Before the rumors of smoking and health became reality, people smoked cigarettes for a number of reasons. Some reasons for smoking were cigarettes assisted in the digestion of food; cigarettes helped the smoker to relax; and it was fashionable to smoke. Since there were so many brands to choose from in the late 1940's, smokers wondered what brand the doctors recommended over the others. They got their answer on NBC's MYSTERY IN THE AIR.

Announcer Michael Roy stated that three independent research organizations conducted a nationwide poll with doctors, surgeons, and specialists in every branch of medicine. 113,597 doctors in all participated in this poll. The brand of cigarette the doctors named most often was Camel.

To prove it was worthy of the doctors' recommendation, Camel introduced the "T-Zone." In all honesty, every human being, smoker and non-smoker alike, has a T-Zone-- although they never knew it was named as such. Most people would call it their mouth and throat. For those people who smoked, the T-Zone was very important. It was the proving ground as to what cigarette provided the combination of good taste and a smooth smoke. Since more doctors recommended Camels for this very reason, it made a lot of sense for the people to take the doctors' advice and smoke Camels as well.

The doctors' recommendation of Camels lasted until the early 1950's--- when the first rumblings about smoking and heath were beginning to surface. It was only a matter of time before the doctors, who originally recommended Camel, began to publicly distance themselves from any positive advertising for Camel and any other cigarette brand.

In conclusion, this advertising was a sign of the times. Today, it is a combination of both laughable nonsense and an appalling misrepresentation.