Camel is a brand of
cigaretteA cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
s that was introduced by American company R.J. Reynolds Tobacco in the summer of 1913. Most current Camel cigarettes contain a blend of
Turkish tobaccoTurkish tobacco or Oriental tobacco is a highly aromatic, small-leafed variety of tobacco which is sun-cured. Historically, it was cultivated primarily in Thrace and Macedonia, now divided among Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey, but it is now also grown on the Black Sea...
and Virginia tobacco. Early in 2008 the blend was changed as was the package design.
History
In 1913, R.J. Reynolds developed an innovation: the packaged cigarette.
Most tobacco users who smoked cigarettes preferred to roll their own, and there was thought to be no national market for pre-packaged cigarettes. Reynolds worked to develop a flavor he thought would be more appealing than past products, creating the Camel cigarette, so named because it used Turkish paper, in imitation of then-fashionable
Egyptian cigarettesThe Egyptian cigarette industry, during the period between the 1880s and the end of the First World War, was a major export industry that influenced global fashion...
. Reynolds undercut competitors on the cost of the cigarettes, and within a year, he had sold 425 million packs of Camels.
Camel cigarettes were originally blended to have a milder taste in contrast to brands that, at the time of its introduction, were considered much harsher. They were advance promoted, prior to official release, by a careful advertising campaign that included "teasers" which merely stated that "the Camels are coming" (a play on the old Scottish folk song, "The Campbells Are Coming"). This marketing style was a prototype for attempts to sway public opinion that coincided with the United States' entry into World War I, and later World War II. Another promotion strategy was the use of a Circus camel, 'Old Joe', which was driven through town and used to distribute free cigarettes. The brand's catch-phrase slogan, used for decades, was "I'd walk a mile for a Camel!"
The most famous historical style of Camel cigarettes is the soft pack of the regular, unfiltered variety (generally known as Camel Straights or Regulars). These were the first blend of Camels to be released. Camel regulars achieved the zenith of their popularity through personalities such as news broadcaster
Edward R. MurrowEdward Roscoe Murrow, KBE was an American broadcast journalist. He first came to prominence with a series of radio news broadcasts during World War II, which were followed by millions of listeners in the United States and Canada.Fellow journalists Eric Sevareid, Ed Bliss, and Alexander Kendrick...
, who smoked up to four packs of Camel regulars per day, in effect using a Camel cigarette as his trademark.
In late 1987, RJR created "
Joe CamelJoe Camel was the advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes from late 1987 to July 12, 1997, appearing in magazine advertisements, billboards, and other print media.-History:The U.S. marketing team of R. J...
" as the
mascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
for the brand. In 1991, the
American Medical AssociationThe American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
published a report stating that 5- and 6-year olds could more easily recognize Joe Camel than
Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
,
Fred FlintstoneFrederick Joseph “Fred” Flintstone, also known as Fred W. Flintstone or Frederick J. Flintstone, is the protagonist of the animated sitcom The Flintstones, which aired during prime-time on ABC during the original series' run from 1960-66. He is the husband of Wilma Flintstone and father of Pebbles...
,
Bugs BunnyBugs Bunny is a animated character created in 1938 at Leon Schlesinger Productions, later Warner Bros. Cartoons. Bugs is an anthropomorphic gray rabbit and is famous for his flippant, insouciant personality and his portrayal as a trickster. He has primarily appeared in animated cartoons, most...
or even
BarbieBarbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
. This led the association to ask RJR to terminate 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 more adult campaign which appealed to the desires of twenty-somethings to meet—or be—beautiful and exotic women in 1930s attire and themes.
In Europe, Camel is also a brand of cigarette rolling papers and cigarette roll-your-own tobacco. It maintains a top 20 level brand of RYO tobacco and papers in Northern Europe with yearly expansion into Southern and Eastern Europe according to the European Subsidiary's annual report.
In 2005, Camel implemented new changes to the Turkish flavors by adding the name on the cigarette paper and changing the filter color and design. Also in 2005, Turkish Silvers were introduced. These serve as the ultra light version of the three Turkish blends. Turkish Royal serves as the "full flavor" version, and Turkish Gold serves as the "lights" version. A menthol version, Turkish Jade, was also part of the Turkish Blends but has since been discontinued. After burning, the text on the paper is often still visible on the ashes which is also seen in Camel straights.
