Qualitative Research to Design Advertising to Encourage Quitting Among Adult Cigarette Smokers (General Populations) CTP

OMB# 0910-0796

Exp. 07/31/2021

DISCUSSION GUIDE

TITLE OF INFORMATION COLLECTION: Qualitative Research to Design Advertising to Encourage Quitting Among Adult Cigarette Smokers (General Population)

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION [5 MINUTES]

Hi! My name is ________ and I will be your moderator in this session. Thanks for being here with me today.

For the next 95 minutes we will be having a discussion to get your thoughts about a series of ads about a couple of topics that I think you’ll find interesting. Before we begin, I want to go over a few ground rules for our discussion tonight:

• Your participation is voluntary and you have the right to not answer any question or withdraw from the study at any time.

• If at any time you are uncomfortable with my questions, you can choose not to answer. Just let me know that you prefer not to answer.

• Everything we discuss today will be kept private to the extent allowable by law. Your name and contact information, which only the study staff knows, will not be given to anyone else, and no one will contact you after this discussion is over.

• Tonight’s discussion will be audio-recorded. The recordings will help me write the final report and will be kept in a secure location and then destroyed at the end of the study. No names will be mentioned in the final report created from these discussion groups.

• Behind me is a one-way mirror. Behind that are some of my colleagues. We are also video streaming our group for those who couldn’t be here in person. They’re watching to make sure that I ask you all of the questions I have for you today.

• Most importantly, there are no right or wrong answers. I want to know your opinions, so don’t hold back on giving me your honest opinions. I work independently from the client – that means I have no stake in your opinions. It won’t hurt my feelings and I won’t get fired based on what you say today. I just want to hear what you honestly think.

• Please turn off your cell phones.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

Okay, now for a round of introductions. I’d like to have you say your first name, and your favorite TV show. Let’s start on my left.

SECTION 2: SMOKING AND QUITTING EXPERIENCES AND ASSOCIATIONS [25 MINUTES]

I want to start off today by hearing a little bit about your experiences with smoking and quitting.

ADDICTION AND SMOKING

Let’s talk about your experience with smoking.

1. Why did you start smoking?

2. Why do you continue to smoke?

3. What’s your perception of addiction? How addicted are you?

4. What are the habits, rituals, or time frames most associated with smoking for you?

5. What is it like to be a smoker/someone who smokes nowadays? Does it set you apart from other people? Are there any stigmas you face?

QUIT METHODS

Let’s talk about your experience with quitting.

1. What have you tried? Products? Programs?

2. Have you tried electronic cigarettes or vaping?

3. How many times have you tried to quit?

4. When was your last serious quit attempt? Why did you do it? How was it?

5. How long was it between the one before it? What drove that attempt?

6. What kind of experience was it? What find of feelings/emotions did you have before, during, and after?

7. What didn’t you have then that would have been helpful?

8. What would you tell another smoker thinking about quitting – what it takes, challenges they’ll face, tips, tools, etc.?

QUIT JOURNEY

Let’s talk about your journey with quitting.

1. When was your first quit attempt? Why?

2. What are your motivations to quit now? Barriers?

3. What have your current quit attempts been like? How have you planned for them?

4. Have you had help with quitting? From someone you know or cessation program?

5. Do you feel like you’re making progress? Stuck/in a rut?

6. Are there key moments/times/days that are especially hard when you’re in a quit attempt or trying to?

7. Self-efficacy/perception - how confident are you in your ability to fully quit?

8. What caused you to start smoking again the last time you tried to quit?

9. Is there a recurring reason/moment/occasion that causes you to start smoking again? What did it feel like? Were you disappointed in yourself, or did you assume it was inevitable?

10. Do you think about those relapse moments when you’re trying to quit again? Are they discouraging? Motivating?

11. What does success look like to you when it comes to quitting? I.e. is it about less cigarettes, minimal cigarettes, no cigarettes?

LANDSCAPE

Now I want to hear about

1. Perceptions on the tobacco landscape (and impact on quit perceptions) including e-cigarettes, vapes, IQOS, potentially LNCs, etc.

2. Do you think that more options are helpful, or confusing? Does it make it harder to try to quit?

3. Any interest in trying these for quitting?

4. Do you think they’re made for people like you?

5. Vaping – When it comes to vaping, do you think it can help people quit/reduce, even if you don’t use it? (Probe especially with 18-24 dual-users)

HEALTH INFORMATION

Let’s talk about where you seek health information from.

1. Where do you get/consume health information?

2. Who do you trust the most?

3. How often do you look for health information? What is your motivation?

SECTION 3: REACTIONS TO STRATEGIC/CREATIVE CONCEPTS

[30 MINUTES]

[Moderator will obtain participants’ reactions to up to 9 campaign concepts per 95-minute group. Concepts and order shown will be randomized from group to group.]

