Published on July 3, 2008
Camel Nr.9 cigarette is one of the most successful launched products of R.J. Reynolds Company created special for women. It was launched on home tobacco market in February, 2007.
However, success of this smoking product is accompanied by great victory and demand on the one hand and by sharp criticisms and condemnations on the other.
Health organizations have called on R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. to stop selling its Camel No. 9 brand of cigarettes, affirming the product's advertising and packaging appeal to teenaged girls and young women.
“There is nothing stylish or glamorous about these tragic, premature deaths,” Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said in a news release issued Wednesday. “With more than 80 percent of smokers starting smoking before their 18th birthdays, it is imperative that we speak out strongly against a new cigarette brand with such blatant appeal to teenage girls.”
Parent-company defends its smoking product and offers responses to accusations related with Camel Nr.9.
”Camel No. 9 was launched in response to female adult smokers, both of Camel and competitive brands, that asked for a product that better reflects their taste preferences and style,” company spokesman David Howard said. He added that the brand also had appeal stronger than it was expected among male smokers.
Not only company producer has been blamed, but also all magazines that contain ad of the brand. The slogan that accompanies it is “Light and luscious.” Those magazines include Glamour, Lucky, Vogue and W. These magazines were asked by members of Congress to remove ads of pink Camel from their pages.
Howard said R.J. Reynolds would like to have “open and objective discussions” with any critics of its marketing practices.
