RJ Reynolds
Camel Brainstorming. Camel Heritage.
Fields
- Attachment
- 0597 -0654
- Type
- REPORT
- Site
- Marketing
- Promotion
- Macfarlane Hb
- Mgr
- Promotion
- Referenced Document
- List of Footnotes. Still Life with Woodpecker, by Robbins T. The Maxwell Report.
- Date Loaded
- 27 Feb 1998
- Request
- 4rfp31
- Mangini
- Court
- Order
- 1rfp93
- Minnesota
- 1rfp124
- 4rfp23
- 4rfp32
- 1int10
- 1int11
- 1int8
- 1int9
- 4rfp24
- 4rfp25
- 4rfp26
- 4rfp27
- 4rfp28
- 4rfp30
- Mangini
- Named Person
- Rjr
- Liggett
- Lorillard
- American
- Schinasi
- Larus Bros
- Leigh Cheri
- Argon
- B&W
- Philip Morris
- Robbins, T.
- Liggett
- Box
- Rjr1341
- Brand
- Camel
- Other Brands
- American Brands
- Liggett Brands
- Lorillard Brands
- Old Gold
- Lucky Strike
- Tareyton
- Camel Non Filter 70
- Lark
- Marlboro
- Winston
- Salem
- Benson & Hedges
- Merit
- Pall Mall
- Vantage
- Kent
- Newport
- Virginia Slims
- Carlton
- More
- True
- Raleigh
- Viceroy
- Parliament
- Barclay
- B Elair
- Now
- Century
- L&M
- Chesterfield
- Players
- Doral
- Eve
- Sterlin G
- Saratoga
- Satin
- Bright
- Cambridge
- Philip Morris
- Triumph
- Silva Thins
- B&W Brands
- Other Brands
- UCSF Legacy ID
- xyd44d00
Document Images
10
The subconscious meaninx viewers take Awav from the pack is--~
t so clear_j_ as the ot epack gives us: that
~
there are distinct symbols
m~7~Tr an
on
the
ack'
er
s
h
e
hl
ordered. These symbols in the world microcosm, a small square
packagg wrapped in cellophane that f ita in the palm of a hand .
a,
(perfect in this Oimension,too)iMgly -that they have importance.
This, in itself, has meaning to a consumer.
This brings up the question about what'comprises the basic
personality of the Camel pack buyer. Are we dealing with the
kind of person who
responds to symbolism
responds to products that look down-to-earth and serious
is stimulated by different look to it, a loner or rebel
appreciates art and beauty in the objects around them,
a sensualist?
Most likely Camel plays to all these needs. Camel accomplishes
somthing psychologically complicated for people, which ie why
there is a mystique to it at all.
4
.0V .'

11
BRF'11K ING DOWN THE MEA NING
At-the risk of being too psychologica2, the Camel pack ..
symbols need at least a surface interpretation:- What is their
singular meaning, and their meaning within the context of the
story they tell?
:~..V..~... . . . ._. - . . ~ _ , - . _ , -- . .
The product name,is that of a living 'creature,..an animal, to
be precise. .:r, a r,;
This camel,though stately in its -soiitude;"has to_be viewed as
homely and stolid ;It -has an ugly face with a lont'snout and
a long neck, a hump, and hooves for feet.(Only a paseirng thought
to the possible interpretation of the'.Camel as phallic imagery.
The-Camel's head and neck could be thought of this way.)
. . . .. ..~ . ... - . . _- ~.'L: -.L. -aw ~~ : . -
None of todayss top 40 cigarette brands is identtfied with an
animal(except for Lark, which, at the 33rd position, is here
disresarded). =Taking this idea one step farther, none of the
top 40 brands is:named anything one identifies as a living being,
It follows that there is some level of identif ication of the
cigarette buyer with the symbol of the Camel,
We're tipped-off that this is not an ordinary camel by the fact
that it is not a beast of burden. It iis not strapped with a
fancy Egyptian saddle, Noshieks or princesses in harem pants
are on the scene. That the camel is oose wand ~
and unburdened is an addit ona sycho,lo=ical identifier for
the viewer.
