Big Tobacco would NEVER try to appeal to kids

[cbohar84]

Soon Dora the Explorer will be selling Newports XD

[UnseenAGT]

As much as I hate capitalism in this country, dont you wish you could live in the day when you could see cigarette commercials on TV instead of anti-smoking commercials? The tobacco companies atleast understand habits especially the legal ones that half of the country is trying to get rid of. We are bombarded with public service ads from the government- who wants you to obey, not enjoy yourself. Id rather be brainwashed by the cig companies who atleast want me to die buzzed on nicotine

[ThePowerWithinMe]

@UnseenAGT I know, right? I would rather be a brain dead consumer than have to use my mind for anything constructive. If only there was a device where when I watched TV I could watch only what I wanted to watch and then skip past all the propaganda and brainwashing instead of having to choose between the lesser of two evils. You figured a way to beat the system though. Brainwash me so I don't have to think for myself..... PURE GENIUS.

[bigmigs94]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[8th2009]

smoking was classy back then

[ThePowerWithinMe]

@8th2009 Life is filled with propaganda with people much smarter than the average consumer.

[TheMrpopo1997]

did they use flintstones to light the cigs?

[jamiecranton]

i smoked during this

[Cubivore10]

Because Kids love to watch Honeymooner parodies.

[fromthesidelines]

The main reason, according to Joe Barbera, that R.J. Reynolds agreed to co-sponsor "THE FLINTSTONES" in the fall of 1960 (with Miles Laboratories) was because the previous series they sustained on ABC's Friday night schedule the season before- "THE MAN FROM BLACKHAWK", starring Robert Rockwell- was considered by some to be an extremely violent Western, and the sponsors wanted a non-violent, "family-friendly" program to sustain.

[fromthesidelines]

All of the major tobacco companies aimed their commercials at adult (and some teen) smokers, 'corebare', NOT CHILDREN- but there was an intense amount of concern in the mid-'60s that cigarette advertisers were sponsoring programs that had more kids watching than older family members, and they didn't want that kind of scrutiny over them. So they agreed, after 1967, NOT to buy ad time on programs that had more kids watching than teens and adults [preferrably those shown before 9pm(et)].

[tomanyasses]

no fast food would never appeal to kids or corrupt books in school would never talk crap

[NyBob85]

People fail to realize that just because a show is animated doesn't necessarily mean it's geared towards children. The Flintstones was simply The Simpsons of its generation - it was generally family-friendly but a lot of the humor was intended for adults. This looks bad out of context but tobacco was simply part of everyday life back then. When everybody has brain cancer fifty years from now people will look back on our ubiquitous cell phone commercials with the same disgust.

[fromthesidelines]

After they dropped their sponsorship of "THE FLINTSTONES", Winston co-sponsored "THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES", from 1962 through '67 (and the cast often appeared in "integrated commercials" for Winston at the end of their episodes as well): they withdrew their ad support after the 1966-'67 season because the big tobacco companies agreed they weren't going to sponsor any series that had more kids watching than adults.

[corebare]

@fromthesidelines - Oh, so they had morals then? Right up until they started the Joe Camel cartoon campaign in the 80's right? Give me a break.

[satinsguard]

I still can't believe this is real.

[tubeboob999]

#

Plasmawarrior has got to be a moron.

It was no accident they were a hit with kids. There was no sophisticated humor as in some other cartoons. And the producers had other purely kids cartoon shows.

By the way, have you ever looked closely at the head, cheeks, and nose of the Camel cigarette cartoon figure? Tell me which part of the male anatomy you think it represents?

[hotwlmf]

Wait, I was a kid in the 60s and 70s and it always (per Plasmawarrior's comments) felt like "The Flintstones" were directly marketed to kids.

[bretwashere]

The ad is sexist as well... It would have been interesting to live in that time...

[ridgerunner721601]

@bretwashere It sure was better than in these politically correct times where just about everything is looked upon as being sexist, racist, homophobic, etc, etc, etc.

[Plasmawarrior]

I hate to say this, but The Flinstones were never really geared for kids. It was only by chance that this cartoon became a kid's hit later in the 80s and 90s.

[6sixpounder6]

yeah, you're pretty much right on that one, i mean if this were spongebob it would be a different story

[danihj86]

Daaaamn.

