To What Extent does the language

used in Kool and Camel Cigarette

Advertisements affects Youth
America?

Extended Essay

Student name: Ni Putu Ayu Kesuma Santhi W.

Candidate Number: 003869 – 0030
School : Gandhi Memorial International School Bali
Word Count: 3875 words.
 Contents Page

Contents Page

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Introduction………………………………………..……………………………... 1

Body

Advertising In America………………………………………………….. 4

The Language of Advertisements………………………………………5

Camel and Kool Cigarette……………………………………………….6

Laguange in Camel and Kool……………………….…………………..7

The Affects of Cigarette…………………………………………………13

Laws and Policies………………………………………………………..14

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………..15

Bibliogrpahy……………………………………….……………………………..16
 Acknowledgment

I would like to express my gratitude towards:

 Madam Neha Mishra the EE Supervisor for the untiring guidance,

support, patient, time and understanding throughout the research.

 Abstract

This extended essay will discuss mainly about the affects of the language

that is used in cigarette advertisements, which are the Camel and Kool cigarettge.

Language is one of the important aspects of advertisements that is why language

is taken very seriously for many people especially in the business world. In order

to attract the potential consumers’ language is very important. In order to

answer the question, which is, ‘To What Extent does the language used in Kool

and Camel Cigarette Advertisement affects Youth in America?” the analysis and

investigation of the language will be there to answer how far it does affects the

youth in America. This investigation is worth to do because later on it will shows

the power and influence of the advertisements language that is being used on

particular products especially the influence on American youth. Different

approaches such as the history of both of Kool and Camel as well as the law and

policies. In the end of the investigation I am able to see the significant effects that

these advertisements had on youth in America. Starting from the external and

internal effects as well. This investigation has shown that language is greatly able

to change someone’s behavior and thinking.

Word count: 205 words.

 1

Introduction
I do believe that the language of the advertisement that is being used

in the advertisements that I see everyday really affecting my mind and the

level of my consumption towards something. Either it is bad or not I never

know. Sometimes I do not need the certain product and it is not really required

or it might have a bad impact on me, but the advertisement said otherwise. It

seems that the language has grown into me and I feel as if I needed the

certain product. As a teenager I am really concern towards the other

teenagers that faces bad influences such as smoking or drinking. It has been

a major problem in almost every part of the world that nowadays youths have

been introduced to bad things through advertisement. Even though the

company that produces the certain products that has the unintended bad

advertisement said that their ads aren’t harmful to the youths it is actually not

right. The advertisement in the first place is made to attract the consumer that

is why whether it is good or bad they will still doing it. This is a worth

investigation to know how far the effects of the language of advertisement can

affects the youth in general especially in America because we know that

advertisement has becoming a part of our life. Apart from that not only on the

youth side, this investigation can relate to many people who face this kind of

problem with the advertisements, which they have, been witnessing all this

time.

The advertisement used to tell us the information about a certain

products and usually it is being done to increase the addition of the

consumption and it is also a way to persuade the consumers to buy the

particular products. However, today the advertisement used many cultural

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systems in different areas. Now, it can be said that the advertising becoming

the incomplete cultural system because the real meaning of it, is not having

the real values. Over the time they have change the standard of advertising.

The verbal and visual language that is used has change. It is not only

promoting the companies with the right market value but it now adding the

unnecessary consumption of the consumers especially for the children and

teenagers in general.

The researcher has revealed that little kids in America from the age of

4-5 don’t know what the advertising trying to say however they are able to

differentiate the advertising and programming. They know that they are

different because they are started to think that the advertising that they

witnessed on magazine or television is tend to be funnier than the actual

program. At the age of 7-8 they cannot recognize the persuasive intentions of

the advertisement. They just take the advertising as it is without knowing what

the ads is actually aiming for. Sometimes they will even use the advertisement

as their role model it is simply because the society has imposed the

incomplete cultural system in the advertisement therefore everyone will be

able to view it easily. In the other hand they might think that the advertisement

is cool enough to follow. In the other hand for the teens they will accept the

advertising as their part of their life already.

The advertisement and the language that is used whether it is verbal or

visual, it has becoming one of the phenomenon in America these days

especially for the children. Advertising has becoming one of the ways where it

is able to change the behavior and values of the children in America in

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general. Therefore throughout the investigation we will see more influences

and effects on advertisements.

 4

The Advertising used in America

Advertising has started rapidly in America since they are has becoming

more and more industrialized. It has began since the 1880s where the

advertisement booming. In 1920s the advertising has becoming really

appealing and it is used nearly in every production of goods.