Vhat might be considered a eamel's characteristics? Resource-
fuiness.- camels have the hump that store water, the capa ty
that will get him across the desert, A camel is lowly, homely
and awkward. It is an earth-boundq functional animal. .
Yet as portrayed on this pack, the Camel has an integrity. It cn
t d I i h i
t
h
s an s a one w
ts
ead and neck proudly arched, It seems 0
`"
~
m
0
m
w
4
A pyramid, as temple or tomb, as monument to God's or man's
immortality, can only allude to man's iinner life. The very
presence of a pyrami~dcreatis mystery an sense of spiritualit,
.
Zhe Pyramid
0)
iitii a
and on prvae msson,s though looking ahead ao

C
cplained.
uat brands'
luencedin-
tptnces, as
.ample:
.perienced
:ment--in-
.ulting in a
-entirely
's generic
econd big-
% discount
ed its rela-
0.5% gain
Brown &
trket share
uetotxw
ye report
:deral ex-
:well pre-
ue to rise
local gow
es them-
reasoned,
vr carton
more sig-
out
vors
t
Mark is
s in its
ms
~
.
packets
packed
-:d and
ks are
-.. The,
. and
.rw~cacr ~; ~ti, ..,tiII- it; mar~e; :,hare
0.1% to 12.0%, thus strengthening its
place in the number two slot.
Salem's market :thc:re remained un-
changed in the third position, at the
8.1% level.
The remaining seven brands among
the top 10 all showed modest declines in
market share, leading to the top 10 as a
group, falling from 73% market share to
72.2%-a 0.8~'c drop. 'I7tat's still a
commanding but slowly shrinking
'ownership' of the marketplace.
Among the top 40 selling brands the
~ o brands showed slight declines,
while 11 others 'remained stable: in
terms of market share percentages.,
Maxwell estimated that total ciga-
rette consumption was down 0.2%, to
595.2 billion units, while industryw,ide
production dropped 0.8%, to 593 bil-
lion units-resulting in a 2.21~lc decline
in inventories.
Without the positive influence of the
discount and generic brands factored
into consideration, Maxwell reported
that the industry has seen the peak, in
terms of cigarette consumption. Im-
.. zr ~ u..... , vv rnuuun
to 70 million smokers to give up just
one cigarette each day, through social
pressure or legislation, could result in
22 billion cigarettes a year not being
smoked. Still, he wouldn't discount the
possibility of another price increase of
as much as 3%, shortlv.
"One could make the case that if you
are not in discount brands, which is
now the only growth area of the indus-
try, your overall sales volume is going to
continue to be under pressure," Max-
well stated.
12
. Top 40 brands (by market share)
Brand (Company) Sales (billion units) Market Share %
1984 1983 % Change 1984 1983
1. Marlboro (PM) - 125.40 120.12 4.4 21.1 - 20.1 .}
2. wnston (RJR) s .71.04 71.05 '. .. 12.0 r' -11.9
Salem (RJR) ='r--
3 48.39 48.35 -.0.1 8.1 .. 8.1 -t ~
.