Winston-Salem, North CarolinaWinston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
, the city where R.J.R. was founded, is nicknamed "Camel City" because of the brand's popularity.
The Turkish tobacco that is used in Camel cigarettes has a much more distinctive odor when burned as compared to other cigarettes. It generally has a darker, browner smell to the smoke. Filtered Camel cigarettes sold outside the US by
JT International, abbreviated JT, is a cigarette manufacturing company. It is part of the Nikkei 225 index. In 2009 the company was listed at number 312 on the Fortune 500 list. The company is headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. The international headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.-History:The company...
do not contain Turkish tobacco, instead they are produced in Romania with local tobacco.
The tobacco is mostly a blend of
SamsunSamsun is a city of about half a million people on the north coast of Turkey. It is the provincial capital of Samsun Province and a major Black Sea port.-Name:...
and
İzmirIzmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
Turkish tobacco and Virginia tobacco.
Marketing
The
camelA camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
in the logo is of the
dromedaryThe dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
variety. In languages other than English, a distinction is made between camels and dromedaries, so the name and image do not coincide. The Camel name and branding were chosen to evoke the perceived mystery and exoticism of the Middle East.
Packaging in art
The Camel pack is featured prominently in
Tom RobbinsThomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins Thomas Eugene "Tom" Robbins (born July 22, 1936 is an American author. His best-selling novels are serio-comic, often wildly poetic stories with a strong social and philosophical undercurrent, an irreverent bent, and scenes extrapolated from...
' 1980 novel
Still Life with WoodpeckerStill Life With Woodpecker is the third novel by Tom Robbins, concerning the love affair between an environmentalist princess and an outlaw. As with most of Robbins's books, it encompasses a broad range of topics, from aliens and redheads to consumerism, the building of bombs, romance, royalty,...
, billed as "a love story that happens inside a pack of cigarettes". The book's artwork is modeled after a pack of Camels, and the package artwork and history are discussed extensively in the book. It is also mentioned that a pack of Camels is the best friend you have in prison.
Background
The signature scene on most Camel cigarette packs shows a single
dromedaryThe dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
standing on desert sand, with pyramids and palm trees in the background. Contrary to what some say is "inconsistency", the background is referencing the brand name of Camel as opposed to the type of tobacco blend in the pack (Turkish, mixed with Virginia). The image seems to stem from an Egyptian board game called Hyena. The hyena has been simply replaced by the camel, while the background scene remains much the same.
On the back of the cigarette pack is another desert scene, featuring this time bazaars and mosques. On European and some other non-U.S. versions, the desert scenes have been replaced by a health warning.
Graphic design
The Reynolds company commissioned Fred Otto Kleesattel in 1913 to draw the original camel.
Known as "Fritz", Kleesattel was a highly sought after graphic designer living in Louisville, Kentucky. He was hired through his company, Klee Ad Art, to design the packaging for the new Camel cigarettes' line. Klee Ad Art was also integral in devising designs for Four Roses Distillery, Heaven Hill Distilleries, and many other now immediately recognizable U.S. brands. While serving in the U.S. Army during
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Kleesattel worked as a camouflage artist, disguising buildings, vehicles and other potential targets by making them blend with their surroundings. There are urban myths about subliminal images allegedly being hidden within the artwork of the camel, such as a '
Manneken Pis, is a famous Brussels landmark. It is a small bronze fountain sculpture depicting a naked little boy urinating into the fountain's basin. It was designed by Jerome Duquesnoy and put in place in 1618 or 1619...
' - Brussels' most famous statue - which is supposed to be standing within the camel's front left leg.
Package texts
The reverse sides of many packs or boxes of Camel cigarettes display variations of 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.
In 2008, this was changed to:
- A master-crafted blend of only the finest hand-picked Samsun & Izmir Turkish tobaccos with a robust domestic tobacco blend creates Camel's distinctive flavor and world-class smoothness.
The reverse side of the three "Turkish Blend" cigarettes display this message along with a description that differs depending on the blend:
- Turkish tobacco is the world's smoothest, most aromatic leaf.
