Freedom From Chew: Using Social Branding to Reduce Chewing Tobacco Use Among Country Peer Crowd Teens

Background. Peer crowds are macro-level, reputation-based subcultures with shared preferences, values, and behavior. The Country peer crowd has been the focus of tobacco industry research and marketing but has yet to be the primary focus of public health research. The current study explores the utility of Down and Dirty, a Social Branding tobacco education campaign, in changing Virginia Country teens’ chewing tobacco-related attitudes and behavior. The relationship between chew use and Country peer crowd identification was also explored. Method. To evaluate the campaign, a cross-sectional survey was administered online for 3 years from 2014 to 2016. Responses were collected via social media advertisements targeting 13- to 18-year-old Country youth from Virginia (total n = 1,264). Participants reported peer crowd identification, chew-related attitudes and behavior, and campaign engagement and appeal. Results. Compared with Wave 1, Waves 2 and 3 Country teens who engaged with Down and Dirty had greater odds of holding strong attitudes against chew. Among campaign-engaged Country teens, odds of chew use were lower at Waves 2 and 3, and lower odds were associated with liking the campaign. Related to chew prevalence, Country teens demonstrated greater odds of past 30-day chew use compared to non-Country teens, and higher Country identification was associated with greater odds of chew use. Discussion. Down and Dirty is a promising intervention associated with positive attitudinal and behavioral outcomes for high-risk Country teens. Additionally, this study helps document tobacco-related behavioral patterns of the Country peer crowd, a priority for ongoing tobacco education, especially around chew.