Tobacco and cannabis use advertisements targeting adolescents and young adults on Snapchat in 2019

Anuja Majmundar; Maya Chu; Cindy Perez; Yannie Hoang; Jared Yuan; Jennifer B. Unger; Jon-Patrick Allem

Preventive Medicine Reports (Apr 2022)

Tobacco and cannabis use advertisements targeting adolescents and young adults on Snapchat in 2019

Anuja Majmundar,
Maya Chu,
Cindy Perez,
Yannie Hoang,
Jared Yuan,
Jennifer B. Unger,
Jon-Patrick Allem

Affiliations

Anuja Majmundar: Surveillance and Health Equity Science, American Cancer Society, Inc., United States; Corresponding author at: American Cancer Society, Inc., 3380 Chastain Meadows Pkwy NW Suite 200, Kennesaw, GA 30144, United States.
Maya Chu: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States
Cindy Perez: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States
Yannie Hoang: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States
Jared Yuan: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States
Jennifer B. Unger: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States
Jon-Patrick Allem: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, United States

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26
p. 101758

Abstract

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Social media platforms offer opportunities for targeted health communication ads to improve tobacco and cannabis prevention efforts. This study described tobacco and cannabis-related ads targeted towards adolescents and young adults on Snapchat. Data comprised of publicly available tobacco (n = 70) and cannabis-related (n = 64) ads from Snapchat in 2019. Identified themes included: Health consequences (Health effects of tobacco or cannabis use), Financial & legal consequences (Adverse financial or legal implications of substance use), Quitting (Resources for cessation), Industry tactics (Tobacco industry misleads individuals), Policy advocacy (Cannabis law reforms or legalization). Ad performance metrics included average Ad Impressions (number of views per ad) and Ad Spend (cost per ad). Ads were also categorized by Sponsoring Organizations (Government or Advocacy organizations). Health Consequences was the predominant theme followed by Quitting among tobacco-related ads. Government organizations sponsored most tobacco-related ads. Tobacco-related ads targeting adolescents received mean = 4,122,071 impressions and cost mean = $10,385.6 per ad. Tobacco-related ads targeting young adults received mean = 2,151,217 impressions and cost mean = $5,382.1 per ad. Health Consequences was a predominant theme among cannabis-related ads followed by Policy Advocacy. Advocacy organizations sponsored most cannabis-related ads targeting young adults. Cannabis-related ads targeting adolescents received mean = 415,293.8 impressions and cost mean=$793.92 per ad. Cannabis-related ads targeting young adults received mean = 293,267.7 impressions, and cost mean = $740.58. Government and advocacy organization sponsored ads reached millions of adolescents and young adults on Snapchat. Prevention campaigns may consider these number of impressions and cost per ad by theme when designing platform specific ads in the future.

Published in Preventive Medicine Reports

ISSN: 2211-3355 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/preventive-medicine-reports/

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