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Joe Camel was a cartoon mascot for Camel cigarettes from late 1987 to July 10, 1997. His cartoon figure and "cool" image caused controversy about the campaign's aim at children.
Joe Camel was conceived in late 1987 by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco (RJR) marketing team. At that time, RJR's staff found that the Camel brand had a reputation as an "old-man's cigarette". The staff wanted a new campaign to attract younger smokers.
In 1991, the American Medical Association published a study showing that more children 5 and 6 years old could recognize Joe Camel more easily than Mickey Mouse or Fred Flintstone, and said that the "Joe Camel" campaign was targeting children. At that time it they also estimated that over 1/3 of all cigarettes sold illegally to underage buyers were Camels.
The AMA asked RJR Nabisco to pull to campaign. RJR refused, and the Joe Camel Campaign continued. In 1993 and 1994, more appeals to end the campaign followed. On July 10, 1997 RJR annouced it would end its Joe Camel campaign. A new campaign with a more adult theme debuted; instead of Joe Camel, it had a plain image of a quadrupedal camel.
Anti-smoking and consumer advocacy groups assert that the Joe Camel campaign is a reminder of how easily children are tricked by advertising and marketing. Similar groups sometimes associate Ronald McDonald of McDonald's with Joe Camel, implying that the clown, through his role in promoting his parent corporation's fast food, is to blame for obesity and other related dietary problems.