4. Kool (B&W) 41.69 42.70 2.3 Z.0 7.2
5. Benson & Hedges (PM) 28.80 29.83 (3.5) 4.9 ' 5.0
6. Camel (RJR) 20.84 27.16 2.7 -. . ' 4.5 "4.6 .~a
7. Merit (PM) - ; -~~ - 24.35 26.00 (6.3) 4.1 - 4.4
8. Pall Mall (Amer) -r - 22.45 24.74 9.2 .._ 3.8 4.1 "
9. Vantage (RJR) 20.98 21.98 4.5 - 3.5 3.7
10. Kent (Lor'd) ~.. . 19.71 23.34 " (15.6) 3.3
Total top 10 429.65 435.27 i.2 72.2 73.0
11. Newport (Lor'd) 18.32 16.83 8.9 3.1 2.8
12. Virginia Slims (PM) 15.00 . 15.02 (0.1) 2.5 2.6
13. Carlton Filter (Amer) 11.25 11.93 5.7 1.9 - 2.0
14. More (RJR) 8.83 9.07 2 6
' 1.5
15. True (Lor'd) e ~;;Z, 7.13 " 8.33 14;.4 , 1.2 : : : ~' -1.4
16. Raleigh (B&W) 7.49 = ~ . 7.97 ~ (5.9) 1.2 1.3
17. Tareyton (Amer) 6.45 ~ - 7.24 -10:9 . 1.1 1.2
18. Yceroy (B&W) ; z+ 6.88 ' (6J) 1.1 1.1
19. Parliament (PM) ;~i- `=
'~ 5.89 .n 6.29 (6:4) _1.0 1.1
20. Lucky Strike (Amer) ' 6.12 ' 7:6 -r--. -1.0
21. Barc(ay (B&W) m~ c= ~`4.61
' ~_ 5.80 (20.5) r .
' 0.8
~ 1.0
22. Belair (B&W) ~4.54 -t 4.87 (68) ~ 0.8 08
23. Now (RJR) :%4.30 4.07 5.7 . 0.7 0.7
24. Century (RJR) 4.19 ; 2.17 93.,1 = _ . .. 0.7 0.4
25. L&M (Liggett) 3.32 4.04 (17.8) : ` 0.5 0.7
26. Chesterfield 2.46 2.83 12.4 ~~ 0.4 0.5
27. Players (PM) ~--' 2.39 ~ 3.92 (39.0) 0.4 0.7
28. Doral (BJR) ' 2.00 6 = 0.4
.29. Eve (Liggett) - 2.15 2.10 2.4 ' 0.4 0.3
30. Sterling (RJR) 1.98 . 0.03 -- 0.3
31. Saratoga (PM) 1.29 . .1.99 (3.5) 0.3 0.3
'
'
32. Satin (Lor'd) 1.85 2.80 (33.9) 0.3 . 0.5
-
'
33. 'Lark, (Liggett) 1.80 ' 2.10 (14.3) 0.3 .- 0.4
34. Old Gold Filter
' 1.53 1.74
41
2 (12.1)
42
3 -.0.3
3 0.3
35. Bright (Lor
d) 1.39 _ -_
. (
.
) ~ 0.
36. Carnbridge (PM) 0.71 _
' 0.74
7 0.1 0.1 :
37. Philip Morris 0.67, 0.
9 0.1
38. Max (Lorillard) 0.65 0.80 0.1
39. Triumph (Lor'd) 0.65 = 0.93 01
40. Silva Thins (Amer.) 0.58 ." 0.74 0.1
SOURCE THE MAXWELL REPORT Y

13
- The average Camel purchaser need not know the history of
,: pyramids to be fascinated by the simple shape ot' the edifice,
,_ or to have some association with them',as related to God or
- the spirit. hlso, the simple geometric shape in the middle
.:-of the wasteland has got to be interpreted on some level by
anyone who registers the image, if only for a split second. -
...: r ' -
8ut the main service of the pyramid, no matter what it truly
-. ' was -intended to symbolize, is to provide a quest ionmark for ---
the viewer. Somehow we know the pyramid is linked to something
beyond earth. Itls presence, breaking up the landscape behind
.:ca:x ~ the Camel' brings up the question of high-than-mortal values.
~-- --
uitease;-created--by:the--stoic' Camel~ -is counterbalanced
by the perfect, unearthly pyramid. . _. ,:.,
`'And then, the juxtaposition of the pyramids just behind and in
3`= -front of the camel brings up the su
ggestion of human possibility,
ti.~ the camel ° s pos it ion between his spiritua l past and his future.
:~ ... ... . . .. - , -
~ .., Camel andlPyramid together
_ ,
a
;::., There is an interesting symmetry, if not irony, in the nature
_ , of Camel and pyramid.
-The camel has its hollowed-out hump mcarry water to enable it
-'--- - to physically survive its harsh environment. --- - -
... .. . ,..
