Avon Hits Grand Slam Signing Williams Sisters As Spokesmodels
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams embody the relationship focus of Avon's direct-sell business, the company said after signing the athletes as spokesmodels in a three-year global agreement Dec. 15.
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Tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams embody the relationship focus of Avon's direct-sell business, the company said after signing the athletes as spokesmodels in a three-year global agreement Dec. 15. The Williams have "that special sister relationship on and off the court," the company said. "They have the images of drive and success...that goes with being a model for thousands of women across the world." Venus and Serena also are representative of Avon's global strategy because the two have "wonderfully universal appeal," the company added. The women will appear in TV and print advertising for Avon's "Let's Talk" campaign, as well as in collateral material, brochures and on the company's Web site. In addition, Venus and Serena will make personal appearances on behalf of the company, including at the annual National Representative Convention. Avon launched "Let's Talk," its first global advertising campaign, in March using models who exemplify every day women (1 (Also see "Avon Marketing Spend Set At $110 Mil. For 2000; "Let's Talk" Ads To Break" - HBW Insight, 13 Dec, 1999.)). Now, Avon is looking to take the campaign to "the next level." Aside from celebrity ads during the 1986 Olympics, the firm has never before used celebrity spokesmodels. The sisters symbolize "another whole level of awareness and appeal to consumers," Avon said. Ads featuring the athletes are slated to break in first quarter 2001. Although creative details have not been finalized, the ads will show Venus and Serena together coupled with Avon's "Let's Talk" tagline. The sisters also will promote Avon's new wellness and nutritional supplement line because they both possess a "high level of physical awareness" coupled with a "healthy attitude and healthy perspective," Avon said. The wellness line will debut in second quarter 2001 (2 (Also see "Avon Wellness Bath/Body Line To Accompany Dietary Supplement Debut" - HBW Insight, 20 Nov, 2000.)). Venus Williams is the 2000 Wimbledon and U.S. Open singles champion and a gold medallist in the 2000 Olympics, while Serena Williams also won an Olympic gold medal and is the 1999 U.S. Open singles champion. |