1. Whose message is this? Who created or paid for it? Why?

RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJRTC) paid for this ad to sell their dissolvable tobacco products.  My guess is that RJRTC is tapping into the market for smokeless tobacco because many city bars and public places are becoming smokeless. As a result, tobacco consumers now have new needs that must be met with new products.

2. Who is the “target audience”? What is their age, ethnicity, class, profession, interests, etc.? What words, images or sounds suggest this?

The primary target audience includes smokers of all ages, probably young professionals who could easily conceal their habit.  The containers are small, about the size of a package of mints, are made to look very similar to other breath-freshening products.    The secondary targets of this ad are non-smoking youth because of the bright colors in the ad and on the packaging, the container easily concealable (to hide from parents and teachers), and the packaging has a strong resemblance to candy products.

3. What is the “text” of the message? (What we actually see and/or hear: written or spoken words, photos, drawings, logos, design, music, sounds, etc.)

In the ad, we see an orange colored background that fades  from bold, to bright, to white as the viewer´s eye travels down to the bottom of the picture.  The text, just below a very luminescent Camel brand logo, says “dissolvable tobacco”.  The assortment of products is displayed:  a small, mint-sized, pellet (Camel Orbs), a stick the size of an average toothpick (Camel Sticks) and a thin film strip for the tongue (Camel Strips).  Each package has the Camel logo and each flavor has a designated color, orange is “mellow” and green is “fresh.”  We  see a reflection of each container against the white surface and the Camel logo for each product is illuminated.

4. What is the “subtext” of the message? (What do you think is the hidden or unstated meaning?)

Some possible subtexts are that tobacco is new, fun, playful, youthful, and healthy (something so bright and playful couldn’t possibly cause cancer anymore). Another subtext is that you can have it anytime you want, just like candy!

5. What kind of lifestyle is presented? Is it glamorized? How?

The smokers’ lifestyle, sans the smoke, is presented here as something that can be socially acceptable.  It is normalized rather than glamorized because we connect the packaging of the dissolvable tobacco to mints and oral-hygiene products that can be easily concealed rather than with the toxins and carcinogens that we know come from cigarettes.  This ad supports the smoker in not having to sacrifice nicotine access in non-smoking areas.

6. What values are expressed?

Values expressed here are youthfulness, “fresh breath”, privacy, and “healthier” choices.

7. What “tools of persuasion” are used?

- Association:  we link the image of the new dissolvable tobacco to breath mints and oral-hygiene products.

- New:  this is the latest product in the smokeless tobacco line for RJRTC.

- Simple Solution:  hate that you can no longer smoke in your favorite bar or restaurant?  Well, Camel has just what you need with a variety of smokeless tobacco products.

- Symbols: the Camel logo is on each product.

- Denial: technically, this isn’t smoking, so no one´s health is at risk.

- Diversion: packaging the dissolvable tobacco similar to mints diverts the consumers away from the health risks associated with smoking tobacco.

- Timing: RJRTC is capitalizing on the shift in culture that is moving towards smokeless cities and environmentally conscious peoples.

See "The language of persuasion"

8. What positive messages are presented? What negative messages are presented?

Positive: It just dissolves in your mouth, so there is no waste or secondhand smoke and it is easily concealable. 

Negative: Just another easy way for you to die sooner than you need to.

9. What groups of people does this message empower? What groups does it disempower? How does this serve the media maker's interests?

This ad assures RJRTC consumers that they will always have access to tobacco, regardless of health concerns, laws or social acceptance.  In this regards, RJRTC is empowered as for-profit corporation.

Some smokers might feel empowered with this ad. As a result of these products, tobacco use might no longer be associated with the hassles of actual smoke. Instead of smoking in public and having people tell them that cigarettes are going to kill them, they can now get a tobacco and nicotine fix with products that look like breath mints and be left alone.  (Because who wants to smell like smoke or be spitting every five minutes when you can relax and enjoy a mint, tongue strip, or toothpick.  Besides, there is nothing unhealthy about mints, breath strips or toothpicks, is there?)

Depending on the location of the ads or billboards, we are looking at disempowering youth of color who live in poorer, disinvested neighborhoods, since that is where we find a high number of alcohol and tobacco ads. 

10.  What part of the story is not being told?  How and where could you get more information about the untold stories? 

With more cities and bars going smoke free, the tobacco companies are working on meeting the changing needs of their consumers.

Many parent groups find the packaging a little disturbing because the product looks so much like candy.
http://www.examiner.com/x-3731-Houston-Cancer-Examiner~y2009m2d16-Parents-beware-New-dissolvable-tobacco-products-coming

Also, some of these products deliver up to three times the amount of nicotine in a cigarette.
http://tobaccoproducts.org/index.php/Camel_Sticks,_Camel_Orbs_and_Camel_Strips#Claims

http://www.lphi.org/LPHIadmin/uploads/Camel%20Orbs%20Jan%2009-34041.pdf