Attention and Recall of Point-of-sale Tobacco Marketing: A Mobile Eye-Tracking Pilot Study

• Main Authors: Maansi Bansal-Travers, Sarah E. Adkison, Richard J. O’Connor, James F. Thrasher
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AIMS Press 2016-01-01
• Series: AIMS Public Health
• Subjects: mobile-eye tracking; tobacco advertising; smoking; point-of sale
• Online Access: http://www.aimspress.com/aimsph/article/596/fulltext.html

<strong>&nbsp;Introduction: </strong>As tobacco advertising restrictions have increased, the retail ‘power wall’ behind the counter is increasingly invaluable for marketing tobacco products. <strong>Objective: </strong>The primary objectives of this pilot study were 3-fold: (1) evaluate the attention paid/fixations on the area behind the cash register where tobacco advertising is concentrated and tobacco products are displayed in a real-world setting, (2) evaluate the duration (dwell-time) of these fixations, and (3) evaluate the recall of advertising displayed on the tobacco power wall. <strong>Methods: </strong>Data from 13 Smokers (S) and 12 Susceptible or non-daily Smokers (SS) aged 180–30 from a mobile eye-tracking study. Mobile-eye tracking technology records the orientation (fixation) and duration (dwell-time) of visual attention. Participants were randomized to one of three purchase tasks at a convenience store: Candy bar Only (CO; N = 10), Candy bar + Specified cigarette Brand (CSB; N = 6), and Candy bar + cigarette Brand of their Choice (CBC; N = 9). A post-session survey evaluated recall of tobacco marketing. Key outcomes were fixations and dwell-time on the cigarette displays at the point-of-sale. <strong>Results: </strong>Participants spent a median time of 44 seconds during the standardized time evaluated and nearly three-quarters (72%) fixated on the power wall during their purchase, regardless of smoking status (S: 77%, SS: 67%) or purchase task (CO: 44%, CSB: 71%, CBC: 100%). In the post session survey, nearly all participants (96%) indicated they noticed a cigarette brand and 64% were able to describe a specific part of the tobacco wall or recall a promotional offer. <strong>Conclusions: </strong>Consumers are exposed to point-of-sale tobacco marketing, regardless of smoking status. FDA should consider regulations that limit exposure to point-of-sale tobacco marketing among consumers.