[bello787878]

yea but there werent many laws in place at that time regulating tobacco at that time. my dad who graduated high school in 76 told me that u could buy tobacco products even if u werent 18. he also told me that between class breaks u could go to a designated smoking section outside of the school for a smoke break.

[fromthesidelines]

This "integrated commercial" was usually shown at the end of several episodes during the 1961-'62 season, 'sarad'.

[sarad213]

what year did this come out??? i haven't seen a cigarette advertisement since i can remember and i am 30 so give em a break, damn! and the flintstones was more for adults, my parents watched it!!!!

[fromthesidelines]

R.J. Reynolds {Winston} co-sponsored the first two seasons of the show (1960-'62); and because the tradition was for the stars of the show to deliver an "integrated commercial" for their sponsor at the end of the episode, "THE FLINTSTONES" (which was originally touted as an "adult cartoon") was no exception.

[Durethia]

This is true. People fail to realize, cartoons were never initially intended for children but adults. This holds true, to an almost unbelievable time frame of television history. Disney, for example, target audience was adults, not children; which might explain such deep rooted practices such as all the blatant sexual inuendos found in many Disney movies to this day such as Pirates of the Caribean series.

[Undetermined1986]

Then what WAS intended for kids?

[bgposton]

@Durethia YES I AGREE..NOT THE TOBACCO COMPANIES FAULT..IT IS CHOICE

[Jackattack20011]

Thats awful

[retrotvluver]

"Winston Tastes Good Like A Cigarette Should, isn't that right little Pebbley-Poo?"

"(Cough) Goo-Goo! Gha-(cough-cough) Gha!"

[jamescase13]

No they knew kids watched this, it was aired at 8pm on a weeknight, come on.

[jimcabtv]

That's pretty fucked up!

[fairwind222]

What most people forget is The Flintstones did not start out as a kid's cartoon. It was aimed at the adult audience, so its pretty logical they would be marketing a product - to adults.

[mjoh5679]

yeah ok and so is south park but who watches that

[calledoz12]

Marlboro tastes chemical and i consider them pretty white trash.

[arabgoat]

lol,

"i hate to see them doing all the work"

"lets go back to where we can't see them"

i love the flintstones, and if they're smokin winstons i should too!

[valo567]

Winstons taste like shit! Marlboros for the win!

[Sparisi1122]

Marlboros all the way.

[ddisdead]

winston takes good like a cigarette should. yeah!

[HalfCupOfJoe]

You know what bugs me about this? I saw all kinds of tobacco ads when I was a kid and I STILL never smoked. You know why? I used my brain and my own will-power and CHOSE not to smoke. Weak dumbasses like to use commercials and whatever else as an excuse for their children or themselves taking up smoking -- get over it. It's all about choice. Just say no, genius.

[Babyloff]

That would work in an ideal world. Unfortunately, most people in the US are naive, gullible, weak-willed, and easily influenced by advertising/propaganda.

[Jarbizu800]

Most people in the WORLD are influenced by advertising/propaganda, not just Americans. But I must say we (Americans) are pretty bad, maybe some of the worst when it comes to that kind of stuff.

[thasaltonsea]

@HalfCupOfJoe lol your name is about coffee, how strong-willed are you dumbass?

[ronaldhalabi7]

Mmmm... Winston. (cough-cough!)

[JugglinJuggaloJuggla]

anybody even remember the last time they saw a cigarette ad on tv?

[csmgj]

No, but I still see beer ads. Granted I love beer, but I'm sure there have been more under 40 deaths from alcohol related accidents than from cigarettes. Not to worry though, I'm sure our loving gov't is working right now to ban all our freedoms. After all, it's for our good.

[Lesrevesdhiver]

That was cool.

[SENBIE]

I never thought that the Flinstones would do advertisements like smoke ads!

[sim7396]

True. It was shown at night, and the stories were meant for adults: marital problems, job issues. It was just an animated sitcom, some think it was a sort of hommage to The Honeymooners. Not a kid's show. Back in the 60s, kids would be in bed by 8pm. Today, tobacco ads may be banned from TV, but kids stay up until really late.

[RNHurt]

Actually, The Flintstones were not supposed to be for kids. It was aired during prime time and positioned for adult audiences. Only recently has it been re-targeted for kiddies. :)

[michamus]

RNHurt is absolutely right. Funny how most this anti-tobacco stuff is posted by kids.

[anbe2801]

great film