Naturally leading: a content analysis of terms, themes and word associations in Natural American Spirit advertising, 2000–2020

Abstract

BackgroundNatural American Spirit (NAS) is a cigarette brand distinguished by supposed ‘natural’, ‘additive-free’ characteristics, marketing of which is tied to misperceptions of reduced harm. In 2017, NAS’s manufacturer agreed (with the Food and Drug Administration) to remove ‘natural’/‘additive-free’ from US marketing. Prior research has explored NAS marketing immediately post-agreement. This study sought to identify prominent post-agreement terms and themes and analyse how they had been used in pre-agreement ads.MethodsWe conducted a content analysis of NAS ads from 2000 to 2020 (N=176), documenting prominent pre-agreement and post-agreement terms/themes and examining how they are used in NAS ads. We coded for descriptors, themes, imagery and promotions, and extended prior research by analysing how leading post-agreement terms were used in conjunction and thematically associated with ‘additive-free’ and ‘natural’ before the agreement.ResultsResults indicated ‘tobacco and water’ and ‘Real. Simple. Different.’ increased post-agreement, as did environmental imagery. ‘Organic’ was prominent pre-agreement and post-agreement. The descriptors used most often in post-agreement ads almost always appeared in conjunction with (and were thematically linked to) ‘natural’ and ‘additive-free’ in pre-agreement ads.ConclusionsIn the years since the agreement, NAS ads have heavily relied on still-allowable descriptors that may invite reduced risk misperceptions. Notably, these descriptors were consistently used alongside the banned terminology before the agreement and presented as if affiliated conceptually, possibly prompting similar connotations. Findings indicate a continuing need for research into NAS advertising effects and a potential role for additional regulatory action.

Characteristics of Cheyenne little filtered cigar Instagram ads, 2019–2020

“…A coding guide was developed inductively based on preliminary iterative review of posts by the study team, as well as our previous experience in coding features of tobacco advertising (see table 1, and online supplemental appendix for coding guide and online supplemental figure 1). 13–15 Initial coding was completed by one primary coder. Approximately 20% of posts were double-coded by an additional coder to assess inter-rater reliability (n=65), with high agreement (average kappa=0.95).…”

L&M’s foray into marketing ‘natural’ cigarettes

“…First, its emphasis on ‘simple’ composition harkens to other brands’ ‘natural’ claims, which are linked to misperceptions about reduced health risks and product intentions and use 5–10. Most notably, Natural American Spirit (NAS), historically marketed as natural/‘additive-free’ and with associated visual imagery,11–13 is often misperceived by its smokers as less harmful 14. While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken some steps to regulate the term natural in cigarette marketing, its use is subject to little regulatory constraint as a whole (eg, a 2017 agreement with NAS’s manufacturer barred natural/additive-free terms from NAS marketing but permitted the company to retain natural in its brand name) 15.…”