Date: 1947 Brand: Camel Manufacturer: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Campaign: T-Zone Theme: For your Throat Keywords: Female, Doctor, Throat, Irritation Quote: Yes, the T-Zone is your own critical laboratory for any cigarette. That's where you learn by actual smoking experience the particular cigarette that suits you best. For your taste and your throat are individual to you. Only your taste and throat can decide which cigarette tastes best for you and how it affects your throat. Comment: While this ad insists that only your taste and throat can decide which cigarette tastes best to you and how it affects your throat, the ad also takes it upon itself to tell you the opinions of many others, ranging from many, many millions of smokers to prominent medical doctors. In this way, the ad simultaneously provides the consumer with a sense of independence and autonomy a common tactic in cigarette advertising, even today while also providing reassurance and recommendation from authority figures. The overall message is a false health claim insisting that Camels are easy on the throat, or mild, a code word indicating a more healthful cigarette. |
T-Zone From 1943 to 1952, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company ran a series of advertisements for Camel cigarettes which encouraged consumers to try Camels for great taste and throat comfort. These untruthful claims presented Camels as the most healthful cigarette while admitting that most cigarettes would cause throat irritation just not Camels! This assertion was outright deceptive. They dubbed the inhaling area the T-Zone. Their slogan? T for Taste, T for Throat. Camels will suit you to a T. The majority of the T-Zone ads include an image of a beautiful, young woman (sometimes a man) smiling a white-toothed grin (as opposed to the yellow teeth which result from smoking), with a block-letter T traced over her mouth and throat area. The T-Zone campaign was often combined with the More Doctors Smoke Camels campaign and the 30-day taste test campaign, a trifecta of manipulative ad techniques. |
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