In the language of the advertising there are two types which are the

verbal language and the visual language. The verbal language is the written

one in the advertisement. Such quotes, sentences and even font here is to be

considered by the one who will create the advertising. It has to be catchy and

able to take the consumers interest on the products. Usually the

advertisement cannot be done just randomly. It has to follow certain rules so

that it can be viewed by the public. However, nowadays companies don’t

follow those rules. In a language wise, they are following what has to be done.

But somehow they gave the connotation that is able to bring the consumer

interest and today most of the time in America the advertisement promotes

the value that is opposed to the human well being. The one who create

advertisement tend to use somewhat weird sentences that in a way shows

what the companies the information about the product but if people looking at

it in the other way around it is also means something else. Through these

verbal languages some consumers especially the children will feel more

interested in the product.

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The Verbal and Visual Language of Advertisement

In order to catch the attention of the targeted viewers or consumers the

one who create the advertisement need to take care of the verbal and visual

language of the advertisement that they are going to launch in the market.

Both of the aspects of the language used to tell the information about the

product as well as persuading the consumers. It is also connected to the

physiological condition and situation of the viewers. They are also able to

change the point of view of the consumers since everyone has different point

of view of a certain things.

Advertising itself can be divided into two parts which is the commercial

one and the non-commercial. Generally the verbal and the visual will shows

about what type of advertisement it is. Most of the time the advertising that the

children and teens can get are the commercial one because the companies

wants to maximize its profits such as alcohol, clothing line or even food. On

the other hand for the non-commercial one is usually done by the government

because the advertisement is intended to raise awareness to the general

public.

The visual content is one of the aspects that need to be taken care of

because through the picture people can see, learn and see about the

particular object that is being promoted. Images have known to give great

impact rather than the written text. Over the past view years, images have

known to have stayed longer on people’s mind and is it way a greater way for

the process of learning compare to the written one. The researchers revealed

that through the images people tend to be more emotionally attached because

they can see and feel, apart from that 90% of information transmitted to brain
 6

is by the visual aspect rather than the verbal aspect therefore, the visual

content tend to increase the level of consumptions. For example is the

advertisement on TV or brochure by different companies, they tend to have

colorful images and popular artist to endorse their products as for the

advertisement on newspapers it might just contains words people wont be

really interested on those because it doesn’t have any particular impact on

them.

Nevertheless the good advertisement will not be complete without the

verbal content. The verbal content used to give message to the potential

consumers so that they are the positive effects and feel like buying the

products. The right verbal content will leave a good impression, like catchy

sentences and slogan would make the particular products images etched into

the potential consumers mind. This is also will include in giving out the brand

name because this is also one of the aspect where it will have a strong image

once the potential consumers see it. That is why the verbal aspect is

important for the advertising.

Camel and Kool Cigarettes

Camel is a brand of cigarette that was originally came from and

produced by American company R.J. Reynolds Tobacco. The Camel

cigarettes weren’t really popular back than when it is being produce on 1913.

Later on, after the introduction of the advertising that include the camel

caricature on it, it is immediately becoming a boom. Here the camel wasn’t

drawn like the usual camel that we knew such has having a hunch and of
 7

course four legs. This camel caricature itself is very unique because of the

physical appearance. It has a human body but the head is a camel and his

name is Joe Camel. With the debut of extraordinary character Joe Camel on

1987 to 1997 the Camel cigarettes becoming more known by people not only

the adults but also the children and teenagers as well. On the other side,

other Kool cigarette that was originally introduced by Brown and Williamson

later on purchased by the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco also has launched their own

special character to promote the products. If Camel has a camel caricature

the Kool cigarette has penguin as the character name Willie. Many people

especially children and teenagers got attracted this product because of the

character. The potential consumers especially children found it is really cute

and funny at the same time because it seems like a normal cartoon’s show. It

does not seem to give bad advertisement even though it is actually

advertising about the cigarette.

Controversy

Right after the launching of the two characters on the advertisements,

critics and researchers revealed that the language that are being used by

Camel and Kool cigarette creates problems for the potential consumers. We

know that smoking is not recommended for people in general because it is

dangerous and it is also bad for our health. Nonetheless lots of adults smoke

and seems like they do not really care about the after effects of smoking. The

problem here is because of the character and the slogan as well as the
 8

sentences that are being used for both Camel and Kool has reached the

potential consumers which are the children and teenagers. The researchers

said that most of the children were asked about the Joe Camel and Kool and

38% of them knew what is it and some of the children even know Joe Camel

and Kool better than the Disney cartoon.

