1. Introduction
With the continuous development of the global tobacco industry, the trend of branding and advertising of tobacco products has become increasingly evident. In this context, tobacco advertising has penetrated public life through various channels and invisibly influenced people's consumption behavior. Especially in China, as the world's largest tobacco consumer, smoking has become a common social habit, and the negative impact of tobacco consumption has become increasingly apparent, posing a huge challenge to public health [1]. To cope with this problem, the government and relevant agencies have begun to take measures to curb tobacco consumption, especially among young people and low-income groups, through various forms of intervention. Therefore, the strategy of reverse intervention has become crucial, and graphic health warnings have become one of the key tools. Graphic health warnings refer to using visual images to convey information about the health hazards of smoking to the public [2]. This tool is considered to be an effective way in social marketing, aiming to increase smokers' awareness of health risks through intuitive and strong visual impact. Compared with traditional text warnings, graphic health warnings can not only increase the public's intuitive perception of the harm of tobacco, but also deepen the warning effect by triggering emotional reactions. Therefore, the rise of graphic health warnings as a "social marketing tool" has become an important part of tobacco control strategies worldwide.
The implementation of graphic health warnings offers a novel approach to enhancing China’s tobacco control strategy. However, current practices still face several challenges, including limited creativity in image design, delayed updates of warning graphics, and reliance on singular communication channels. These issues significantly weaken their impact. This paper examines the effectiveness of China’s graphic health warnings from a marketing communication perspective, drawing on theoretical frameworks and existing research. Based on this analysis, it proposes targeted optimization strategies aimed at improving the role of graphic warnings in tobacco control. By enhancing visual design, diversifying communication channels, and incorporating emotional appeal, graphic health warnings can become more persuasive and impactful, ultimately contributing to reduced tobacco consumption and improved public health outcomes.
2. Theoretical framework
2.1. Social marketing theory
Social marketing theory originates from traditional marketing theory and aims to promote socially beneficial behaviors and solve social problems through marketing means, especially in the fields of public health and environmental protection [3]. The core idea of social marketing is to regard "healthy behavior" as a "product" and to effectively "package" and "promote" it through marketing means to change individual behavior patterns and maximize the overall interests of society [4]. Under the guidance of this theory, social marketing no longer focuses only on the physical characteristics of products and consumer purchasing behavior, but focuses more on the dissemination of social benefits and problem solving. In health communication, "Product" refers to health behaviors or information designed to engage the public's interest and inspire action through effective presentation. "Price" is not related to monetary costs but rather the psychological costs or lifestyle changes individuals may face when adopting healthier behaviors. "Place" pertains to the channels used to disseminate health information, such as public spaces, media outlets, and social platforms. "Promotion" involves encouraging the target audience to adopt healthy behaviors through strategic approaches, such as graphic health warnings and policy support.
Graphic health warnings can be considered a promotional means in social marketing theory. By displaying images of the harms of tobacco, it not only conveys information about the health risks of smoking to the public but also strengthens people's motivation to change their behavior through "visual impact", prompting people to be alert to the unhealthy behavior of smoking, thereby achieving the goal of reducing smoking rates and protecting public health. Social marketing theory provides effective theoretical support for graphic health warnings. Through the application of the four P model, the dissemination path and effect of graphic health warnings can be optimized to achieve the best social benefits.
2.2. Emotional marketing communication theory
Emotional Marketing Communication Theory emphasizes the influence of emotions on consumer decisions, and believes that human decisions are not only driven by rational factors, but more by emotional and perceptual factors [5]. Under this theoretical framework, emotions are no longer regarded as auxiliary factors in marketing, but as core driving forces. Emotional marketing communication can enhance the appeal and persuasiveness of information by triggering emotional responses from the target group, thereby influencing the behavior of the audience. Emotional marketing can not only enhance the attractiveness of advertisements, but also deepen consumers' emotional identification with brands. In the marketing communication of graphic health warnings, emotional marketing plays a vital role. By using strong images, colors and visual elements, graphic health warnings can stimulate the audience's emotional response, especially fear and sympathy [5].
