间的。我们探讨了吸烟者对播放音频健康信息的香烟包装的反应。
2015 年，在苏格兰进行了 20 次焦点小组讨论，参与者为吸烟者（n=120），按年龄（16-17 岁、18-24 岁、25-35 岁、36-50 岁、>50 岁）、性别和社会阶层进行分组。探讨了播放音频警告的香烟包装的看法，使用了四条信息：（1）带有戒烟热线号码的戒烟信息，（2）死亡率信息，（3）生育能力信息，以及（4）关于皮肤老化的信息。
音频警告被认为增加了信息的影响力，特别是对年轻吸烟者而言，因为它们很难被忽视或避免，而且重复可能会导致信息被记住。这些警告被认为是烦人和尴尬的，参与者建议他们可能会丢弃包装并使用其他储存方式。一些参与者认为音频警告令人反感，可能会改变他们的吸烟行为，其中死亡率信息被认为最有效，并且被认为是相关的和个人化的。年龄较大的吸烟者最不可能认为音频警告会影响他们的吸烟行为，尽管一些人认为它们可能会增强寻求戒烟的吸烟者的戒烟尝试，并可能阻止新吸烟者或潜在吸烟者，例如年轻人。
带有音频信息的香烟包装可能会在现在或将来发挥作用，成为传达健康和戒烟信息的一种新方式。
目前缺乏研究探讨吸烟者对播放音频健康信息的香烟包装的看法。这项焦点小组研究提供了对吸烟者在打开包装时对播放简短健康信息的香烟包装的即时反应的理解。吸烟者普遍认为它们令人讨厌或尴尬，有些人建议使用其他储存方式。音频警告被认为会增加信息的显著性、可记性和影响力，尤其是对年轻吸烟者而言，有些人认为它们可能会让自己或他人感到不舒服。