Now, we have got a few ads and concepts that I’d like to show you. Some of them are finished but others are not fully finished – with illustrations to show key images of the ad with the audio voiceover for each scene they are meant to represent what would eventually be filmed with real people. These videos are simply to communicate the idea behind each ad, and they are still in development; try not to get too caught up in the small details.

What we’re looking for here is how you feel about the idea within these ads. Keep in mind that these are just in draft form, so we can always change the way it looks or the people who are in it. Try not to get caught up in the small details.

Once we’ve seen it, I want you to write down what you think the main idea is, and what are the words that come to mind when you see this ad.
[REMIND PARTICIPANTS NOT TO WRITE NAMES ON WORKSHEET].

Initial Reactions:

• What are your initial reactions and thoughts on this?

• How did it make you feel?

• What do you think about that line “Every Try Counts”?

• How do you feel about it?

• Do you think it’s inspiring? Motivating? Helpful?

• Do you think it’s unique and different to what other quit programs/campaigns talk about? Why or why not?

• Is it a concept/idea that you feel would stick with you later on, when you’re thinking about smoking or trying to not smoke?

• Do you believe that each quit attempt is a step towards progress, even if you fail during quit attempts? Why or why not?

Main Message:

• What is the main message this is trying to convey? Why do you say that?

• How do you feel about the main message/concept?

• Is this something that speaks to you? Is this for a different kind of smoker/quit attempter?

Execution Specific:

• What are your thoughts and feelings about this message?

• What is the meaning of “EVERY TRY COUNTS”?

• What about the imagery —what are your thoughts about that?

• What, if anything, do you like about this?

• What, if anything, do you dislike?

• What, if anything, might be confusing?

• Is this something that speaks to you? Is this for a different kind of smoker/quit attempter?

• Do you find this helpful or motivating?

Grab Attention/Memorable:

• Does this grab your attention? Why or why not?

• Do you think this would stick with you? Why or why not?

• Are there any specific words or phrases that speak to you in particular?

• What else would you want or expect from a campaign like this?

Relatable:

• Whom do you think this is meant for? Why?

• Do you feel like the person in this visual is relatable?

• Do you feel it is directed to someone like you? Why/ why not?

• How relatable is this to you? [IF NOT, probe extensively]

• What did you dislike about this ad?

• Is this relatable/resonant? Is this for anyone who smokes, people just starting to try and quit, people who have tried to quit at least X times, younger people, older people, etc.?

Intentions:

• What steps would you take after seeing something like this (if any)?

• How does this make you feel about taking those steps? Tell me more about that. How easy or difficult are these steps? Would you say very difficult, very easy, or neither difficult nor easy? Why?

Additional Probes (if not covered in the first part of discussion)

• Have they ever used a website to help support a quit attempt before? What was their experience like?

• Would a website for support be helpful? Why or why not? What tools and information would they want to see on a website?

• Have they ever used a mobile text program to help support a quit attempt?

• Have they ever used a mobile app to help support a quit attempt?

• Would something like that be helpful? Why or why not?

• Would you put an app on their phone to help guide them through the quitting process?

• What types of text messages would be the most helpful?

• When would it be helpful to receive those text messages?

• Experiences with NRTs?

• Experiences with apps (not just text programs)?

• Experiences with quit lines/800 numbers, or online live help?

SECTION 4: POTENTIAL MOMENTS, OPPORTUNITIES AND MESSAGE OPTIMIZATION [ 30 MINUTES]

[Moderator will obtain participants’ reactions to different messaging areas]

Now, we have got some messages I’d like to show you. What we’re looking for here is how you think these messages fit into overarching themes.

Messages

• Inspirational headlines/messaging (e.g. “Each time you fail, you succeed”)

• Facts and statistics (e.g. “In only one day without a cigarette, your blood pressure and heart will start to get back to normal”)

• Quotes from real former smokers (“It took me 32 tries and they were all worth it”)

• Resources and programs (e.g. “NRTs are just a few clicks away” or “sign up now to stay on track”)

Themes

Inspiration to try again:

• Which of these messages do you think are most inspirational in terms of getting someone to seriously think about making another attempt, because it’s actually practice, and another step towards progress?

• What other types of messaging do you think would be most effective under this theme?

Confidence and belief to start taking a first step (again)

• Which of these messages do you think would be most motivating in terms of taking clear and direct actions to start taking the first step(s) to quitting (practicing) again)?

• What other types of messaging do you think would be most effective under this theme?

Getting help and support to make the next quit even better

• Which of these messages do you think would motivate someone to make stronger or longer quit attempts?

• What other types of messaging do you think would be most effective under this theme?

SECTION 5: CONCLUSION AND CHECK-OUT [5 MINUTES]

I am going to go and check with my colleagues in the back to see if they have any other questions after listening to our discussion today.

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to talk! Your feedback and opinions have been really helpful.

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