The Inhibitory Effect of Korean Antismoking Advertisement on Smoking Urge

Objectives This study compares the emotional reaction and inhibitory effect on smoking urge between foreign antismoking advertisements and Korean antismoking advertisements. Methods Twenty-seven male smokers responded to a self-report survey including a Questionnaire on Smoking Urge and on emotional reactions such as disgust, anger and fear after watching a foreign antismoking advertisement, neutral images, and a Korean antismoking advertisement. We compared the smoking urge between the foreign antismoking advertisement and Korean antismoking advertisement and investigated emotional reactions associated with reduction in the smoking urge. Results The foreign antismoking advertisement inhibited the smoking urge but Korean antismoking advertisement did not. A significantly higher emotional response was evoked by the antismoking advertisements than in neutral images. However, among the emotions respondents reported about the foreign antismoking advertisement, only disgust was significantly associated with smoking urge. Conclusion These results support published research, in that warning labels with high-rated emotional reactions are associated with reduction in the smoking urge. High emotional reactions such as disgust may enhance the effect of Korean antismoking advertisements.