According to the Medical Daily, a recent study in JAMA Pediatrics has revealed cartoon advertisements promote the use of e-cigarettes. Assistant professor, Jon Patrick-Allem, PhD, led a study at the University of California’s Keck School of Medicine comparing site traffic of e-cigarette cartoon ads versus those without. Allem states “posts with cartoons received higher levels of user engagement than similar posts without cartoons.” The data was gathered through several social media outlets, mostly relying on Instagram due to the high popularity of the app amongst teens and its ability to share visuals. The study found that cartoon advertisements received almost twice as many likes compared to those without, with researchers theorizing that when young individuals see the cartoons on ads, it is something that is visually appealing to them and gets them engaged in the display. Many individuals believe that the strategy of incorporating cartoons in their ads is not a new method for nicotine products; the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company promoted cigarette smoking with a cartoon animal, Joe Camel, from 1988-1997. By using friendly cartoon characters in advertisements, the appeal of the brand is increased because it seems innocent and less dangerous. Katie Foss, PhD, said the purpose of companies using cartoon ads is to draw the attention of the adolescents so when the individual starts using, they use the company brand. E-cigarette researchers have concluded that telling people to stop smoking will not be as effective as incorporating federal laws that ban the use of cartoons in brand advertisements. To spread awareness of the dangers of e-cigarettes, Foss believes that educational initiatives can be made through the promotion of health messages in school and social media.
Recent Study Believes Cartoon Ads Promote the Use of Electronic Cigarettes
