Background:
Despite restrictions on where and how cigarette companies can market their products, cigarettes remain a heavily advertised consumer product in America. Examining the brand preferences of smokers may provide clues to understanding how shifting consumer preferences and industry marketing strategies are influencing smoking related behaviors. This study presents estimates of cigarettes brand preferences of adolescents and adults in the United States.

Methods:
Data for 10,509 adult (>18 years old) and 283 adolescent (12-17 years old) current cigarette smokers were available from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) wave 1 (2013-2014) survey. Only respondents who reported smoking in the past 30 days and purchasing their own cigarettes were included in this analysis.

Results:
Overall, adult respondents reported 64 different cigarette brands and 330 sub-brands while youth respondents reported a total of 14 brands and 50 sub-brands. The three most popular brands purchased by adolescents were Marlboro (48.5%), Newport (14.5%), and Camel (12.6%), accounting for over 75% of the total market share in that age group. Among adults, the 3 top brands Marlboro (40%), Newport (15%) and Camel (11%) accounted for 66% of the market share. There was more diversity in the brand purchasing with increasing age, though Marlboro was the top selling brand in all age groups. Many of the top selling brands had different brand styles. Among adult smokers of Marlboro, over 40 different brand styles were reported; 20 styles were reported for Camel, and 14 for Pall Mall. Across all age groups brand market share did not differ for daily and non-daily smokers.

Conclusions:
Marlboro was the top selling brand among both adolescents and adult smokers. The number and variety of brands and brand styles increased with age. The regular purchase of value priced brands was common in all age groups, but most popular with smokers over age 55 years.