Interrupting the Transportation Experience: Program Placement Effects on Responses to Antismoking Advertising.

Recent research has provided strong support for televised antismoking ads that evoke strong emotional arousal through graphic portrayals or personal stories of the effects of smoking. There has, however, been little research examining contextual factors that influence reactions to antismoking ads, such as the program context in which ads are viewed. Recent advertising research indicates advertising may be negatively influenced if it interrupts a transportation experience. Transportation may be more likely to occur during programs that have strong narrative story lines, such as dramas, soaps and comedies, than during reality, game show and light entertainment programs. We aimed to explore the influence of narrative versus nonnarrative programs on smokers' reactions to 2 new emotive antismoking ads, using a natural exposure methodology. In preexposure interviews, daily smokers (n=779) were asked to watch a particular television program they usually watched. Postexposure interviews examining recall and responses to the ads were conducted within 3 days of exposure. Overall, results indicate placing an emotive antismoking ad within a program in which the viewer is focused on the narrative flow of a story may lead to reduced immediate impact of the ad, especially among those for whom the ad is most relevant, such as those who are preparing to quit smoking. Placing antismoking advertising in reality television, game shows and light entertainment programs may make scarce public health dollars go further, as long as these types of programs are able to reach at least equal numbers of smokers as dramas, soaps, and comedies. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]