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Camel No. 9

 
Light and Luscious? Hot-pink packaging and promotional materials?

Little pink camels on each cigarette?

R.J. Reynolds is reaching a new low in targeting women. 

They recently launched Camel No. 9 and have organized an all-out marketing blitz across the country.

According to Cressida Lozano, vice president for marketing of the Camel brand, the introduction of Camel No. 9 is part of plans to “focus on products that are ‘wow,’ ” and  “that add fun and excitement to the category.” 

Here’s the “wow”:  more than 150,000 women in the U.S. die every year from smoking-caused disease and those diseases result in $34.7 billion in annual health care costs.  Fun, exciting, luscious?  Hardly words that describe a product that lures young women into a deadly addiction that kills.  Lung cancer is the only form of cancer among women that is on the rise and it is the leading cancer killer of women, “outkilling” breast and all genital cancers, combined. Smoking causes heart disease – the # 1 killer of women, many forms of cancer, respiratory illnesses such as emphysema, low birth weight, reduced fertility, early menopause, osteoporosis and the list goes on.  

Camel No. 9 is being launched with a huge marketing effort that is being estimated at costing between $25 and $50 million.  Full-page ads are running in women’s magazines that have high youth readership such as Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, InStyle and Vogue.  Point-of-sale marketing is expected to be heavy and is already saturating stores and bodegas in New York City.  Direct mail marketing is extravagant and includes a free cigarette case offer and dollar-off coupons that are folded into an empty pack so that the pack looks like it is full of cigarettes. And the Camel No. 9 parties – “ladies only” nights are being held in bars across the country, offering women facials, manicures, makeup and hair styling; all to be enjoyed while smoking a free pack of Camel No. 9’s.  There is a new drink to honor the new brand – the Divine Nine martini – and goody bags full of treats and coupons.  In some locations, the goody bags have included pink crystal jewelry for cell phones (see picture above) and lip gloss, both of which appear to be aimed at girls.

Our very own Minneapolis was host to one of these Camel No. 9 promos, and Camel No. 9 ads are popping up at local gas stations and convenience stores.  Catalyst staff stopped by to check out the camel No. 9 fashion show, "Fashionably Independent," at the Independent bar and lounge in Uptown in April.  We joined the Camel mailing list and were greeted with free gift bags containing a glass ashtray, a lighter with a green flame, a travel make up kit from Sephora, and coupons to various local stores, including Express.  The Independent was decked out in pink and black, including Camel No. 9 posters and other promotions.  Guests were treated to free hors dourves, right next to a giant Camel No. 9 martini ice sculpture.  Camel was clearly pulling out all the stops for this one.

What can we do about it? We can join thousands of activits across the country in writing letters to the editor of the women’s magazines running these ads and let them know how offensive you find both the targeted marketing and their decision to run the ads.  As of 5/12/07, over 4000 personal (not form) emails and another 4000 faxes had been sent to Vogue. Their response? "Hey – you guys bombarded us for three days... We got your point." But apparently they don't get the point. Vogue still has not pledged to stop running the pretty and pink ads that threaten to lure women and girls into a lifetime of addiction, disease and death.

Here are some women's magazines you can reach out to:

Glamour:  http://www.glamour.com/contact/youSaidIt

Cosmopolitan:  http://magazines.ivillage.com/cosmopolitan/connect/know/spc/0,,284413_293012,00.html

Marie Claire:  http://magazines.ivillage.com/marieclaire/speak/spc/0,,439291_439734,00.html

InStyle:  http://www.instyle.com/instyle/contact/0,24005,,00.html

Vogue:  talkingback@vogue.com

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camel no- 9 protest cigarettes