Communication Effectiveness and Format Effects on In-Ad Disclosure of Health Warnings

This article presents the results of an experimental portfolio test of alternative formats for an in-ad health warning/disclosure for smokeless tobacco. The study manipulated two format components (the size of type used for the health warning and the warning's background color) and found that neither significantly increased disclosure communication. The data also indicated that the disclosure (which used a health warning federally specified for smokeless tobacco products) failed to communicate the health warning to nearly half of all subjects in spite of forced exposure conditions that were particularly favorable to communication. The implications of these findings on the effectiveness of in-ad health warnings are discussed.