“What’s Up With All This Smoke?”
Recently Launched KOOL XL Event: KOOL South Beach Valentines’ Day Bash
Dallas, Texas

Tobacco Industry Sponsored Event Surveyed by NAATPN’s La Tanisha Wright

In February, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company sponsored a KOOL event at Maxwell’s, a nonsmoking, upscale Black-owned nightclub in Dallas, Texas. As young Black professionals (ages 21 and up) entered the crowded lobby on a Friday night looking for mellow entertainment and an escape from Dallas’ unseasonably bitter wind, they were likely to notice a 9’ x 5’ green KOOL XL banner with a young Black male in a white suit smoking a cigarette (above).

While NAATPN’s Associate Director for Surveillance, La Tanisha Wright, and her associate waited in line to enter the event, they overheard the gentleman in front of them ask the attendant, “What’s up with all this smoke?” as he reached into his wallet to pay his cover charge. “I thought Maxwell’s was nonsmoking,” he insisted. The attendant, who also appeared to be under twenty-five, answered, “Well, it’s smoking tonight; and it’s free—compliments of KOOL cigarettes. Go on in.

While Ms. Wright stumbled with her wallet and pretended not to be able to find her driver’s license, her associate, also a young black female, handed the attendant a driver’s license. The attendant quickly glanced at it in the nightclub’s dim light and allowed her to enter. He failed to notice that the license did not belong to her, but to a seventeen-year old high school student.

“I still can’t find my license, sir,” Wright said, “I would need to dump my purse out in order to find it. Can’t I just go in? It’s so cold outside; please don’t send me back out there.” The attendant winked and waved her in, telling her to have a good night.

Texas Tobacco Law, formerly Senate Bill 55, specifically requires tobacco retailers to verify the age of purchasers appearing to be younger than 27 years of age through the use of photo identification. The same procedure should be taken during tobacco events in nightclubs. According to the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998, free tobacco products cannot be distributed in a facility or enclosed area unless the operator ensures no underage person is present. Not accurately monitoring age could have cost Maxwell’s and R.J. Reynolds thousands of dollars in fines, and possibly a lawsuit, had a teen actually been allowed into the venue. Of course, the burden would more severely impact Maxwell’s than R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.

KOOL was advertised everywhere in the venue. There were a total of ten 9’ x 5’ KOOL banners located at the entrance, near the bars, on the dance floor, and near the stage where the DJ was set up. The banners advertised KOOL XL and KOOL filters. In the rear of the venue, KOOL’s booth was set up near the area designated for KOOL VIP. The KOOL VIP lounge was accessible only to those who provided a valid email and driver’s license to RJR’s HoReCa (Hotel Restaurant Café) managers. After scanning the license, the HoReCa managers asked individuals for their smoking preference. According to the individual’s preference, he or she was given a free 20 cigarette package of either KOOL XL or KOOL Milds, a KOOL complimentary drink card to use at the KOOL VIP bar, and a KOOL “South Beach Bash” sweepstakes brochure to win a free trip to the South Beach Bash in Miami, Florida. Nonsmokers were urged to try KOOL XL, KOOL’s most recently added brand style.

KOOL VIPs were given a free book of matches and guided to the bar to get their complimentary drinks from a special KOOL VIP alcoholic beverage menu. Some mingled with other KOOL VIPs, while some of the gentlemen enjoyed eating a variety of fruit off of R.J. Reynolds’ Human Buffet—a young, Black, twenty-four-year-old female model. Other VIPs relaxed on the lounge’s plush seating and stared at two large KOOL banners while they listened to KOOL’s special guest DJ mix a variety of hip hop and R&B.

While relaxing, KOOL VIPs were invited to enter a sweepstakes to win Robin Thicke Valentines’ “Lost Without You” Chocolates & Music Pack. It wasn’t surprising that R.J. Reynolds chose to promote Robin Thicke, a twenty-nine-year-old R&B and neo-soul artist who hit the music scene in 2002, because KOOL sponsored the “Stereo After Party” for John Mayer and Robin Thicke in New York City on February 28, 2007.

As the VIP lounge quickly filled with smoke, Wright and her associate excused themselves. The only separation between the KOOL lounge (where smoking was allowed) and the remainder of the club (where smoking was “prohibited”) was a thin, sheer curtain.

Although R.J. Reynolds’ HoReCa managers strictly monitored age before offering free samples, the KOOL-filled vending machine positioned between the ladies’ and gentlemen’s restrooms did not. Normally, the old and dusty, probably never-used vending machine featuring overpriced cigarettes would not be noticeable in the small, dark corner of the nonsmoking venue. However, on that night, there was a large banner displayed directly next to it. It was also reported that the restroom attendant in the men’s restroom was selling KOOL cigarettes for six dollars, which presumably came from the vending machine stock, also priced at six dollars. Vending machines and self-service sales are restricted except in places not open to those under 18 years of age—another reason that nightclubs contracted and sponsored by tobacco companies should strictly monitor age.

The combination of cigarettes sold in the men’s room, the KOOL VIP lounge clearly aimed more to the fellas than the ladies (with the half nude Human Buffet on display), and the KOOL XL signs featuring a young, Black man enjoying a cigarette, made the target of this event evident: young, professional Black men.

R.J. Reynolds also targeted young women with subliminal messaging—a method tobacco companies are infamous for utilizing. Although KOOL’s South Beach Flyer (bottom left) and R.J. Reynolds’ Human Buffet (bottom right) did not feature KOOL’s name or logo, they were both saying much more than just “Happy Valentines Day.” At this event, R.J. Reynolds used a slick approach to promote Camel No. 9, Camel’s most recently-launched brand style that evidently appeals to young women.

Below you’ll see an advertisement for Camel No. 9 and a magnified view of the Human Buffet’s midsection. Please note that the Camel No. 9 advertisement reads, “This lusciously smooth smoke is so good you’ve got to taste it to believe it.” It’s no surprise that RJ Reynolds incorporated this “sensational” brand on a young female Human Buffet piled with fruit.

Two things to note with RJR’s subliminal messaging: COLOR ASSOCIATION AND DESIGN. 

To download NAATPN’s Tobacco Event Survey with more details and photos from this event, please click here.