Activists Critical of Camel Cigarettes' 'Cities' Campaign

No longer able to use well-known advertising symbols like Joe Camel, Camel cigarettes has adopted a "cities campaign, decorating packages with images from Seattle, Austin, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and other trendy American cities.

But the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is crying foul, calling the campaign an effort to make Camel cigarettes cool, fun and rebellious - and appealing to kids.

The group said it is reacting to parent company RJR's announcement that it will sell limited edition cigarette packs with the city names in December and January.

"It is deeply disturbing that RJR is using the good name and hard-earned reputation of these great American cities to market deadly and addictive cigarettes, especially in a way that blatantly appeals to children, said Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Certainly the citizens and leaders of these cities do not want to be associated with a product that kills more than 400,000 Americans every year. RJR showed truly shameless disregard for the death and suffering its products cause by calling this campaign a 'celebration' of the locations involved.

Cigarette companies are prohibited from promoting their products on television and some other media, but not on the Internet. The activist group says RJR launched the campaign online and with direct mail. In the "Break Free Adventure" campaign, the Camel brand "visits" 10 different U.S. locations over a 10-week period. Visitors to the Camel web site can win prizes by reading a clue and guessing where Camel is that week.  

Each week, a new package design for Camel cigarettes is unveiled that features the name of that week's location and some of its iconic images. Other locations include Route 66; Bonneville Salt Flats, UT; Sturgis, SD; and Winston-Salem, NC.

The group says the locations involved have several qualities in common, including an association with independent music, fun times, rebellion and freedom of the road.

"By associating Camel cigarettes with these locations and their trendy reputations, RJR is continuing its longstanding efforts to make the Camel brand appealing to youth, Myers said. "It truly is the Joe Camel campaign all over again.  It echoes many of the youth-appealing themes of the Joe Camel campaign, in which the now-banned cartoon camel was often depicted with fast cars and motorcycles or having fun at parties.

The Campaign called on RJR to immediately end the marketing campaign and withdraw its plans to introduce the special edition cigarette packs. The group said it is also appealing to state attorneys general to investigate whether the promotion violates the 1998 state tobacco settlement's prohibition on tobacco marketing that targets children.

The group also said it wants the government to step up the implementation of proven measures to reduce tobacco use, including effective regulation of tobacco products and marketing, the graphic cigarette warnings unveiled this week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; well-funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs nationally and in every state; higher tobacco taxes; and smoke-free workplace laws.