American Cancer Society Responds to Joe Camel's Retirement

American Cancer Society
Friday, 1 June 2001

RJ Reynolds decision to retire the Joe Camel character in their advertising comes years too late, according to American Cancer Society Chairman of the Board George Dessart. "RJR wants the public to believe they are serious about not marketing their product to kids, but given their past behavior, why should the public believe anything they say?"

"Old Joe Camel has been a successful marketing tool to lead our children toward a lifelong addiction to cigarettes," said Dessart. Since Joe Camel was introduced as the icon of Camel cigarettes almost ten years ago, the market share for Camel among children jumped from 3 percent to 13 percent.

"It is only due to the Federal Trade Commission's investigation of RJR for unfair trade practices, state lawsuits against the industry, the threat of Food and Drug Administration jurisdiction over advertising and public outrage that Old Joe is finally being retired," said Dessart. "They said that Joe would disappear from billboards around Christmas time, but they never fulfilled that promise."

"We expect their new marketing campaign 'What You're Looking For' is just another way to addict future generations to deadly tobacco products," Dessart said. "The American public must remember that the industry needs to recruit new smokers to replace those who die from using their deadly products, and should carefully scrutinize and challenge all tobacco promotions to ensure they are not creative new ways to hook our kids."

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org