The Real Cost Campaign

 

FDA’s award-winning public education campaign, “The Real Cost,” recognizes its 10th anniversary and continues to prevent youth from starting using tobacco products. The e-cigarette and cigarette prevention campaigns focus on educating youth about the negative health effects and risks of vaping and smoking.

• FDA’s Grand Rounds: The Real Cost Campaign: A Decade of Preventing Youth Tobacco.

“The Real Cost” campaign was developed based on extensive research and uses a mix of cost-effective marketing and advertising tactics across teen-relevant communication channels to reach youth audiences.

View Infographic: How “The Real Cost” Campaign Educates Youth About the Harms of Using E-Cigarettes

Since 2018, FDA has prioritized its public education efforts to further reduce e-cigarette use among youth. To determine the e-cigarette prevention campaign impact researchers measure teens:

• Awareness of campaign ads
• Beliefs about the harms of using e-cigarettes
• Beliefs about the negative consequences of vaping nicotine

To learn more, view the infographic How “The Real Cost” Campaign Educates Youth About the Harms of Using E-Cigarettes.

Watch Webinar

In the webinar below, presenters provided information about the impact of the campaign on youth tobacco use and the importance of public education to CTP’s comprehensive tobacco regulation efforts. Presenters also shared information about best practices in youth media targeting, creative development, and the extensive research and scientific support that informs CTP’s campaign messaging.

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Current Campaigns

The Real Cost
E-Cigarette Prevention Campaign

The Real Cost
Cigarette Prevention Campaign

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Past Campaigns and Resources

The Real Cost
Smokeless Tobacco Campaign

FDA Tobacco Education
Resource Library

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“The Real Cost” Campaign Publications

• Evaluating The Real Cost Digital and Social Media Campaign: Longitudinal Effects of Campaign Exposure on E-cigarette Beliefs (2024)
• Adolescent Risk Perceptions of ENDS Use: Room for Change in Tobacco Education (2022)
• Effects of a National Campaign on Youth Beliefs and Perceptions About Electronic Cigarettes and Smoking (2022)
• The Impact of Social Media Use and Gaming on Initiation of Smokeless Tobacco Use Among Rural Male Youth (2022)
• “The Real Cost” Smokeless Campaign: Changes in Beliefs About Smokeless Tobacco Among Rural Boys, a Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Field Trial (2021)
• Perceived Message Effectiveness and Campaign-Targeted Beliefs: Evidence of Reciprocal Effects in Youth Tobacco Prevention (2020)
• Impact of The Real Cost Media Campaign on Youth Smoking Initiation (2019)
• The Case and Context for “The Real Cost” Campaign (2019)
• Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of The Real Cost Campaign’s Effect on Smoking Prevention (2018)
• Association Between The Real Cost Media Campaign and Smoking Initiation Among Youths — United States, 2014–2016 (2017)