Music Magazine Dropping Cartoon Cigarette Ad

HARTFORD – Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced December 17 that RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) has agreed to suspend an advertising campaign that jointly promotes Camel cigarettes and Indie Rock music.

RJR agreed to the temporary advertising freeze after Mr Blumenthal and other attorneys general separately filed state court legal actions against RJR for tying the Camel logo to its Indie Rock promotion, which included a nine-page advertising display in the 40th Anniversary issue of Rolling Stone dated Nov. 15 featuring cartoons.

Mr Blumenthal said that this use of cartoons and brand name merchandise in tobacco promotions – ad tactics allegedly targeting youth – is a blatant violation of the tobacco Consent Decree and Master Settlement Agreement (MSA).

Under the agreement announced today, which a court approved toward the end of last week, RJR has suspended its “Camel Farm” music promotion, including distribution of its “Camel Farm,” “Farm,” “Farm Rocks,” or “Free Range” music CDs, as well as its operation of “thefarmrocks.com,” a website jointly promoting the music and Camel logo.

The ad campaign suspension will continue while RJR and the state attempt to resolve the legal dispute.

“Camel Farm has bought the farm – at least for now,” Mr Blumenthal said. “Indefinite suspension is a first step to permanently stop a Camel cigarette campaign clearly and unconscionably targeting teens with ties to Indie Rock music. Using cartoon images and distributing music CDs as part of a tobacco promotion aimed at kids clearly violates our legal agreement. RJR’s prompt suspension of this promotion resulted from our strong legal action, and we will continue our pursuit of significant fines and other remedies for RJR’s legal defiance.

“Camel Farm is no longer free range – now corralled. RJR cannot claim ignorance or innocence about its intent behind tobacco ads targeting youth.”

Mr Blumenthal and attorneys general across the nation have pursued RJR for similarly illegal marketing and promotion since the MSA was signed in November 1998 – successfully stopping others. Those campaigns included Camel Flavored Cigarettes, Camel Wide Tattoo packs, Camel No. 9, and KoolMixx cigarettes.