-~ :The pyramid is hollow, but hollow for sacred purposes. Pyramids
::were tombs intended to preserve the body and soul of a dead noble
until the soul was ready to travel up to God. Jlccording to Tom
:-;'Robbins, the point of the pyramid is where the soul stands to
-: . ",*take f light from.
~, .. .- . ._
_=_:--There is a principle of ongoing life to both the hollowness of
the camel and the pyramid. One is profane and one is sacred.
; One is bound to stan, one to God. There is a link insinuated
_
-- between the living creature and spiritual life, in this technical
:
; wa
_
.
y.
~
Visually, the link between them is the desert and the sky. There
Li a placid stillness surrounding themboth. Independent yet
co-existing images the are matter and spirit harmonioua y in
-ba ance. e arger, more ptesent pyra'm p s ca ersec
th~e`baEc of the camel, indicating t e merging ident t es.
One image is alive. One is a monument. Yet they manage to serve
:"the same purpose -- the continuation of themselves.In meaning and
visually they are in.balance, and cemented together forever by
the brown columns on the package. ~
.

14
SOME CONCLUSIONS
C
. The Camel pack is a world microcosm, a story being told
about man with relation to his universe ..,compare Camel
. to Eli Cutter, a man's face on a package. We know he's an
outlaw from the old west, but nothing else. There is no
sense of man's involvement with the',worZd. Nothing's happening,
. No other cigarette has "people or things" to identify with
. The elemental simplicity of the design, the perfect balance
of the graphics draws the viewer in
. Consumer identif ies with the solid q'humble, resourceful
Camel
. There is recognition of the background symbols, however
limited
fm. The subconscious interpretation of the pack is made as
follows: an independent, but humble creature-encounters
his past and future possibilities on a desert --J suggesting
that he is experiencing some sort of epiphany -- and this
encounter is peaceful and positive.
The story is the denouement in the camel's life. He's
examining his world and his future and he accepts what he
sees.
. The tone of the message has integrity' authenticity. It
speaks of basic things and basic issues, The overall look
of the package is strong and mellow: (R.J. Reynolds has
almost designed a package with the express purpose of putting
a consumer in the mood for reflective smoking.)

15
C
WHY THE CAMEL FRANCHISE DIFFERS WITHIN THE VIRILE SEGMENT
Why is anyone drawn to Camel pack imagery in the f irst place?
Why aren't we dealing with just macho Marlboro smokers and
the older, but conservative Winston smokers?
Camel YAS smokers may be macho, but they've got a screw loose
somewhere. They®te different in that they need to reflect,
or examine. Theyfre d ifferent than their peers(forwhatever
reason; they probably don't know why themselves which is pre-
cisely why they need some form of rebellion)and though their
masculinity is secure, they are unfulf illed. And their --
unfulfillment has to do with questions of a spiritual nature.
And spirituality can remain undef ined and still be marketed to.
Their life's adventures need to be different than their peers,
but this difference is a solemn thing,4nd one tied to a need
to have the pieces f it together. The very act of rebellion must
bring them back into the fold. The Camel pack is different,
but it's still within the macho world.! There must be a strong,
down-to-earth role, though independent'and adventurous, for the
Camel purchaser' a role within the structure of society,

16
{
CAMEL HERITAGE
Camel's heritage is that it chose to be different and how
it chose to be different. ;
It chose to be different by going off in a rather grave
direction. It personifies life in a s,olemn form, sans turbans
and dancing girls. ;
C
In the Camel world the sense is of naked, basic encounters. Not
to be interpreted as gritty, macho experiences, The Camel world
looks at real stuff. Higher questions. And it provides answers.
And, of course, the very idea of putting philosophy, or any
meaning at all on something commercial,'and commonplace, i.e.
getting it in the hands of the sverage man, is shocking, But
pleasantly so. Whatever the symbolism,of the package, R.J.
Reynolds, a consumer products company,`dared in 1914 to offer
the American people a piece of philosophy, while pretending to
merely be selling cigarettes.
