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OLYMPIA — Gov. Chris Gregoire is blasting the makers of Camel cigarettes for its use of Seattle as one of 10 “cool” locations in an ad campaign.
The “Breaking Free” campaign, which will use 10 locations on which the iconic dromedary and standing in front of an artistic rendering of Pike Place Market and Mount Rainier. “Home of grunge, a coffee revolution and alternatives who’ll probably tell you they’re happy when it rains. It’s the smell of vinyl in that hidden record store, that worn t-shirt and a ticket stub with a scribbled phone number — all with the spirit of our Gold Rush ancestors who didn’t think twice before breaking free for the glowing future ahead.” (Note to RJ Reynolds: You’d have to be smoking something much stronger to see the mountain, Pike Place and the skyline like that.)
“I am alarmed and disappointed at R.J. Reynolds’ new marketing campaign which exploits the name and image of Seattle to recruit young smokers,” Gregoire said in a prepared statement today. “Special edition cigarette packs featuring Washington landmarks, including the Pike Place Market and Mt. Rainier, are being co-opted to sell a product that is responsible for killing about 7,500 people in our state every year.”
The glowing future is “a one-way ticket to disease and addiction,” she said.
Reynolds contends it is not a program aimed at teens. The locations they picked are adult themed, such as Las Vegas, Sturgis, S.D., which is the site of an annual motorcycle gathering, and Route 66. The contest is connected to a website that is designed for adults, asking for date-of-birth information as well as name, street and e-mail address, phone number and brand preference. (None/non-smoker is not an option.)
And of course, teen-agers never lie about their age to get something they want.
Gregoire is not alone in her ire. The city of San Francisco is unhappy that one of the other break away destinations is The Haight. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has called on Reynolds to cancel the campaign.
The company has thus far refused.
Jim Camden is a veteran political reporter for The Spokesman-Review.
Jonathan Brunt covers Spokane City Hall for The Spokesman-Review.
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pjc on November 30 at 10:21 p.m.
I don’t smoke and I believe it is a terrible idea because it kills you; however, doesn’t this lady have more pressing issues? Who really gives a crap about some ad campaign? Honestly.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on December 01 at 12:07 p.m.
Yes, I’m sure that issuing this press statement took all of her attention away from the state budget. She should clearly be impeached.
In other news, I notice that Camel still shows the picture of the aroused naked man hidden not-very-subliminally in the front leg of their camel logo. Nice to see that some things never change.
cab50 on December 02 at 1:21 a.m.
Governor Chris Gregoire and others should be focusing on the thousands of people who are disabled on life sustaining medications that she is going to kill because of her medicaid cuts. Where is the media stories about this and people like me that can put a face to what these cuts will do? There is going to be alot of blood shed on her hands (figure of speech) when people start dying off because of her. Wonder if she will sleep. Yet she and obviously the media outlets Is more concerned about a billboard add.