A new set of champions is in training on America's ski trails today- ski champions, 1943 model, U.S. Army.
With this celebrity endorsement, Camel is also able to evoke patriotism: Richard “Dick” Henry Durrance, Jr. (1914-2004) is listed as a “former Olympic ace […] who trains ski troopers for the Army.” Durrance was in fact a member of the 1936 U.S. Olympic Team, but finished eleventh, eighth, and tenth in his events. Still, he did train paratroopers for the Army in Alta, Utah, and this ad takes advantage of this fact; not only are the skiers athletes, but they are “soldiers through and through” and they are Camel smokers, as “Camels are the favorite in all the services.” Durrance passed away in 2004 of reportedly “natural causes.” In addition to Durrance’s celebrity testimonial, there is a testimonial from an everyday woman, “a busy housewife, Mrs. Ruth Martin,” who is meant to be relatable to consumers. Though both of these recommendations are intended to sway consumers, the ad feigns providing autonomy to consumers with their “T-Zone” approach, claiming that “Only your taste and throat can decide which cigarette tastes best to you…and how it affects your throat.”
Doctor, Female, Irritation, Male, Mild, Throat