On some levels consumers have perceived it this way. And their
gut reaction is that they like it. Theyfve been offered a sign
that speaks of positiveness. The camel that meets up with
himself and finds himself in harmony with the world and what is
to come. Or because of his encounter,'his world falls into place.
Further, this little lesson in life is offered in a most unex-
pected]place, the American marketplace. The shock value makes it
worth the price of purchase.
It's the medium, the message and the product. A good, solid
dmoke in a good solid package, with just a touch of esotericism
to it. The sense of_value ia strong.
.

17
WEST COAST PHENOMENA
California is the capital of extremea in higher mind and
body evolvement.
makes it a perfect rebellion just to buy it.
........ __.. .. . . -- - ~ - -_.. ~.
The Camel pack is viewed, rightly so,;as moving toward evoivement.
The Camel is midway between his past and future, expla ined
by the pyramids. The Camel is halfway to his ascendance to
heaven, symbolized by his silver tsame risen--in the sky above him,
almost like stars. He's in harmony with his earth life and
seeking his spiritual fulfillment. Three quarters of the Camel®s
body.is-already in the sky, his head almost touching his.name. --
He1 s almost there.
C~~-. --
~
it~may be *simplistic to say that,Californianse~and ,Wsshingtonians,
Oregonians(remember Tom Robbins novel was based there, and he.
resides there as well)simply recognize these'physical andspiritua:
'symbols quicker than the rest of the countryg-but'it's true.
These symbols also matter to them more, since their-lives are
much more linked to the out-of-donrs,-to the sun7 the water and
the mounta ins. - - - - ; - - ~ -- - -
. . . . _ . _. . _ . .. - - -
The West Coast naturally respects anything thatis different.
But further,it respects even more things that are different in
an intelligent way. Which is the essence of Camel. And, of
course, different, intelligent and available in the marketplace
....
Camel dares to traffic with spiritual questions. It offers a
positive vision of man in relation to his environment. The West
Coast, notorious for its search for higher lifestyles, ia more
_;inf erested in and is quicker to honbr arrows pointing to such
_lifestylea. The Camel pack is one of these arroWs.
ylTht
And perhaps the more mechanized our society becomes, the less
inyone will care about spiritual signs or anything that is-just
~ old and beautiful like the Camel pack.. But fortunately we can
see that the West Coast is in touch with themselves, or seeks to
= be touch. It is that search that makes them recognize Camel.
.V
=
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0
0)
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ao
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18
THE NATIVE INTELLIGENCE OF',THE CAMEL VISION
Sophisticated the target needn't be to have a natural integrity
to its aspirations and ambitions. There isn't an exotic ambition
in the identification with a camels a'logo and two pyramids.
Though the camel's name appears in silver letters isi the sky
above him' it may be his moviep but the essence of the Camel
pack combines thek aspirations of lowliness with the heights he
may achieve. And these heights are the same any other man may
achieve. The brown columns keep man and his aspirations within
limits.
Creative considerations for the Camel'franchise must honor the
basic integrity and humbleness of thiss vision. It is the vision
the franchise has already honored for s,eventy years.
1
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19
TO WHOM DO WE MARKET?
If you love the Camel pack,,what are you like? Personal
qualities might be summarized as follows:
.-.i .:!_.. .~~....
`. Need order.---The 'Camel'worid- is structured and harmonic.
. _. ........ ;
pack creat ive:
, . ~._ __ . _ . . . .._. _ ---- - ~%-~ ..... . ..a'.
. Need dimensionality. Appreciates complexity and depth in
, Sensitive and has instinctive intelligence.
. Need to be different, independent(why do they like pictures
-..of animals on their cigarettes anyway?)
Need to be in touch. He's a loner,,but not alone. His
relation to other things in his world matters. -
(
. Seeure, not desperate.in terms of what will ultimately be.
If we need to answer this question any;further, it's easy
enough to run a promotion with a contest asking "Why I smoke
Camels" or run a blind promotion asking f1Why I smoke what I
smoke." '
11
