The influence of branding on adolescent smoking behaviour: Exploring the mediating role of image and attitudes

Abstract

Enhancing our understanding of the possible impact that tobacco marketing has on adolescent smoking continues to be an important issue for those involved in the marketing and public health domains. Adolescence is recognised as a time of fundamental change. Commercial brands traditionally achieve their ‘youth credibility’ as a result of the carefully crafted, symbiotic practices of awareness generation and image formation. Evidence exists on how tobacco advertisers create branded properties using traditional forms of advertising. Since 2003, such advertising has been comprehensively banned. This study investigates the continuing effects of tobacco marketing communications in a post advertising era. In this article, we examine the process of brand awareness, brand image, attitude formation and intention to smoke by adolescents. Based on 926 respondents from a UK wide study, we build a conceptual model to assess the inter-relationships between these constructs. Our model also examines the potential influences of peers on adolescents’ attitude toward smoking and intention to smoke. Results based on structural equation modelling show strong influence of branding on both attitude and intention. These finding have important implications for government anti-smoking policies particularly in regard to generic packaging and point of sale displays.