Origin of Camel Brand Cigarettes:

Camel brand cigarettes, was launched by American company R.J. Reynolds Tobacco in during 1913. Most now available Camel cigarettes are blended with Turkish and Virginia tobacco. In the beginning of 2008 the blending stuff was altered along with the packing design.

During 1913, R.J. Reynolds, put to commercial use his innovated tobacco in the form of cigarette packet. The tobacco smoking users preferred rolling their own, and there existed a national market of pre-packaged cigarettes. Reynolds tried a number of combinations for developing flavor more appealing than previous preparations, making the Camel cigarette. Camel name was selected because of Turkish paper. Egyptian Cigarettes were considered a fashion in those times. Reynolds was in a position to hit competitors on cost factor. In just one year period, he sold 425 million packs of Camels.

The Professional Blending:

Camel cigarettes in the very beginning carefully blended with a mild taste as compared to other highly harsh. Before the introduction, there was excellent promotion and advertisement with simple fully charged catchy phrases like Camels are coming, creating curiosity this incidentally linked to a Scotish song popular in those days. The Campbells Are Coming".

Hit & Trial Marketing Approach:

Camel Cigarettes Marketing process was like a beginner’s approach to get public opinion coinciding with the United States' participation in World War I, and subsequently in World War II. The other promotion efforts related to deploying a Circus camel, 'Old Joe' paraded in town with object of distributing free cigarettes. Old Joe was in reality not a camel. It was a horse with a big tumor on its back and was also acted as a model in place of camel on the packet. Catchy slogans were used "I'd walk a mile for a Camel!"

Popularity of Camel & High Profile Users:

Popular Historical Camel cigarettes soft packing of regular unfiltered variety was used. Persons using Camel brand regularly recorded the height of their popularity, which was supported by great personalities like News Broadcasting figure Edward R. Murrow, smoking four packets of Camel regulars every day. He was Associated with Camel cigarette his personality trademark.

Camel Mascot & American Medical Association Controversy:

During 1987, RJR made Joe Camel as brand mascot. Later in 1991, the American Medical Association presented a report that five to six year old children can very comfortably recognize Joe Camel instead of popular characters for their age like Mickey Mouse, Fred Flintstone, Bugs Bunny or even Barbie.

American Medical Association asked RJR to do away with Joe Camel campaign. RJR initially refused, the appeals became more intense having public backing. On 10th July, 1997 Joe Camel campaign found its retirement, replacing with more adult focused campaign appealing the based on desires of around twenty to meet beautiful and exotic women.

Scene in Europe:

In Europe, Camel happens to be a brand of cigarette involving rolling paper rolling own tobacco. It finds its name in top 20 level brands expanding in Northern Europe with penetration in Southern and Eastern Europe.

During 2005, Camel adopted new changes to Turkish flavors and adding name on cigarette paper and also changes in filter color and design. This led to a blend named "Turkish Silver", a light cigarette of both the Turkish Gold and Royal, which also became available that year. The burnt paper still depicted the name text on the ashes.

City of Camel Fame:

The city Winston-Salem, where R.J.R. was founded, is nicknamed as "Camel City" during those times to brand popularity. The name has now faded out.

During 1972-1993, Camel got associated with the title sponsor IMSA auto racing series very popular in those days. Camel sponsored Lotus Formula One team; and during nineties, Camel sponsored factory Honda team in the AM Superbike series.

Well thought Marketing

The Camel Cigarettes promotional slogan was very meaningful, Original like “Turkish Camel Natural Flavor”. There was no similarity with the Logo and the brand name, still the camel brand was widely accepted because camel was a popular mode of transport for group of people traveling together on a long journey.

Packaging in Art:

Best Artist was commissioned to design outer carton of Camel brand cigarette, with depiction of natural desert scenes of Pyramid and Palm trees on the front and back side depicts bazars and mosque. The Text on the carton speaks about smoothness of Turkish tobacco, with rich aroma and offering genuine pleasure and satisfaction.

The Packing also had a cash coupon, which can be exchanged for camel products.

The Joe Camel depicted on the packing and in Promotional materials, was a subject of a number of law suits claiming that the camel depicted promotes cigarettes to the children. After prolonged litigations, the controversial situation was settled by paying millions of dollars as damages.

Varieties in Brands:

There are more than 34 different varieties of camel brand to attract vide range of customers picking their choice of varieties.