Essay, Research Paper: Joe Camel Advertising

There is no doubt that R.J Renoyld s Cool Joe advertising campaign
has increased sales of their Camel Brand Cigarettes. The companies ability to
manipulate the buyer into thinking that Joe Camel is cool because he
smokes cigarette s, has had a profound influence on the entire cigarette
market. But who is RJR s, Cool Joe campaign target audience. This is the
question which has brought much attention to the RJ Renoylds Company and
their marketing tactics. Many believe that the company is trying to appeal to
minors by showing that Joe Camel is cool , and he smokes cigarettes,
therefore cigarettes are cool . But cigarette s aren t cool. They are
expensive, habit forming, and deadly to those who smoke them.
The RJ Renolyd s Company state that they are protected under the free
speech clause of the constitution. The first Amendment states that Congress
is prohibited from making any law that would restrict freedom of speech. RJR
feels that the courts cannot prove that they targeting children. RJR also feels
that the blame for under age smoking should not be placed on the shoulders
of their advertising campaign but rather on the stores distributing those
cigarettes to minors.
However, many poles and studies have proved that those most directly
effected by the Cool Joe campaign are children. Cigarette sales to minors has
skyrocketed from 0.5% to 32.8% since the beginning of the campaign. And
although RJR feels that they are protected under the first amendment some
aspects of commercial expression are not. Commercial speech is regulated to
prohibit false and deceptive advertising . Many believe that RJR is using
false and deceptive tactics to reach out to an illegal market
I believe that cigarette advertising should be banned altogether. Once a
smoker picks a brand of cigarette he or she usually sticks with that brand.
There is no need for companies to compete with each other. Cigarette
advertising should be limited only to prices and sales on that particular brand
of cigarette. There is no reason why such a dangerous product should be
advertised other than to encourage a new generation of smokers.
Selling such a potentially harmful and addicting product is a legal
problem for business people. But at the same time I also believe that we as
consumers have been educated enough on the dangers of smoking. By also
putting a warning on the box the buyer is aware of the harmful effects.
Therefore I feel that by 18 years of age the consumer is well enough educated
to make his or her own decisions about what they want to do to their own
body.
American Cigarettes are extremely popular throughout the rest of the
world. As GI s traveled around the globe with them they brought their
cigarettes. So it is no wonder that much of cigarette companies business is
generated overseas. I believe it is up to a persons government to protect their
well being. In that case foreign countries should decide on their own whether
or not it is right to advertise cigarettes i n their country. The United States
Government does not have the right to inflict their rules and regulations on
other nations.
Cigarettes are harmful to the smoker and those around them. Cigarette
advertising should be strictly regulated and watched. We all know the
dangers and effects of smoking and it is up to the consumer to decide, is it
worth it?