Camel cigarettes
Camel is the name of a brand of cigarettes introduced by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco (RJR) in 1913. It was for many years known for its high quality and smoothness. Camels contain a unique Turkish and American tobacco blend.
Camel cigarettes were blended to be considerably easier to smoke in quantity and for women to use, than the much harsher brands popular in 1913, and were promoted by a careful advertising campaign including "teasers" that only said "the Camels are coming" prior to the product rollout. Their marketing was in fact prototypical of the manipulation of public opinion that accompanied United States entry in the First World War.
Camels contain a unique Turkish and American tobacco blend.
The most famous variety of Camel cigarettes was the simple pack of Camel unfiltered cigarettes: much too harsh for today's smokers Camel regulars achieved their zenith of popularity in Humphrey Bogart's movies such as Casablanca, and the news broadcaster Edward R. Murrow (who smoked up to four packs of Camel regulars in one day) in effect used a Camel cigarette as his trademark.
Both Bogart and Murrow died of lung cancer. Prior to 1913, and the introduction of the "mild" cigarette, lung cancer was unknown even among smokers of earlier cigarettes.
The reverse sides of most packs or boxes of Camel cigarettes display the following text:
Turkish tobacco is the world's smoothest, most aromatic leaf. Blending it with more robust domestic tobaccos is the secret to Camel's distinctive flavor and world-class smoothness.
Camel cigarettes come in the following varieties:
- Filters (King Size and 100s)
- Lights (King Size and 100s)
- Ultra Lights (King Size and 100s)
- Wide Gauge
- Menthol
- Menthol Lights
- Regular (unfiltered)
- Camel Rare
- Special Lights (King Size and 100s)
- Turkish Jade
- Turkish Silver
- Turkish Gold
- Turkish Royal
- Kamel Reds
- Kamel Reds Lights
In 2005 Camel has started re-doing the turkish flavors, by adding the name on the rolling paper, and changing the filter color and design. A blend called "Turkish Silver", a light version of either the Turkish Gold or Royal varieties, also became available that year.
Many other special flavors are available as well, in tins.
In late 1987, RJR created Joe Camel as its mascot for the brand. In 1991, the American Medical Association published a report stating that 5- and 6-year olds could more easily recognize Joe Camel than Mickey Mouse or Fred Flintstone. This led the association to ask RJR to pull the Joe Camel campaign. RJR declined, but further appeals followed in 1993 and 1994. On July 10, 1997, the Joe Camel campaign was retired and replaced with a somewhat more adult campaign which appealed to the desires of twenty-somethings to meet or as the case may be, actually be beautiful and exotic women (desires they nonetheless share with teenagers)..