In America, cigarette packs will soon come with graphic health warnings. That's nothing. In Europe, they already have those health warnings; and now, they want to totally ban branded cigarette packaging. But what about the tragic destruction of coolness?

Tobacco companies are hollering about trademark violations, counterfeiting, and downright unfairness of the EU's proposal for cigarette packs that "carry nothing more than a health warning and the name of the brand, both in a standardized format with a specified typeface." They worked hard on making those packs as attractive as possible!

Imperial Tobacco, manufacturer of cigarette brands including Davidoff, JPS, Gitanes and Gauloises Blondes, called plain packs "unnecessary, unreasonable and unjustified." In a statement the company said, "Governments that consider introducing plain packaging risk breaching a range of legal and treaty obligations relating to intellectual property rights, international trade and European Union law."

Try pulling American exchange student girls now, Frenchie, with your plain-typeface "Gauloises Blondes" on white background. Not gonna happen. Jesus, why even smoke at all?

[Ad Age. Pic: Shutterstock]