Despite an effort to get the campaign dropped, R.J. Reynolds has now officially brought their Williamsburg-branded Camels to consumers. One smoker at the Brooklyn Paper procured a pack, noting there's nothing different in the taste; that's right, these cigs don't taste like a "last call, a sloppy kiss goodbye" or "a solo saunter to a rock show in an abandoned building." Unless those things taste like Benzene, Formaldehyde, Ammonia, and... actually, it's entirely possible a rock show at an abandoned building could taste like that. more ›

Camel's new Williamsburg cigarettes aren't even in stores until January, and they're already causing a stink. The tobacco company R.J. Reynolds is paying homage to the neighborhood as part of some new campaign targeting hip, young creatives who want to be on the fast track to killing themselves. So edgy! more ›

The tobacco industry has had many targets over the year, and their latest: The Hipster. Sorry, young creatives. Whether you live in Williamsburg, or aspire to, their latest campaign is aimed to get you smoking their cigs. Wait, what, why? Well, company spokesman David Howard says, "We believe that [Williamsburg] represents a lot of the belief of the Camel brand. It helps illustrate the break-free attitude that Camel is about, breaking free to be your own person." He's right. When we suck down a pack of Camel-branded cigarettes all we can think about is how it's like we're on our own personal L train to an early grave. Breakin' free, y'all! more ›

The Camel advertising team has clearly been watching a lot of Mad Men, and is trying so hard (too hard? not hard enough?) to get that thing that Don Draper has. This is actual real-life ad copy for the Williamsburg brand cigarette the company has put out (oh and by the way, there is a Williamsburg brand cigarette, more on that in a sec—first, here's what it's about): “It’s about last call, a sloppy kiss goodbye and a solo saunter to a rock show in an abandoned building... It’s where a tree grows.” As the hipster forefathers would say: alluding to trees growing in Brooklyn is so over. more ›

At first, it seemed like budgetary reasons would prevent El Museo del Barrio from having three camels—as well as sheep—for its 32nd Annual Three Kings Day Parade. Renting the animals would have cost $3,500, money the museum decided would better be put towards programming. But in a New Year's miracle, WCBS 880 reports the city's Office of Immigrant Affairs "secured a donation from Atlantis Management Group, which develops gas stations and Dunkin' Donuts shops," which has helped bring the baa back into the parade. Residents also chipped in for the rental fee to make sure the kings get to bring the gold, frankincense and myrrh in style. The Three Kings Day Parade starts at 11 a.m. at 106th Street & Third Avenue; the route goes up Third, across 116th, down Lexington and will ultimately end 115th & Park (PDF with details). more ›