Tiki Cigarettes - cough, cough

Just came across this in Time magazine.

Just what is "A Citrus Tiki Lime Sensation"? (the line on the Twist Lime flavor)

Okay - How do I make this image bigger? Anyhow, read this little bit from the Toledo Post..

Article published Sunday, June 27, 2004

The 'hazy' days of summer

Forced a few years ago by the national tobacco settlement to abandon its Joe Camel mascot as an inappropriate pitch to young would-be smokers, the R.J. Reynolds Co. is trying a different approach to hook a new generation of customers: flavored cigarettes.
RJR is pushing a summer advertising campaign that stresses the presumed "coolness" factor of two new varieties of smokes: Kauai Kolada, with "Hawaiian Hints of Pineapple and Coconut," and Twista Lime, described on every pack as a "Citrus Tiki Taste Sensation."

The campaign features a lovely model in a grass skirt, a coconut drink - complete with a tiny bamboo umbrella - in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

The marketing, with the slogan "Pleasure to Burn," suggests gentle Hawaiian breezes, a chilled pia colada, a little Buffett music, and a tasty smoke. Obviously the company hopes youthful smokers will sample Camel's line of exotic blends for summertime fun. To add to the cache, the flavored cigarettes come in a tin. How cool is that?

RJR is not alone. Brown & Williamson Corp. recently introduced fruit-flavored Kool cigarettes.

In our view it's all part of the industry's ongoing effort to hook the next generation of nicotine addicts.

RJR stresses its compliance with the letter and spirit of the tobacco settlement, which prohibits tobacco companies from taking "any action, directly or indirectly, to target youth" in the advertising, marketing, or promotion of tobacco products.

RJR insists it adheres to the tobacco marketing restrictions outlined in the settlement, but this is clearly a tactic that Joe Camel would have loved. The tobacco giant claims it is not interested in persuading nonsmokers or minors to begin smoking.

But who are they kidding?

That noble intent is compromised by teasing young people with tempting products tantalizingly called the "official blends of summer."

[ Edited by: Tiki Newbie on 2004-06-29 18:01 ]

Hi Tiki Newbie -

There's already a thread going about these cigarettes:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=9583&forum=6

Easy to miss, since it's in the Beyond section, but generally it's a good idea to do a quick Search before starting a new thread.

Sorry, I completely forgot to do a search. Kind of new to the whole posting message thing.

No worries, it happens to all of us from time to time. (I once re-posted a question that had already been asked and answered before -- and I had been the original querier! I'd completely forgotten. Doh!)

Be sure to post your info in that other thread so it's all in one place.