The second largest cigarette maker in the world is making some waves in the art market. British American Tobacco (BTI) sold several paintings last night at a Sotheby's (BID) auction in the Netherlands, picking up $18.5 million last night. This contributed to a record night for the auction firm's Netherlands office.

Previously known as the Peter Stuyvesant Collection, the BATartventure Collection includes more than 1,400 pieces and doubled the upper end of its presale estimate, yet another sign that strength is returning to the art market this year – after a year and a half of agony.

Camel, which is an R.J. Reynolds Tobacco company, which is owned by Reynolds American Inc (NYSE: RAI), has a new brand of cigarettes out -- Camel No. 9 -- which are targeted at the adult female audience.

I was blissfully unaware of the new brand, being a male non-smoker. However, thanks to a bit of negative press, I am now conscious of Reynold's "cynical ploy" to lure young females to the world of smoking. Fortunately for Reynold's, so are a host of young women that read the newspaper, because while I may not be intrigued by a cigarette that is "chic, a little European, maybe a little Sex in the City," I am willing to bet more of the girls that read that article will be than not. It is a classic case of the effectiveness of negative publicity.

The worst part is that I am only increasing the new brand's awareness with each keystroke. But I digress.

The bottom line is that no matter how many times America's youth is warned about the dangers of cancer from smoking, it will fall on deaf ears that only read the words "chic," "sleek" and "sophisticated" from the very same negative article. And that spells profit for tobacco companies such as Reynolds America.