Hastings G B, Ryan H, Teer P, MacKintosh A M
Centre for Social Marketing, University of Stratchclyde, Glasgow.
BMJ. 1994 Oct 8;309(6959):933-7. doi: 10.1136/bmj.309.6959.933.
To examine the appeal of the Embassy Regal "Reg" campaign to young people.
Three quantitative surveys and one piece of qualitative research: (a) self completion questionnaire administered in classrooms, (b) questionnaire led interviews with children, (c) questionnaire led interviews with adults, and (d) group discussions with children and adults.
(a) Secondary and middle schools in England; (b) north of England, Scotland, and Wales; (c) north of England, Scotland, and Wales; and (d) Glasgow.
(a) 5451 schoolchildren aged 11-15 recruited by stratified random sampling; (b) 437 children aged 5-10 recruited by quota sampling; (c) 814 adults aged 15-65 recruited by quota sampling; and (d) 12 groups of children aged 10-15, three groups of adults aged 18-24, and three groups of adults aged 35-55.
Children were familiar with cigarette advertising and in particular the Reg campaign. Although younger children struggled to understand the creative content of the adverts, older and smoking children could understand and appreciate the humour. They considered Reg to be amusing and could relate to the type of joke used in the advert. In addition Reg's flippant attitude towards serious issues appealed to the children. While adults aged 18-24 understood the campaign they did not identify with it, and 35-55 year olds (the campaign's supposed target) were unappreciative of the campaign.
The Reg campaign was getting through to children more effectively than it was to adults and held most appeal for teenagers, particularly 14-15 year old smokers. It clearly contravened the code governing tobacco advertising, which states that advertising must not appeal to children more than it does to adults, and it may have had a direct impact on teenage smoking. In view of these findings the Advertising Standards Authority's decision to withdraw the Reg campaign seems appropriate.
研究帝王牌香烟“Reg”系列广告对年轻人的吸引力。
三项定量调查和一项定性研究：(a) 在教室进行的自填式问卷调查；(b) 针对儿童的问卷引导式访谈；(c) 针对成年人的问卷引导式访谈；(d) 与儿童及成年人进行的小组讨论。
(a) 英格兰的中学；(b) 英格兰北部、苏格兰和威尔士；(c) 英格兰北部、苏格兰和威尔士；(d) 格拉斯哥。
(a) 通过分层随机抽样招募的5451名11至15岁的学童；(b) 通过配额抽样招募的437名5至10岁的儿童；(c) 通过配额抽样招募的814名15至65岁的成年人；(d) 12组10至15岁的儿童、3组18至24岁的成年人以及3组35至55岁的成年人。
儿童对香烟广告尤其是“Reg”系列广告很熟悉。尽管年幼的儿童难以理解广告的创意内容，但年龄稍大且吸烟的儿童能够理解并欣赏其中的幽默。他们认为Reg很有趣，并且能理解广告中所使用的笑话类型。此外，Reg对严肃问题的轻率态度吸引了儿童。18至24岁的成年人理解该系列广告，但并不认同；而35至55岁的成年人（该系列广告假定的目标受众）对其并不欣赏。
“Reg”系列广告对儿童的影响比对成年人更有效，对青少年，尤其是14至15岁的吸烟者最具吸引力。它显然违反了烟草广告管理规定，该规定指出广告对儿童的吸引力不得超过对成年人的吸引力，并且它可能对青少年吸烟有直接影响。鉴于这些研究结果，广告标准管理局撤销“Reg”系列广告的决定似乎是恰当的。
