On a recent hot sunny day in Southern California I heard the siren song of an ice-cream truck. My little grom and I ran to chase the van/truck/delivery vehicle and grab some ice cream. The big sweaty man in the drivers seat did not disappoint. You know how when you were a little kid you gazed upon the guy who seemed to have the coolest job in the world and how as you got older that job has slowly turned into what seems liked a dreadful existence for that employee? Hey…Ice Cream Man!! I wonder if the Ice Cream Man knows the man who dressed up as the overweight Spiderman at the community event. I digress.

Back to my thought(s)…

Staring at the dizzying array of crazy colors and shapes available for sale by the sweaty obese ice cream man, something caught my eye….candy cigarettes.

A company still makes these?!? Does the government know this?!? Sure, I chain smoked candy cigarettes as a kid, but then again,  my dad drove around with no seatbelts smoking a grit in one hand, vodka soda in the other, and me on his lap pretending to steer the car. Times have changed, or so I thought. To use the overdone “period” thing that marketers are using these days:  Holy.Crap.Candy.Cigarettes.  In one sense, it’s great. It makes me nostalgic for the old days when a kids access to naked ladies was National Geographic or your friends dads playboy collection stuffed behind his Stroh’s Beer car in the garage (too specific?).

Speaking of old the days, during my deep investigative journalism for this story I read that R.J. Reynolds put out Twista Lime, Kauai Kolada and Warm Winter Toffee as part of its Camel Exotic Blends. Tasty.

How does this relate to marketing and this blog you ask? I have a strange feeling that if we dug deep into genealogy of the maker of these cigarettes, World Candies, we would find that the business, through several holding companies, DBA’s, partnerships, license agreements, etc. is owned by one of the big tobacco companies – much like GE and the Sheinhardt Wig Company as portrayed on 30 Rock.

Just check out what’s new from Camel – the Orb. They come in mint and caramel flavors and look like the candies that come out of a PEZ-type dispenser. … Rather than the traditional smokeless tin that leaves a noticeable ‘ring’ in one’s back pocket, these products look like cell phones in a student’s pocket. Brand extension to a new younger demo!

This opens up a whole new channel for other not-really-appropriately-kid-friendly but made to look kid friendly products! What are you waiting for Jack Daniels – the kids want drinky!

For more insights….visit www.forsenorse.com