THE MISLEADING CAMEL ADWE DID IT: RJR APOLOGIZES TO SILVER RAVENWOLF 
On September 10th, 1998, this website was featured on the ZDTV news show 'Internet Tonight'. ZDTV, which is now called TechTV, is a 24 hour a day cable television channel devoted to computers and the internet. It can be found on DirecTV channel 273. Okay... Onward. Introduction The sole purpose of this web site is to educate the public about the erroneous representation of some religious practices that appeared in a recent advertisement for Camel cigarettes. Because I am an advocate of free speech, I wish to clarify that the purpose of this website has NEVER been to have the ad removed from publication. Portions of this advertisement have been enlarged so that the details of the ad may be clearly seen. Other than the enlargement, no other alteration of the ad has occurred. The Spread In the late Summer of 1998, this double page spread appeared in many Conde Nast publications. The ad consists of three young women sitting around a table. One of the subjects can be seen sticking pins into a poppet in order to exact revenge on an ex-boyfriend. Candles, a crystal ball, and magick books can also be seen. In the middle of the ad, laying on the table in front of the central figure, is a book upon which lies a pack of cigarettes. In the background, behind the shoulder of the woman on the left, is a corner shelf with candles and books. And in the lower left foreground is Camel's 'Rating' for this ad.  Detail of Bookshelf Here we can see a detailed view of the corner bookshelf in the background. Although the title is conveniently obscured by wax, on the second shelf we can see the book MODERN MAGICK.  Detail of Book on Table Here on the table is a closeup of the book that is underneath a pack of cigarettes. Fans of Silver Ravenwolf will recognize the book as TO STIR A MAGICK CAULDRON, with a white cat visible on the shoulder of the person on the cover.  Detail of Ratings In this image, which shows the 'Rating System' that is used in Camel ads, we can see the use of the word 'Revenge' associated with the magickal working that is taking place.  How The Ad Misleads This advertisement for cigarettes reinforces a common misconception about witchcraft, specifically, that it's acceptable for witches to deliberately use magick in a vengeful and unauthorized manner. Witches have borne this stereotype for many centuries, and the use of witchcraft books and props in this particular ad only propagates the myth that witches are evil. What A Real Witch Probably Would Have Done If this had been an accurate depiction of a witch's attempt to recuperate from a broken heart, having a smoke while chortling with buddies and sticking needles into a dolly would be a highly unlikely course of action. Witches strive to respect the magickal arts, as well as the lives of others. A good cry, followed by a ritual cleansing bath and a spell having to do with one's OWN self-esteem -- NOT any sort of spell to manipulate the OTHER person -- would be the most likely course of action. The advertising images used on this page are copyright 1998 by RJ Reynolds and are reproduced here for educational purposes only. More pictures & analysis may be found here. What's The Big Deal? It's Just An Ad Editorial |