Comparative analysis of tobacco industry cigarette marketing expenditures in the United States, 2009–2018

Abstract

AbstractAnti-tobacco campaigns face challenges as tobacco marketing consistently outpaces funding for public health presentation initiatives. In 2017, tobacco companies spent around $1 million every hour to promote cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in the US. That same year, they were also mandated to sponsor and disseminate Federal court ordered Corrective Statements (CSs) advertisements in outlets such as newspapers and major television networks. Thus, it is crucial to monitor the marketing activities of the tobacco industry to bolster effective tobacco control efforts. Cigarettes marketing expenditures were obtained from the Federal Trade Commission Cigarettes reports and adjusted for inflation using the Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator. Temporal trends during 2009–2018 period were assessed using Joinpoint regression at (p < 0.05). The costs of publishing the CSs in print were estimated based on the cost of a full-page advertisement with similar specifications. Between 2009 and 2018, the total adjusted cigarette marketing expenditures exhibited no significant changes (AAPC = −1.5). Spending on print advertisements decreased from 0.43% in 2009 to 0.1% in 2018. Magazine cigarette marketing expenditures underwent a relative percentage decline of 80% (AAPC = −13.5;p < 0.05). In 2018, the tobacco industry allocated approximately $8.5 million for print advertisements to promote cigarettes. We estimated that it cost $5.5 million to disseminate the CSs in print the same year, constituting 0.06% of the overall expenditure on cigarette marketing and promotion. Several traditional cigarettes advertising categories have seen reduced funding over the past decade. Nevertheless, the total marketing expenditure remained unaffected. In response to marketing regulations, tobacco companies shifted their funds to less regulated channels. In 2018, a significant portion of promotional expenditures were directed toward various price discounts, which could potentially expose vulnerable children and youths to cigarette marketing. Lastly, the impact of CSs was weakened by delayed implementation and shift in consumer attention from traditional media to other digital channels.