The reverse side of unfiltered "soft pack" Camel cigarettes has displayed this text for many years, a theme also used by R. J. Reynolds in its advertising as early as 1915:
- Don't look for premiums or coupons, as the cost of the tobaccos blended in Camel Cigarettes prohibits the use of them.
Or alternatively can be seen displaying the text (later removed from some packets with the introduction of health warning messages):
- Camel, a premium blend of the finest quality tobaccos, provides genuine smoking pleasure.
The reverse side of unfiltered "soft pack" Camel cigarettes, produced by
JT International, abbreviated JT, is a cigarette manufacturing company. It is part of the Nikkei 225 index. In 2009 the company was listed at number 312 on the Fortune 500 list. The company is headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. The international headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.-History:The company...
reads:
- CAMEL cigarettes contain a blend of choice Turkish and American tobaccos to bring you full smoking satisfaction with CAMEL quality.
Camel Wides, starting in 2008, began displaying this on the reverse side of the pack:
- The larger gauge of a Camel Wides cigarette makes for the smoothest, most flavorful way to enjoy Camel's distinctive blend of the finest Turkish and Domestic tobaccos.
Camel Cash
Notwithstanding the message telling smokers not to look for premiums or coupons on Camels, the brand nonetheless featured such a promotion called "Camel Cash". Camel Cash, or "C-Note" (C-Note = 5 US cents), is a coupon stuck to the back of filtered varieties of Camel cigarettes. It was made to resemble currency and could be exchanged for items from Camel's Camel Cash catalogue. The artwork changed many times over the years, and in the past included the face of Joe Camel, the controversial cartoon camel, much in the same way as presidents are featured on American currency. Camel Cash redemption expired on March 31, 2007.
Joe Camel
Joe CamelJoe Camel was the advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes from late 1987 to July 12, 1997, appearing in magazine advertisements, billboards, and other print media.-History:The U.S. marketing team of R. J...
was a controversial cartoon camel that primarily appeared in advertisements for Camel, but also appeared on "Camel Cash" and a number of origami Pop-up print ads. Joe Camel came under scrutiny as some considered use of the character to be advertising directed at children. Camel paid millions of dollars to settle lawsuits accusing them of using Joe Camel to market smoking to children. His image was removed from Camel Cash in July, 1997, and discontinued in advertisements.
Motorsport
From 1972-1993, Camel was the title sponsor of the then-popular
IMSAThe International Motor Sports Association is an American sports car auto racing sanctioning body based in Braselton, Georgia. It was started by John Bishop, a former employee of SCCA , and his wife Peggy in 1969 with help from Bill France, Sr...
auto racingAuto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
series, titled as
Camel GTIMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
. From 1987 to 1991, Camel sponsored the
LotusTeam Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...
Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team; and in the nineties, Camel sponsored the Benetton Formula One team and the Williams F1 team until 1993, Camel's last year as a sponsor in Formula One.
In the early to mid-1990s, Camel sponsored the factory
Hondais a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
team in the
AMA SuperbikeAMA Pro Superbike is the premiere superbike racing series in the United States. It is part of the AMA Pro Racing series which was sold to and is managed by the Daytona Motorsports Group...
series, as well as sponsoring the USHRA and AMA Supercross championships, resulting in the Camel Mud & Monster Series, and the Camel Supercross. In the 1997 Winston Cup season of
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
, Camel sponsored
Jimmy SpencerJimmy Spencer is a current television commentator, and a former NASCAR driver. He formerly hosted the NASCAR inspired talk show, “What’s the Deal?”, on SPEED. He is the former co-host, with John Roberts and Kenny Wallace, of the SPEED's pre-race and post-race NASCAR shows NASCAR RaceDay and...
's #23 Ford Thunderbird.
From 2003-2005 Camel was the title sponsor of Sito Pons' MotoGP Team and then for the 2006 season Camel signed on to become the title sponsor of Yamaha's factory team, but due to European Tobacco Regulations, the company had to end their association with Yamaha at the end of the
2006 Grand Prix motorcycle racing seasonThe 2006 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 58th F.I.M. Road racing World Championship season.-Season summary:The 2006 MotoGP season was one of the closest battles and most thrilling in recent memory in which Honda's Nicky Hayden didn't claim the championship from Valentino Rossi until the...
.
