The Swarm

May 13, 2009

Camel takes a hit over Rolling Stone indie rock ad...

David Prince

Remember that Camel advertisement disguised as editorial in an issue of Rolling Stone magazine back in 2007?

Well, R.J. Reynolds has lost the first case to go before a judge about the matter:

A Philadelphia judge has ruled that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. violated the multi-state tobacco Master Settlement Agreement with an ad it ran in an issue of Rolling Stone in 2007 and must either run a “youth oriented anti-smoking advertisement” in the magazine in the next year or pay a sanction of more than $300,000.

Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge William J. Manfredi issued his order and opinion Tuesday in response to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s motion seeking sanctions in response to Reynolds’ Camel’s the Farm advertisement. According to Manfredi’s opinion, the ad was a cartoon. The MSA clearly forbids companies from using cartoons to promote tobacco products, Manfredi said.

Emphasis added is mine. Note how the fact it was an ad is no longer under dispute, despite Rolling Stone’s many claims to the contrary.

No word yet on where the Fucked Up/Xiu Xiu lawsuit against the cigarette maker and magazine stands (checking now), but this can’t be bad news for all the bands who got wrapped up in this mess.


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