Smokers' Attention to Point-of-Sale Antismoking Ads: An Eye-tracking Study.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We used eye-tracking to examine smokers' visual attention in one of 4 antismoking ad contexts (alone, next to cigarette ad, tobacco display, or cooler). Participants viewed 4 ad types (graphic, intended emotive, and benefits of quitting-graphic ads, and benefits of quitting-informational ads), each with 3 areas of interest (AOI) (anti-ad image, anti-ad text, and other text). METHODS: Current smokers (N = 153) viewed ads for 10 seconds each. Multivariable random effect linear regressions with post-test comparisons (with sidak-adjusted p-values) were used to test for differences in fixations and dwell time by ad context and type while adjusting for covariates. Visual attention was adjusted by percentage of anti-ad area taken up by each AOI. RESULTS: Adjusting for covariates, there were no differences by ad context (p > .05). Fixations and dwell time were greatest for the image of the benefits of quitting-graphic ad, the text of the graphic ad, and the other text of the intended emotive ad (all ps < .005). Conclusions: Visual attention to antismoking ads did not vary by ad context but varied significantly by ad type.