How magazine - Smokin' Design

Tricia Bateman (former HOW Art Director) just forwarded me a screen-grab of an email she got from Camel Cigarettes. They're running a promotion for a new version of Camel Lights asking consumers to vote for their favorite package design. I wanted to read more about the competition, but the Camel website requires registration and I don't want to get on that mailing list. Still, this is an interesting use of design to foster customer interaction.

Posted by Megan

Thought Provoking

9/18/2007 10:38:06 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

9/18/2007 2:00:29 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Nice idea. Like both new designs.

Manuel |ms9AT NOSPAMgmx dot de

9/18/2007 2:20:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I know advertisers like cigarette manufacturers pay the bills for some publications, but not HOW. Can you get rid of this feature - I think it promotes smoking, which is SOOOOOO last decade. Don't associate the HOW name with smoking, please?

Signed
I Quit!

Quit the evil weed 7 years ago! |mscheeveusAT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

9/19/2007 11:55:39 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Yeah this is garbage that you guys even posted this. I guess designers don't have morals these days as long as good money is involved?!?!
Cmon...Give us some more credit then this.

I officially resign from being a reader of HOW.

9/19/2007 12:09:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

This post isn't meant to promote smoking at all. It's just an interesting (provoking) use of design. Just because it's about a distasteful product doesn't mean we should ignore it.

Megan Patrick |megan dot patrickAT NOSPAMfwpubs dot com

9/20/2007 12:11:06 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Well,

I guess this is further proof that EVERYONE these days qualifies to be an Art Director. Why don't we all just step away from our workstations and let everybody and their dog design for us?

I guess Camel didn't want to spring for the fee to hire a focus group for external input...

And, since when does doily, dainty floral detailing around the edge of a panel for cigarettes come to connote SMOKING?

Let's see: Clarendon: check. Wood panel background from iStockphoto.com: check. Doily, dainty floral detailing that we've never seen on like EVERYTHING designed these days: check. Clock out and run quickly to hipster bar with our funky eyewear and bedhead haircut: dubl-check.

This is wrong on several levels, folks.

Hobbzie |hobbzieAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

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