Emotional Marketing Communication Theory also emphasizes the emotional paths of self-orientation and other-orientation [5]. In the application of graphic health warnings, self-oriented emotional responses mainly stimulate emotions by presenting the direct threat of smoking to individual health, such as images of lung cancer; while other-orientation triggers empathy by showing the harm of smoking to family members or others, such as the scene of children passively inhaling secondhand smoke due to smoking. The combination of the two can cover a wider group and effectively enhance the communication effect of graphic health warnings. However, emotional marketing also faces the problem of information overload and visual fatigue. When graphic warnings are too frequent and lack novelty, the audience may become "visually numb", thus reducing its effectiveness. Therefore, how to avoid excessive interference and visual fatigue while eliciting strong emotional reactions is an important issue that emotional marketing communication needs to solve.
3. Analysis of the limitations in marketing communication of graphic health warnings on Chinese cigarette packs
3.1. Insufficient "branding" of cigarette pack warning images in China
China's graphic health warnings on cigarette packages are currently facing the problem of insufficient branding, which to some extent limits their marketing and communication effects. The existing graphic warning designs lack sufficient creativity and diversity, and the image update cycle is long, which often leads to a gradual weakening of the warning effect [6]. Many health warning images on cigarette packages are presented in a simplified form, lacking a strong visual impact and difficult to attract sufficient attention from the public. The small area of the graphics makes the warning information visually not prominent enough and difficult to make a deep impression. Moreover, the content of the graphic warnings is often overly simplistic, with similar images and messages being used for extended periods without timely updates or stylistic innovations. This lack of freshness has led to a decline in public attention, resulting in a "numbing" effect towards the warning messages. Another problem is that graphic health warnings have failed to fully tap the potential of cigarette packages as a brand communication medium. As an important carrier for tobacco brand communication, the graphic design of cigarette packages should have certain "branding" characteristics, that is, the unity, recognition and innovation of the graphic style. However, the current cigarette package warning images are often limited to static and highly functional health warning patterns, lacking a design language that can resonate with the public's emotions.
3.2. Limitations of marketing communication effectiveness of graphic health warnings on cigarette packaging
The marketing communication effect of graphic health warnings on cigarette packages in China is constrained by multiple factors, mainly reflected in unclear target groups, individual self-defense psychology and single communication channels. At present, China's cigarette package health warnings lack precise positioning of specific target groups. Different groups have different acceptance and response methods to health warnings, especially for different groups such as men, teenagers, and low-educated people, differentiated communication strategies need to be formulated. However, most of the existing graphic health warnings adopt a unified design and fail to make targeted adjustments according to the characteristics of different groups. For example, teenagers may be more concerned about the impact of smoking on their image, while adults may be more concerned about the threat to health. Therefore, the design of warning images should consider how to touch the specific emotions of these groups.
Individual self-defense psychology is also an important factor affecting the communication effect of health warnings. For long-term smokers, although graphic health warnings can provide negative information, due to their habitual smoking behavior patterns, they often have a "resistance" or "ignorance" mentality to the warning information, and even produce a self-defense mechanism to refuse to accept the health hazard information conveyed by graphic health warnings. This phenomenon has greatly reduced the warning effect and affected the overall effect of tobacco control. The singleness of communication channels is also an important factor that limits the effectiveness of marketing communication. At present, the communication channels of graphic health warnings are mainly concentrated on cigarette boxes and public places, with limited communication scope and audience groups. With the rise of the Internet and social media, traditional communication methods can no longer meet the needs of today's information dissemination. Social media and online platforms provide a wider range of communication channels, but these channels have not been fully utilized, and there is a lack of effective integration of emerging platforms, which has prevented graphic health warnings from forming a wide influence among young groups.
3.3. Analysis of international successful experience
Many countries in the world have accumulated rich experience in the design and dissemination of graphic health warnings on cigarette boxes, which can provide useful reference for China. Take Australia as an example. Since 2012, the country has implemented a unified packaging policy. All cigarette boxes must use standardized packaging design and must print health warning images with high visual impact. These images include direct threats to health from smoking, such as lung cancer and heart disease [7]. The combination of images and text information is very shocking and can attract public attention in a short time. Australia regularly changes warning images to avoid visual fatigue, so that graphic health warnings continue to maintain a strong communication effect. Thailand's approach has made important attempts in cultural adaptability. Thailand's health warning images select patterns and plots with cultural resonance [7]. These images are not only in line with the local cultural background, but also can stimulate the public's emotional response. For example, some warning images in Thailand have successfully aroused parents' attention to their children's health by showing scenes of children getting sick due to secondhand smoke, thereby prompting them to change their smoking habits. Such cultural adaptability makes graphic health warnings more friendly and persuasive.
