The Camel Controversy: Same Beast, Different Viewpoints. A Position Paper.

A coalition of health groups wants the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) to discontinue the use of the Joe Camel cartoon character in its cigarette advertisements. RJR has denied the findings of the three studies published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" and cited by the health groups--these studies contend that these ads lead children and adolescents to smoke. The controversy can be viewed from three perspectives: (1) the regulatory perspective of the Federal Trade Commission; (2) the perspective of the advertiser, with emphasis on First Amendment rights; and (3) the advertising strategy perspective. RJR's decision to use Joe Camel as a mascot for its cigarettes is defensible from the viewpoint of both the First Amendment rights of the advertiser and the marketing communication viewpoint. However, the adoption of an extremely defensive stance by the marketer is not likely to earn the company much goodwill from consumers or lawmakers. It is concluded that since RJR claims that it is not interested in targeting children and teenagers with its marketing efforts, it should have little hesitancy about using the charismatic charms of Joe Camel in an intensive media campaign advising teenagers and young adults of the negative consequences of cigarette smoking. (Contains 37 references.) (Author/RS)