Joe Camel was known for its ‘smooth character’. From the visual

content we can see that whatever he is using usually associated with the guy

that has cool looks whether in teenagers cloths or even tuxedo along with girls

in human form besides him. From the psychological side the Joe Camel

definitely showing what most of the people wants to be on America at that

time. Looking smooth, rich and of course having lots of woman around them,

it very common for guys because they want to have the superiority feelings. It

is indirectly telling the potential consumers that when they are consuming the

Camel cigarette then they are cool just like Joe Camel. Little did people know

it is also having impact for the children and teenagers. Journal of the America

Medical Association revealed that children feels attracted since it is cute

despite of the playbook look-alike character. Apart from the colors that are

being chosen for the Joe Camel was bright and vivid, it is indeed very

appealing for them. Not only that the Journal of the American Medical

Association also giving out a shocking result which shows that children in

America are able to match Joe Camel’s picture with cigarette rather than the

Disney picture such as Mickey and Minnie. This visual language on Camel

cigarette has the great psychological impact like what have been mentioned

before. Not only for the adult in America who viewed this advertisement the
 9

American children and teenagers who saw this advertisement will also be

affected.

The art of persuasion wouldn’t be complete without having the verbal

content. The verbal content that is being used for this Camel cigarette on the

iconic character Joe Camel has it’s own impact as well. The Joe Camel

advertisement can be clearly viewed by everyone because it is showing on

billboard, newspapers and even television which automatically viewed range

of different age from children to adults. There’s this popular word by Camel

cigarette that will be printed on the Joe Camel advertisement, which is the

word ‘Smooth’. The meaning of smooth itself is, having even and regular

surface; free from perceptible projections, lump, or indentations. However the

word smooth here also having different meaning. If we see the advertisement

we know that it is probably explaining about the products which is the

cigarette. However, it also having a different meaning which is clear without a

problem. The children and teenagers who saw this word might think for the

second one because it is related to the visual content of the advertisement.

When they saw this word along with the Camel character on it they think that

by consuming the cigarettes will make them look cool, chick, young, hip and

lastly of course without having any trouble. Because of this researchers found

that children and teenagers below the age of 18 are smokers and the brand

that they usually consumes are Camel cigarette. Before the Joe Camel was

launched into the market, when it used to be just a normal cigarette

advertisement without the use of the camel character, less than 1 percent

children and teenagers smokes camel however, after the advertising using the

Joe Camel the percentage of the consumptive level has rise into 32.8 percent.
 10

It means that the affect that the Joe Camel is having towards young children

is pretty effective compare to the previous advertisement because it really

seems captivated for them.

On the other hand, the Kool cigarette that has been bought by the R.J.

Reynolds Tobacco company and since then the way and language of the

advertising has change as well. Just like the other cigarette company, before

they are just putting the word ‘Kool’ on the packaging on the cigarette but then

it is change completely. Many experts says that the change on the language

of the advertising on both verbal and visual is because Kool wanted to target

the young potential consumer or rather more to the underage potential

consumers. It is becoming really controversial back then because Kool is

launching Willie, the special character made for Kool Cigarette. It is quite

similar to what Camel has done. The difference in this character compare to

Joe Camel, Willie is way cuter and resemble children cartoon so much. The

advertising also does not really emphasize Willie on having the cigarette it

more likely towards Willie advising the viewers it is nice and a good choice to

have Kool cigarette. One of the advertisement on Kool cigarette that has

Willie on it says, ‘Gosh! I’m down to my last fifty cents—and I promised to take

millie to dinner! Oh, well… I guess we can have a couple o’ hot dogs at Joe’s

hot diggety douggie wagon!’ it shows that Willie is currently having 50 cents

and he doesn’t know what to do with that money. At first he decided to buy

Millie dinner, which is probably his girlfriend. However, later on he decided to

use the money to buy cigarette instead, nonetheless in the end he still buy the

dinner but instead he will buy the hotdog for his girlfriend. From this text we
 11

know that Willie even sacrifice his money just to buy the cigarette instead of

doing his promised. Apart from that we also can see that actually breaking the

promise a little wouldn’t be a huge problem if is done for the Kool cigarette.

Because of this advertisement the children and teenagers in America said to

be started to consume the Kool cigarette. They found the advertising

appealing to them. Especially with the debut of Willie for the mascot of Kool.

From the language that is being used it doesn’t really seems like it is telling

the viewers to buy the cigarette but it is able to manipulate the viewers

thoughts by simply emphasizing the amount of cents that Willie has. He has

50 cents and he is able to buy his girlfriend dinner, even though it is only

hotdog on the other hand, he is also able to buy the cigarette because on the

picture we can clearly see him walking towards a place that having smoking

poster on along the gate which is Kool, and he is able to buy it as well. It is

indicating that Kool is also cheap for the viewers. We know that children and

teenagers do not produce their earnings yet, nevertheless they have pocket

money with them. So that, with that pocket money they are able to purchase

the Kool cigarette. This will of course raise the consumption level on smoking

cigarette on children and teenagers in America at that time.

