Journal #4 Tobacco Advertising to Children - So Cool!

Camel Snus 'break free' campaign is completely geared to the tween/teen demographic. If that wasn't bad enough, a quick glance at the actual ads might just be enough to make you shake your head, roll your eyes, and be disgusted with the entire Camel brand. Why? The Camel ads not only target children, they BULLY children.  Words don't break bones but they definitely have an impact on vulnerable teenagers trying to fit in and be cool and Camel knows this and uses it to their advantage.

If you're no longer in high school, these ads might just make you feel like you've gone back in time. They completely focus on what high school is all about - fitting in, dealing with social norms, and peer pressure. If you don't do what the 'cool' kids are doing you're a loser - even Camel says so.

Camel Snus is a new and innovative way to get tobacco into the blood stream, there is no smoke and it's not a chew tobacco where you need to spit it out. The innovative idea itself is something that applies to teenagers who don't want to get caught smoking cigarettes.1 Currently 3.4 million high school students smoke and 17.2% of high school students in the US use smokeless tobacco.2

Smoke itself might be out of the question with Camel Snus, but all the risks associated with tobacco are still the same. Approximately 400,000 people die from their own tobacco use in the United States and if these underage children continue to use tobacco, 6,000,000 of them will ultimately die from smoking.3

 The smoking industry spends $12.8 billion each year to market its products, and Camel decided to invest their money in today's youth.4 You should be ashamed of yourselves Camel. We all know grandpa isn't going to be using camels to fit in at the seniors centre. Your ads bully young children into using your product, thinking it will make them cool. Pick on someone your own size.

1Guilfoyle, Jessica. "Toll of Tobacco in the United States of America." Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, 8 Oct. 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2013. <https://slate.sheridancollege.ca/content/enforced/92666-1139_3452/Module2.3/M2-U3-R1TollOfTabacco.pdf?_&d2lSessionVal=bDgogl6QXQtsE2QK0pYkE6gxL>.
2 Ibid
3 Ibid
4 Ibid