December 10th, 2007

NOTE TO MY DAUGHTERS, WHO WILL ONE DAY LEARN TO READ: While Cartoon Daddy had to smoke to make the joke work, Real Daddy would never touch a cigarette. I did all my smoking in the rancid tar pit of your grandmother's menthol-flavoured womb. Also, it's probably better if you don't watch these vintage ads:

And just because it's that time of year...

Wow. So no big shock as to why the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement forbade the use of cartoons in cigarette advertising. But you have to wonder what the hell RJ Reynolds was thinking with the cartoon-heavy, nine-page spread in Rolling Stone. So far, attorney general's offices in at least eight states have announced plans to sue. That alone could cost the tobacco giant $100 million. If the 184 bands who never consented to appear in a Camel advertorial decide to get litigious as well...

-Graham

P.S. Thanks to Evan for the tip on this story. He's a nice guy I inadvertently got fired after people saw me... umm... that is, when Jamie... er... better you don't ask.