Investigating the Effects of Excise Taxes, Public Usage Restrictions, and Antismoking Ads Across Cigarette Brands
研究了消费税、公共场所吸烟限制和反吸烟广告对不同强度卷烟品牌的影响，发现消费税会促使市场向强势品牌转移，而禁烟限制则相反，反吸烟广告效果微弱。
The prevalence of strong brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Budweiser, and Marlboro in “vice” categories has important implications for regulators and consumers. While researchers in multiple disciplines have studied the effectiveness of antitobacco countermarketing strategies, little attention has been given to how brand strength may moderate the efficacy of tactics such as excise taxes, usage restrictions, and educational advertising campaigns. In this research, the authors use a multiple discrete-continuous model to study the impact of antismoking techniques on smokers’ choices of brands and quantities. The results suggest that although cigarette excise taxes decrease smoking rates, these taxes also result in a shift in market share toward stronger brands. Market leaders may be less affected by tax policies because their market power allows strong brands such as Marlboro to absorb rather than pass through increased taxes. In contrast, smoke-free restrictions cause a shift away from stronger brands. In terms of antismoking advertising, the authors find minimal effects on brand choice and consumption. The findings highlight the importance of considering brand asymmetries when designing a policy portfolio on cigarette tax hikes, smoke-free restrictions, and antismoking advertising campaigns.