Break free adventure
R.J. Reynolds plans to sell Camel packs showing one of ten cities to be visited by the Camel
mascotThe term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. The Winston-Salem package will show a tobacco field and the city's skyline, including the former R.J. Reynolds headquarters. During a ten-week period, visitors to camel.tobaccopleasure.com will guess which city will be next. Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, accused the company of targeting children once again, saying, "The new campaign cynically uses the names and images of trendy U.S. destinations … in an attempt to make Camel cigarettes cool again." David Howard of R.J. Reynolds emphasized the campaign was geared toward adults and pointed out only adults could access the website.
Varieties
Camel cigarettes come in the following varieties:
USA varieties
Camel Unfiltered
Camel Filters
Camel Filters Wides
Camel Filters 99's
Camel Blue (Lights)
Camel Blue Wides (Lights)
Camel Blue 99's (Lights)
Camel Platinum (Silver) (Ultra Lights)
Camel Platinum (Silver) 99's (Ultra Lights)
Camel Menthol
Camel Menthol Wides
Camel Menthol Silver (Lights)
Camel Menthol Green Wides (Lights)
Camel CrushCamel Crush is an R. J. Reynolds cigarette product that contains a capsule in the filter that, when crushed, releases a mentholated liquid that causes the smoke to be menthol flavored. When the tobacco smoke passes through this liquid-saturated filter, it gives it a menthol taste...
Camel Crush Bold
Camel Turkish Royal (full flavor blend)
Camel Turkish Gold (lights blend)
Camel Turkish Silver (ultra lights blend)
Camel No. 9
Camel No. 9 100's
Camel No. 9 Menthe
Camel No. 9 Menthe 100's
Camel Special Blend Lights
Camel Special Blend Lights 100's
Kamel Red(varies)
Kamel Red Lights(varies)
Camel Signature Mellow(varies)
Camel Signature Robust(varies)
Discontinued USA varieties
Camel Signature Infused
Camel Signature Frost
Camel Izmir Stinger
Camel Basma
Camel Dark Mint
Camel Mandarin Mint
Camel Samsun
Camel Cinnzabar
Camel Twist
Camel Rare
Camel Rare Menthol
Camel Mandalay Lime
Camel Aegean Spice
Camel Bayou Blast
Camel Beach Breezer
Camel Margarita Mixer
Camel Midnight Madness
Camel Back Alley Blend
Camel Kauai Kolada
Camel Crema
Camel Twista Lime
Camel Warm Winter Toffee
Camel Winter Mocha Mint
Camel Turkish Jade
International varieties
Camel Black (South Africa)
Camel Full Flavour (South Africa) (Previously Camel Mild)
Camel Natural (South Africa)
Camel Nutty Menthol (Japan)
Camel One (Ukraine)
Camel Orange (Medium) (Ukraine)
Camel Super Lights (South Africa)
Camel White (South Africa)
Canadian varieties
Camel Filters (gold/brown pack - 20 cigarettes)
Camel Light (blue pack - 20 cigarettes)
Additive-free varieties
(discontinued)
Camel Natural Flavor 8
Camel Natural Flavor 6 *Lights*
Camel Natural Flavor 4 *Ultra Lights*
Menthol capsule varieties
These varieties contain a small bead in the filter filled with a menthol liquid. When crushed, the liquid is released into the filter giving the smoker an increased menthol flavor.
Camel CrushCamel Crush is an R. J. Reynolds cigarette product that contains a capsule in the filter that, when crushed, releases a mentholated liquid that causes the smoke to be menthol flavored. When the tobacco smoke passes through this liquid-saturated filter, it gives it a menthol taste...
- Camel Light becomes a Camel Menthol Light
Camel Crush Bold - Bold becomes menthol
Camel Menthol- Adds an additional amount of menthol flavoring to the cigarette.
Camel Menthol Silver (Light) - Adds an additional amount of menthol flavoring to the cigarette.
Snus
Camel Mellow
Camel Robust
Camel Frost
Camel Winterchill
Camel Original Portion (Sweden/Norway only)
Camel White Portion (Sweden/Norway only)
Dip
Camel Dark Milled (fine cut)
Camel Wintergreen Wide Cut (long cut)
Camel Wintergreen Pouches
External links