Thailand also adopted an emotional storytelling approach, combining graphic warnings with real stories, such as lung slice images and patient interviews. These elements not only increase the realism of the graphics, but also deepen their emotional appeal. This emotional strategy successfully improved the communication effect of health warning images, enabling them to effectively influence the public's behavioral choices. International successful experience shows that the design of graphic health warnings not only needs to have a strong visual impact, but also needs to consider cultural adaptability and the combination of emotional elements. By drawing on these experiences, China can optimize the existing graphic health warning design and enhance its communication effect among the public.
4. Suggestions on optimizing the marketing strategy of graphic health warnings in China
The branding of graphic health warnings is not only about innovation in visual design, but also requires overall planning in combination with the four P model of social marketing theory. For example, different warning images can be designed for different consumer groups, and the recognition and communication effect of warning images can be improved through diversified communication channels.
4.1. Emotionally accurate design of cigarette box image content
The communication effect of graphic health warnings depends largely on the emotional design of image content. Different graphic warnings should be designed for different target groups according to their psychological characteristics, lifestyles and health awareness levels. For example, adolescents are usually more concerned about image and social pressure, so the negative impact of smoking on personal appearance and social image can be emphasized in image design. Emotionally accurate design can also improve the effect of graphic health warnings by adopting "emotional anchors". Emotional anchors refer to elements that can trigger strong emotional responses visually and psychologically, such as sharp color contrast, realistic disease images, crying children, etc. These elements can arouse the public's empathy and enhance the communication power of warning images. Many Australian cigarette brands have adopted this strategy. For example, showing serious health problems caused by smoking, such as lung cancer and heart disease, can effectively arouse fear and worry, and motivate the audience to change their behavior.
4.2. Image update mechanism and diversification of communication platforms
To prevent visual fatigue and desensitization to graphic health warnings, it is essential to implement an effective and timely image update mechanism. Prolonged use of the same warning images can lead to decreased public sensitivity and a weakened deterrent effect. Regularly refreshing these images helps maintain their visual appeal and enhances their communicative impact. Updated designs should incorporate current trends, social issues, and culturally relevant elements to resonate with the public’s emotional responses and cognitive expectations. For instance, as the popularity of new tobacco products like e-cigarettes grows, warning images could include information on their associated health risks to reflect evolving tobacco control priorities. Moreover, rotating warning visuals at appropriate intervals helps sustain audience engagement and reinforces the effectiveness of the messaging.
In addition to image updates, the diversification of communication platforms can also significantly improve the communication effect of health warnings. At present, the communication of graphic health warnings is mainly concentrated on cigarette boxes and public places. Although these traditional channels still have a certain influence on the smoker group, their communication range and contact frequency are limited, and it is difficult to cover a wide audience. In order to expand the communication effect of graphic health warnings, online communication channels should be actively expanded, especially social media platforms. Using short videos, Weibo, WeChat and other social platforms to spread content can attract the attention of young people through emotional and storytelling methods. For example, the dissemination of anti-smoking stories and user-generated content (UGC) on short video platforms can not only enhance the emotional influence of warning images, but also expand the social influence of warnings through the dissemination effect of social networks. By combining graphic health warnings with real stories of smokers quitting smoking through short video storytelling, it can not only enhance the authenticity and perceptibility of warning information, but also further expand its influence through public word-of-mouth communication.
5. Conclusion
This study explores the optimization strategy of the communication effect of graphic health warnings in China, analyzes the role and limitations of graphic health warnings in tobacco control communication, and puts forward corresponding improvement suggestions. The research findings indicate that although graphic health warnings play an important role in raising public awareness of the harms of smoking, their current communication impact in China remains limited due to issues such as lack of visual creativity, unclear audience targeting, and restricted dissemination channels. Drawing on international experiences, such as Australia's standardized packaging policy and Thailand's emotionally resonant design strategies, this study argues that the integration of culturally adaptive content, emotional storytelling, and diversified communication platforms can significantly enhance the persuasiveness and reach of such warnings.
However, this research has several limitations. It is based mainly on secondary data and theoretical analysis, lacking empirical support from large-scale surveys or interviews with target populations. Future research should consider conducting empirical studies, such as audience response analysis or experimental design testing different warning styles across demographic groups. Furthermore, interdisciplinary collaboration may help develop more adaptive, impactful, and sustainable tobacco control strategies in the Chinese context.