Effects of 'Pinkwashed' Alcohol Ads in an Online RCT

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Cancer; Breast Cancer
• Interventions: Behavioral: Control - Standard Advertisements; Behavioral: Pinkwashed Advertisements

• Registration Number: NCT05700019
• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Brief Summary

The primary objective of this study is to examine how exposure to "pinkwashed" alcohol advertisements (i.e., ads that associate the company with breast cancer awareness or charities) affects consumers' perceptions that alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. The investigators will randomize participants to view 3 'pinkwashed' social media advertisements for alcohol or 3 control advertisements for alcohol (i.e., 'de-pinked' standard alcohol advertisements that match the intervention advertisements on overall design but do not mention breast cancer). Each participant will view the 3 advertisements for their arm (presented in random order) and respond to survey questions programmed in Qualtrics.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2023-01
• Study Start: 2023-01-11
• Study First Submitted: 2023-01-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-01-17
• Primary Completion: 2023-01-19
• Study Completion: 2023-01-19
• Study First Posted: 2023-01-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-11-09
• Last Update Posted: 2023-11-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 602

Inclusion Criteria

• 18 years old or older

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Exclusion Criteria

• Less than 18 years old

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control - Standard Advertisements	Control - Standard Advertisements	In the control condition, participants will view 3 advertisements for alcohol (shown in random order) that do not mention breast cancer awareness or charities. Advertisements will be real social media posts used by alcohol companies, modified only to remove dates, likes/comments, and references to specific geographic locations.
Pinkwashed Advertisements	Pinkwashed Advertisements	In the pinkwashed condition, participants will view 3 advertisements for alcohol (shown in random order) that associate the alcohol company with breast cancer awareness or research (e.g., indicate that a portion of sales will be directed to a breast cancer-related foundation). Advertisements will be real social media posts used by alcohol companies, modified only to remove dates, likes/comments, and references to specific geographic locations.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Breast cancer risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes... Breast cancer." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mouth and throat cancer risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes... Mouth and throat cancer." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.
Stomach cancer risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes... Stomach cancer." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.
Liver cancer risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes... Liver cancer." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.
Favorable attitudes toward brand	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with one item adapted from Nan \& Heo (2017). The question will read: "How do you feel about the company that makes this product?" and will be measured with a 5-point likert-type response scale ranging from "Dislike it a lot" (1) to "Like it a lot" (5). Higher scores indicate more favorable attitudes.
Perceived product healthfulness	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with one item adapted from Bollard et al (2016). The question will read: "How healthy or unhealthy do you think it is to drink this product?" and will be measured with a 5-point likert-type response scale ranging from "Very unhealthy" (1) to "Very healthy"(5). Higher scores indicate greater healthfulness perceptions.
Purchase intentions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with one item adapted from Hall et al (2020). The question will display all three advertisements that the participant was exposed to (either pinkwashed or control). It will then query: "How likely would you be to buy any of these products in the next 4 weeks, if they were available?" and will be measured with a 5-point likert-type response scale ranging from "Not at all likely" (1) to "Extremely likely" (5). Higher scores indicate greater purchase intentions.
Support for breast cancer warnings	During ~20 minute online survey	Measure of participant support of including breast cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverage products. Assessed with 1 item adapted from Hall et al. 2018
Perceived social responsibility of brand	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with one item adapted from Nan \& Heo (2017). The question will read: "How socially responsible do you think the company that makes this product is?" and will be measured with a 5-point likert-type response scale ranging from "Very socially irresponsible" (1) to "Very socially responsible" (5). Higher scores indicate perceptions of social responsibility.
Perceived misleadingness of ads	During ~20 minute online survey	Measure of how misleading a participant perceives the advertisement. Assessed with 1 item adapted from Hall et al. 2020
Liver disease risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes... Liver disease." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.
Hypertension risk perceptions	During ~20 minute online survey	This outcome will be measured with an adapted item from the HINTS (2020) survey. The question is worded " In your opinion, how much does drinking \[wine/beer/liquor\] affect the risk of developing each of the following outcomes...Hypertension." Response options are on a five point likert-type scale ranging from "Decreases risk a lot" (=1) to "Increases risk a lot " (=5). Participants will be asked to respond to this item three times, once for each type of alcoholic beverage presented (wine, beer, liquor). Scores from the three items will then be averaged for analyses. Higher scores indicate higher risk perceptions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

UNC - Chapel Hill; 🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States