The History & Controversy of Joe Camel

Everything 80s

If you were around in the late 80s, he seemed impossible to miss... An anthropomorphic cartoon camel that quickly became one of the defining spokes characters of the decade--but one that came with endless controversy.

This is a look back on the creation, popularity, and backlash of Joe Camel. It's also the story of the state of the tobacco industry coming out of the 1970s and heading into the 1980s.

The story of Joe Camel goes all the way back to 1913, and we'll take a trip through the entire 20th century to look at the rocky history of cigarette advertising, taking us into the 80s, and one of the most memorable brand mascots of all time...

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