Joe Camel (also called Old Joe) was an advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes. He was used by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR). Joe Camel first appeare
| Joe Camel | |
|---|---|
| File:JoeCamel.jpg Magazine ad from 1989 | |
| First appearance | 1974 (Europe) 1988 (United States) |
| Last appearance | 1997 |
| Created by | R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company |
Joe Camel (also called Old Joe) was an advertising mascot for Camel cigarettes. He was used by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR). Joe Camel first appeared in Europe in 1974 and later in the United States in 1988. The campaign ended in 1997.[1]
Joe Camel became famous, but also very controversial. Many doctors and health groups said the character made smoking look fun and attractive to children.[2]
Joe Camel is an anthropomorphic camel, meaning he looks and acts like a human. He usually stands upright, wears clothes such as T-shirts or suits, and is often shown smoking a cigarette. Unlike real camels, he does not have a clear hump or hooves and looks more like a muscular man with a camel’s head.[3][4]
He was often shown in a “cool” or confident pose, sometimes in bars or with other people around him.[5]
Camel cigarettes began in 1913. Early packs already showed a camel called “Old Joe.” The camel was chosen because Camel cigarettes used Turkish tobacco, which people at the time thought of as exotic.[6]
The modern Joe Camel character was created in 1974 for a French advertising campaign. In the late 1980s, RJR redesigned him for the American market. The goal was to compete with other strong cigarette images, such as the Marlboro Man.[7]
Joe Camel was used in magazines, on billboards, and on merchandise like hats and shirts. Television cigarette ads were already banned in the United States, so print advertising was very important.[8]
In 1991, studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) said that Joe Camel was very well recognized by children. One study showed that six-year-old children recognized Joe Camel almost as well as they recognized famous Disney characters.[9]
The studies also found that many teenagers could easily link Joe Camel to cigarettes, and that Camel cigarettes became more popular with young smokers during the campaign.[10]
RJR said that Joe Camel was meant only for adults and denied trying to target children. Some advertising experts also criticized the studies, saying they had problems.[11]
After the studies, health groups asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to stop the ads. At first, the FTC did not act.[12]
A lawyer named Janet Mangini later sued RJR in California, saying the ads were aimed at minors. Courts allowed the lawsuit to continue.[13]
In 1997, the FTC said that the Joe Camel campaign unfairly targeted young people and broke federal law. Soon after, RJR agreed to stop using Joe Camel.[14]
RJR officially ended the Joe Camel campaign in July 1997. This happened during a time when tobacco companies were under heavy legal pressure and were making large settlements with U.S. states over smoking-related health costs.[15]
After Joe Camel was retired, Camel ads returned to using a simpler camel image similar to the one on the cigarette pack.[16]
Joe Camel is often used as an example in discussions about advertising and children. Anti-smoking groups later created parodies of the character, such as “Joe Chemo,” to show the health dangers of smoking.[17][18]
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