This study uses a nationally televised, professionally produced set of 48 anti-drug PSAs and a large national sample of adolescents (6978) to examine the individual and message characteristics that impact ad evaluations. Demographic, background, perceived friends' use, discussions about marijuana and about the ads impact evaluations, as well as a youth's attitudes, beliefs and experience with drugs. Higher sensation seeking was related to lower ad evaluations, however, high and low sensation seekers evaluations were not differently affected by ad characteristics. Greater exposure measured by aided recall, perceived pervasiveness and GRPS resulted in better received messages, however findings varied by marijuana use The message characteristics labeled implicit negative moment, surprise ending, negative format, focus on marijuana and sound saturation were all positive indicators of ad evaluations. A factor analysis identified one underlying component for this set of message characteristics, consequently labeled "high impact."
