R.J. Reynolds Thinks Green for New Smokes

When R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. introduced its Camel Turkish Jade menthol cigarette this summer, the goal at retail was to portray the brand's menthol and exotic qualities with a variety of P-O-P materials."We took the standard art and imagery we use for Camel, and we created a very 'menthol' look," says Robert Johnson, promotional materials manager for Camel's retail division in Winston-Salem, N.C. "The Turkish Jade material is very green, which tells consumers immediately that it's menthol. We also used colors and graphics that we thought went well with the brand -- rich tones, the Camel pyramid and we even added a palm tree theme." The P-O-P also shows a woman carrying a tray of Camel products, inviting consumers to try the brand.In addition to counter displays, easel cards, a window decal and a price sign, R.J. Reynolds also developed a tapestry piece, backlit signs and other P-O-P with unique graphic elements designed to convey the brand's attributes.The new cigarette is an extension of Camel's popular Turkish Gold line, offering consumers a menthol version and also strengthening the company's position in the overall menthol cigarette category. The line was introduced nationally and includes Camel Turkish Jade, Camel Turkish Jade 100, Camel Turkish Jade Light and Camel Turkish Jade Light 100.While the Turkish Jade P-O-P reflects a new look, it still represents an extension of Camel's "Pleasure to Burn" ad campaign introduced two years ago. "This P-O-P carries on the same type of advertising theme," Johnson says. "We just tailor it for our different brand styles."Johnson's goal in designing the P-O-P was to create a new intensity for the brand, and also to break the mold of conventional P-O-P. "For example, the price sign is a real change for us," Johnson says. "The majority of the signs that go in stores are flat, standard, rectangular pieces. They just fit in tracks inside the ceiling fixtures. For a change, I took the sign and made it dimensional, so it rises up out of the fixture. It breaks the plane. We tried to bring it to life and make it more attractive and eye-catching."The tapestry is a vertical piece that can be wall mounted, hung from a ceiling or placed beside a counter, and it's even been used on the backs of glass doors. R.J. Reynolds chose vinyl for its construction in order to make the colors stand out more dramatically. The tapestry measures about 12 inches wide by 4 feet high."The retailers are being more creative about where they're putting it, because it's so different and it's really attractive," Johnson says. The P-O-P hit cigarette retailers nationwide in August when the product was introduced. The counter display ships stocked with product, and it can accommodate two sizes of Turkish Jade. The counter display is 9 inches wide by 21 inches high by 8 inches deep.Made of corrugate and SBS board, the displays were produced by CorrFlex Graphics of Statesville, N.C. The tapestry and backlit signs were produced by Total Graphic Solutions of Red Bank, N.J. The materials can stay in stores as long as retailers wish to leave them up, but the typical duration for Camel P-O-P is six months.

R.J. Reynolds Thinks Green for New Smokes

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