Warning Size Affects What Adolescents Recall from Tobacco Advertisements

OBJECTIVES: In the U.S., print advertisements for smokeless tobacco (SLT) feature a large black-and-white text warning covering 20% of the advertisement space. Cigarette and e-cigarette advertisements feature a small warning covering approximately 4% of advertisement space. We explored how warning size affects adolescent boys’ spontaneous recollection of the warning, brand-relevant advertisement features, and product risks. METHODS: 1,220 adolescent males (ages 11–16) viewed SLT, cigarette, and e-cigarette advertisements. After each advertisement, boys were asked to recall what they remembered most. Coders identified recalls of the warning label, brand-relevant advertisement features, and risks associated with the product in responses. RESULTS: Participants were less likely to recall warnings in the cigarette vs. SLT (OR=0.30, p3.50, p’s