As if the first advertisement is not enough, other advertising by Kool

cigarette with Willie on it also has affected lots of the viewers under the age of

18. This is one od the iconic advertisement from Kool cigarette where Willie

seems to play a cello but the body of the cello was the Kool cigarette and the

there is a bubble speech behind his head says, ‘Swing to Kools… as your

steady smoke!’ At the first glance it might seems like a normal advertisement

that probably advertising some musical play or more like some children
 12

cartoon. Through the text given it is already persuading the reader about the

products. In order to be steady the advertisement telling that by changing the

products to Kool rather than the other products. The dictions that are being

used were somehow interesting and with the help of the visual content it is

able bringing up the wants of the viewers to have the products on their hands.

The steady word itself also means something different. Steady originally

means balanced towards something. Nonetheless in the other hand it might

be also telling in that the products will somehow make them look balance. The

word swing here also doesn’t mean that it is to play swing like in the park but

here the swing words means that to change the products into Kool. Basically

this sentence tell you to change the cigarette products into cool because it will

make you feel balance in your life.

It has becoming an issue that actually the Joe Camel and Willie

advertisement is targeted to children and teenagers in general. It is becoming

such a controversy because since these advertisements were launched in the

market the consumption of the cigarette from people under the age 18 started

to rise significantly. Although the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company has

denied that they are not making those advertisement for children and

teenagers the result says the otherwise. Young people feel that is okay to

consume the tobacco because the advertisement itself doesn’t seem to harm

the users of the products that is why it is kind of acceptable for them.

The verbal and visual language of the advertisement plays a really

important role to persuade its consumers. Because of the advertisement had

affected many youngsters in America and therefore they have gone to the

wrong path. They consumed the cigarettes as if it is something that is normal.

 13

Later on it will becoming a habit as well as a part of themselves. The major

cause is hat they tend to have different mindset because they see the

advertising different thing from what they have been told.

Affects

The advertisements that has been made by the Camel and Kool

cigarettes has done a huge impacts on children and teenagers in America.

Most of the youngsters finds that by consuming these cigarettes they are

becoming cool and they are following the trends at the same time. This is

totally something that has gone wrong, the anti-smoking campaign has failed

to prevent this from happening with the American children and teenagers.

These youngsters tend to be not really active on a day, researchers revealed

that compared to the non-smoking teenagers the one that smokes tend to be

tired easily apart from that when they are doing sports activities they are

having breathing problem. On the other hand they are usually engaged with

risky behaviors such as unprotected sex, fighting and most likely they will also

drink alcohol. This is has happened a lot to the children and teenagers in

America.
 14

The Laws and Policies of Tobacco marketing in

America

There are many possible affects therefore federal laws and federal

policies were made. The tobacco companies in America usually need to follow

the laws and policies that are being set by the governments. Firstly they need

to pay the states per annum to compensate the tobacco-related health care

costs1. Another policy that they need to follow is limiting the advertising,

marketing and the promotions of the cigarettes. Another policy states that it is

prohibit to targeting the advertisement onto people that is younger than 18

years old including using any kind of cartoons. There are also limitations on

billboard as well as public transit. Another policies by FDA also said that the

tobacco advertisements needs to have limited color of the packaging. Those

companies who aren’t followed these policies will get fine. However, Camel

and Kool cigarettes rebels from all of these laws and policies therefore

controversy were there around them. The advertisement verbal and visual

language clearly shows that they are not following the federal policies. This

might be one of the reason why that kind of advertisement being restricted by

the government in general. For those company, especially like the Camel and

Kool cigarettes in America who do not follow these policies it is eventually

make them easier to get the attention of youngsters in America.

1
BeTobaccoFree.gov
 15

Conclusion

Through the investigation, I came to the conclusion that is to prevent

children and teenagers from consuming cigarettes parents need to take action

on this. Giving them the knowledge and understanding about the effects of

smoking is good so they can understand better. No need to worry about giving

them those lectures on such a young age because today they have different

thinking style than before.

After doing all the investigation new question came to my mind, it is

true that the language that is used in the advertisements are able to affects

the youth greatly like what it did on the American youth. However, on the

other hand how about the adults? I’ve been thinking since they are already

know better than the youth, will they be able to differentiate what is right and

what is wrong about the advertisement. Also, are they going to be affected the

same way as the language has affected the youth? Apart from that on this

investigation the impacts on the language that is used in the advertisements

like Kool and Camel on youth in America might be the same as the youth in

other country in general. It would have been better if other impacts can be

seen. Nonetheless the affects have been showed.

 16

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