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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06485479

Effective Ads for Quitting Smoking

The main purpose of this trial is to identify effective quit smoking ads for people who smoke menthol cigarettes. Investigators will conduct an online randomized trial with a nationally representative sample of ~1,400 US adults (ages 21+) who smoke menthol cigarettes.

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Key information

Conditions

Smoking Behaviors Behavior Smoking

Age range

21 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27599, United States

About this study

This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of efficacy-based quit smoking ads in a 5 (theme) x 6 (ad) mixed factorial randomized design.

Recruitment: A survey company will recruit ~1,400 participants. Participants will complete a screener to confirm that they are US adults (ages 21+), currently smoke menthol cigarettes, and are able to read and speak English. A portion of the sample will be nationally representative, and a portion will be a convenience sample.

Informed Consent: The consent form will appear on the first page of the survey. Participants will provide their consent to be in the trial by clicking on a button that forwards to the next page of the survey.

Randomization: After consent, the survey software will randomize participants to 1 of 5 themes between-subjects. The design will include 3 intervention ad themes about quitting smoking (self-efficacy ads, response efficacy ads, or motivation ads) and 2 control ad themes about neutral non-smoking related topics (reading or password safety).

Each participant will view 6 ads on their assigned theme, presented in a random order.

Assessment: Participants will complete a ~15 minute online survey one time.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

This national trial is not open to enrollment from the general public. Participation is restricted to individuals who meet the following inclusion and exclusion criteria:

Inclusion criteria

  • Currently smoke menthol cigarettes
  • Be a member of the AmeriSpeak online survey panel or their convenience sample
  • Live in the US
  • Be age 21 years or older
  • Read and speak English

Exclusion criteria

  • Not currently smoke menthol cigarettes
  • Not be a member of the AmeriSpeak online survey panel or their convenience sample
  • Not live in the US
  • Be younger than age 21 years
  • Not be able to read and speak English

Treatment and study plan

Intervention ads

Behavioral

The ads will be on topics to encourage quitting smoking, formatted as multi-color text with graphic elements. Trial investigators developed the ads and optimized them to be readable when delivered in an SMS text message.

Control ads

Behavioral

The ads will be on topics unrelated to quitting smoking, formatted as black text on a white field. Trial investigators developed the ads and optimized them to be readable when delivered in an SMS text message.

Primary outcomes

  1. Perceived Message Effectiveness for Motivation

    Time frame: During exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Perceived effectiveness of the ads at encouraging quitting smoking, measured by 1 survey item for each ad (6 items total). Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher perceived message effectiveness.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived Message Effectiveness for Response Efficacy

    Time frame: During exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Perceived effectiveness of the ads at communicating the benefits of quitting smoking, measured by 1 survey item for each ad (6 items total). Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher perceived message effectiveness.

  2. Perceived Message Effectiveness for Self-efficacy

    Time frame: During exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Perceived effectiveness of the ads at creating confidence that one can quit smoking, measured by 1 survey item for each ad (6 items total). Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher perceived message effectiveness.

  3. Intentions to Quit Smoking

    Time frame: After exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Motivation to quit smoking, measured by 1 survey item. Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher intentions to quit smoking.

  4. Response Efficacy

    Time frame: After exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Belief that quitting smoking improves health, measured by 1 survey item. Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher response efficacy.

  5. Self-efficacy

    Time frame: After exposure to the ads, assessed during one-time online 15-minute survey.

    Confidence that one can quit smoking, measured by 1 survey item. Range 1 to 5, with higher values indicating higher self-efficacy.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Other

Collaborators

  • Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Official study title

Identifying Effective Ads to Encourage Quitting Smoking Among People Who Smoke Menthol Cigarettes

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jul 3, 2024
Registry last updated
Nov 3, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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