Using Market Segmentation to Understand Young Adults’ Responses to
Minnesota’s Freedom to Breathe Act
Carla Berg, PhD, Principal Investigator
Jasjit S. Ahluwalia, MD, MPH, MS, Primary Mentory
Public health research has identified a range of intra-individual and socialenvironmental factors related to young adult smoking. In these studies, lifestyle
characteristics such as orientation toward peers and alcohol use are consistent
predictors of cigarette use. Compared to most public health research, the
tobacco industry has focused more extensively on these lifestyle (or
psychographic) factors (e.g. attitudes, goals, values, preferred activities) in their
market segmentation efforts. Ling, Glantz, and others (2002a; 2002b; 2005;
2007a; 2007b) have argued that conceptualizing young adult smokers in this way
may provide valuable insights into smoking behavior and reactions to tobacco
control policies, such as Minnesota’s soon-to-be-implemented statewide smoking
ban. The proposed work will use these marketing approaches to extend our
traditional public health understanding of young adult smoking. Including an
examination of students attending a 2-year institution is important because of
higher rates of smoking in this less traditional educational setting. Since the large
majority of these 2-year students work while attending classes, this project may
also provide insights in how to engage with the direct-to-work segment of the
young adult population.
The overall goal of this project is to examine how different young adult
market segments respond to Minnesota’s Freedom to Breathe Act using both
survey analysis (Phase 1) and qualitative focus group methodology (Phase 2).
Our specific aims are to:
1. Evaluate rates of compliance with the smoking ban and recent adoption of
smoking restrictions in private spaces (e.g., home) in different market
segments of smokers.
Hypothesis 1: Market segments characterized by rebelliousness and risk
taking will report lower compliance with the ban and less adoption of private
restrictions compared to segments characterized by adherence to traditional
values or fashion consciousness.
2. Evaluate the influence of the smoking ban on attitudes toward smoking, quit
attempts, and smoking cessation in different market segments of young adult
smokers.
Hypothesis 2: Market segments characterized by rebelliousness and risk
taking will report fewer quit attempts and less recent cessation compared to
segments characterized by adherence to traditional values or fashion
consciousness.
3. Identify potential strategies to promote smoke-free lifestyles to different
market segments.
Hypothesis 3: Compared to other segments, rebellious or risk taking
segments will report greater resistance to traditional media channels but will
also report some receptivity to peer-to-peer (i.e. word-of-mouth) marketing
approaches.
The theory of triadic influence (TTI; Flay & Petraitis, 1994; Petraitis, Flay,
& Miller, 1995) identifies three main streams of influences on behavior: (1) the
cultural-environmental context of knowledge and values, which influences
attitudes, (2) the social context, which involves social bonding and learning and
influences social normative beliefs, and (3) the intrapersonal stream, which
includes self-determination, social skills, and self-efficacy. Using the TTI as a
framework for the proposed study, changes in the environment (e.g.
implementation of smoke-free policies) affects society’s basic values and beliefs
regarding smoking. According to this model, high level changes in the social
environment are modified or “filtered” by an individual’s specific social context.
The proposed market research approach focused on psychographic variables will
enhance our understanding of this social context and allow us to examine
whether and how different segments of young adults (e.g. Macho Hedonists,
New Age Men, Traditionalists, Uptown Girls, etc.) respond to broader
environmental changes. This information can then be used to refine
communication or engagement strategies (e.g. targeted media, tailored
messaging, community organizing, etc.) for these populations.
In Phase 1, we will administer an online survey to 10,000 students at 2and 4-year universities (St. Cloud Technical College and St. Cloud State
University, respectively). This number of participants was selected based upon
our sample size calculation estimating the number of participants needed from
each gender, market segment, and college to achieve saturation during our
Phase 2 qualitative evaluation. Based upon the previous experience of Boynton
Health Services (a collaborator) using Surveymonkey.com, an on-line survey
resource, soliciting survey completion from 10,000 students will yield
approximately 4,000 completed surveys. In this application, we propose to utilize
the same survey administration and data collection vendor. Our survey will
assess psychographic variables (e.g., goals, values, activities) aimed at
identifying the different market segments present at the schools (Ling, Neilands,
& Glantz, 2007), as well as attitudes about smoking and smoking restrictions
among college students. Cluster analysis will be used to identify the market
segments among college student smokers at the 2- and 4-year institutions. We
will then examine how these market segments and schools differ in terms of
compliance with the smoking ban, recent adoption of smoking restrictions in
private spaces, and smoking and quitting behavior.
In Phase 2, we will conduct focus groups with the primary market
segments identified in our Phase I survey. Each focus group will consist of
students from a single market segment, gender, and university. The principal
investigator (PI) will moderate the focus groups, assessing the attitudes and
smoking behaviors of these market segments, their experiences with the recent
public restrictions, and what strategies might promote cessation, compliance to
the ban, and adoption of private restrictions. The goal of Phase 2 will be
identifying promising communications and community engagement strategies to
reach different segments of young adults.
The main goal of this project is to understand the market segments of
students at 2- and 4-year colleges in relation to their smoking and attitudes about
smoking and public smoking restrictions. Ultimately, this project will provide a
foundation that will enable the PI to inform effective policy recommendations and
interventions to encourage smoking cessation among young adults.