Problem/Objective: To understand the relative effectiveness of television advertisements that differ in their styles (e.g., graphic images, strong emotional content) and thematic focus (e.g., health consequences of tobacco, dangers of secondhand smoke (SHS)) in promoting calls to a statewide Quitline.

Methods: Regression analysis is used with quarterly total media market-level calls to the New York Smokers' Quitline from 2000 through 2005 as the outcome of interest. The primary independent variable is quarterly television target audience rating points (TARPs) for ten television media markets in New York State. Advertisements were characterized by their overall objective—promoting cessation or highlighting the health consequences of smoking; highlighting the dangers of secondhand smoke; supporting the clean indoor air act; or other advertisements (e.g., industry manipulation, other advertisements). Advertisements are then subjectively grouped into “high” or “low” emotional content.

Results: Call volume is positively correlated with total exposure to antismoking commercials (P<0.001) and cessation and SHS advertisements appear equally effective in promoting calls to the Quitline. Cessation advertisements with both high (P<0.000) and low (P<0.02) emotional content are both effective in promoting the Quitline, however, the high emotion advertisements have nearly twice the effect. In contrast, only the high impact SHS advertisements focusing on the health consequences of SHS were effective.

Conclusions: Exposure to television advertisements is strongly associated with call volume. Advertisements that focus on SHS and cessation can both be effective in promoting calls to a Quitline. However, the emotional content of advertisements can affect the effectiveness of exposure to television advertisements.