How does increasingly plainer cigarette packaging influence adult smokers' perceptions about brand image? An
M A Wakefield1, D Germain, S J Durkin
1Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, The Cancer Council Victoria, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. melanie.wakefield@cancervic.org.au
Tobacco Control
|October 2, 2008
Summary
Plain packaging for cigarettes reduces brand appeal and perceived smoker desirability. Removing branding elements significantly lowers pack attractiveness and inferred smoking experience quality.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Marketing Science
- Tobacco Control
Background:
- Cigarette packaging is a primary tool for tobacco brand promotion.
- Plain packaging aims to reduce this brand image promotion.
- Tobacco companies may oppose the removal of branding elements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of varying degrees of plain packaging on cigarette pack perceptions.
- To assess how reduced branding affects smokers' appraisals of packs and other smokers.
- To understand the inferred smoking experience from differently branded packs.
Main Methods:
- An experimental design with 3 brand types and 4 levels of plain packaging.
- 813 adult Australian smokers participated via an online survey.
- Participants rated a randomly assigned cigarette pack after exposure.
Main Results:
- Increasing plain packaging led to less favourable perceptions of packs, smokers, and the smoking experience.
- Packs with minimal branding were rated as less attractive and popular.
- Smokers of plain packs were perceived as less trendy, sociable, and mature.
- Inferred cigarette quality, satisfaction, and richness decreased with plain packaging.
Conclusions:
- Policies implementing plain cigarette packaging with reduced design elements are effective in diminishing brand image associations.
- Plain packaging significantly impacts consumer perception and brand appeal in the tobacco market.
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