NAAG asks R.J. Reynolds Tobacco to stop promotional campaign for Camel cigarettes - appeals to young people..

December 2, 2010 - The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is asking cigarette maker RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. to stop a promotional campaign for Camel cigarettes that the group says appeals to young people. In a November 23 letter the group said Reynolds' "Break Free Adventure" campaign has substantial youth appeal and may encourage underage tobacco use.

November 13, 2010 - R.J. Reynolds - trying their hardest to recruit new tobacco users.. - second part of this news brief.

"We are concerned that this advertising campaign is using aspects of popular culture, including independent music, art, motor sports, and 'hip' or countercultural attitudes, to advertise Camel cigarettes in a way that is appealing to young people's psychological needs for rebelliousness, sensation-seeking, and risk-taking," the group reportedly said in a Nov. 23 letter.

The attorneys general compare Camel's "Break Free Adventure" promotion to its iconic Joe Camel campaign, which landed R.J. Reynolds in court in 1998 for marketing to children and young people. To comply with the courts ruling, the company took the cartoonish images off the pack.

"Joe Camel may have been put out to pasture, but his spirit lives on in R.J. Reynolds' latest marketing campaign that once again tries to make Camel cigarettes cool, fun and rebellious - and appealing to kids," wrote Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "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."

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Gov. Chris Gregoire of Washington is calling on R.J. Reynolds to pull its use of Seattle and Mount Rainier as icons in its "Break Free Adventure" marketing campaign, which features a tour of America's hip locales. (Governor doesn't like use of Seattle, Mount Rainier in Camel marketing campaign.., posted by John Henrikson, The News Tribune, 11/30/2010.

Reynolds will come right back at you with something else geared toward "replacement tobacco users." This whole Break Free Campaign should be stopped - take a look at some of the ads.

Reference: Attorneys General: "Hipster" Camels Must Go, momologic.com, 12/2/2010.