Octagon First Call

14-time Olympic Gold Medalist (and 8x winner in Beijing) Michael Phelps appeared just moments ago on ABC’s The View promoting his partnership with the language company, Rosetta Stone. We found a few things compelling about the interview.

First of all, how Phelps and his team have been able to selectively agree to national media opportunities (and spread them out) so that each of his sponsors are able to activate their partnerships and number two (and more importantly), how willing Whoopi was to talk about Rosetta Stone.

Publicists are always looking for national shows in which corporate plugs are OK. And this one, was a real win for Rosetta Stone and their PR agency. Whoopi held up the product, asked Michael about it and then held it up again at the end of the interview. Barbara Walters then announced that everyone in the audience was receiving a few Rosetta Stone set of CD’s too (and they showed the product again).

It’s tough enough to organically get a product plug in, so when you can do it and have it shown on TV three different times during the interview, let’s just say, it’s pretty special.

Well done Rosetta Stone publicists.

Think Pink Continued…
Talk show hosts aren’t the only people raising breast cancer awareness this month.  Breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow is raising money through the sales of her Bootheel Trading Co. clothing line.  10% of the proceeds will go to the Revlon/ UCLA Breast Center and the Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program.  Crow also partnered with Yoplait for their Save Lids to Save Lives program, by hosting a private concert in Los Angeles.  For every pink lid donated at the concert, the brand gave $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and for every lid mailed to Yoplait through December 31st, the brand will donate $.10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Sales of Amy Grant’s new single, She Colors My Day, will go to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund.  Mariah Carey will be celebrating the launch of her new fragrance by issuing a challenge for her fans to design a luscious pink dress for her.  The three winning dress designs will be produced — one for Mariah to wear, one for the winner and one to be auctioned off for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Breast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge is joining Hard Rock International to launch Pinktober, Hard Rock’s 9th annual breast cancer awareness campaign.  Melanie Brown of the Spice Girls is teaming up with the Jell-O, Cool Whip and Philadelphia brands to design limited edition t-shirts with proceeds benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  To learn more, visit http://www.kraftbrands.com/poseforthecure/.  With an extremely original tactic, Katy Perry will have a mold of her breasts created to be auctioned off for the Keep a Breast Foundation.

Boundless Energy
OutKast rapper Big Boi has signed on to be the new face of Coca-Cola’s Full Throttle Fury energy drink.  The drink is the official sponsor of both the record release parties and promotional tour for his new solo album, Sir Luscious Left Foot: Son of Chico Dusty, on shelves today.  Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens will be endorsing Dr. Pepper Snapple Group’s (DPSG) Venom energy drink.  Owens will be part of the brand’s marketing and promotional campaign, which includes attendance at sponsored events and presence on in-store merchandising materials.  DPSG will also donate money to Owens’ Catch a Dream foundation for every bottle of Venom energy drink sold through March 2009.  The always energetic Richard Simmons is appearing in Yoplait yogurt commercials to promote their low calorie flavors such as Key Lime Pie, Boston Cream Pie and Strawberry Shortcake.  Check out the spot here http://adsoftheworld.com/media/tv/yoplait_richard_simmons.   Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is the spokeswoman for a nationwide casting call to find five young ambassadors who will deliver gifts to patients in children’s hospitals this holiday season  as a part of Duracell’s “Power A Smile” promotion. 

Lap of Luxury
At the age of 72, Sean Connery is appearing in print advertisements for fashion house Louis Vuitton, set to launch before the November release of the latest Bond installment, Quantum of Solace.  Fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier has teamed up with Evian to make two exclusive creations for the company in 2009, the Evain Pret-a-Porter Bottle and the Evian Haute Couture Bottle.  Only seven of the Haute Couture Bottles will be released worldwide, and a few will be exhibited at select locations around the globe.  Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has signed a global development partnership deal with Dubai’s UAE Leisurecorp, which will see him design kitchens in homes and open his first two restaurants in the Middle East, both in the Water neighborhood of Jumeirah Golf Estates.

As the temperatures drop and the leaves continue to change colors, the holiday season is rapidly approaching. With the current economic crisis, Americans are expected to spend less during the traditionally extravagant season. Yet, companies still depend on the boost in sales to meet projections. Companies will have to work harder than ever to appeal to consumers and make their brand visible and appear worthwhile.

Some companies may consider using a media-friendly personality to break through the holiday clutter and increase brand visibility. Giuliana Rancic, for example, has the ability to increase brand awareness and influence consumers during the holiday season. As the host and managing editor of E! Entertainment News and the red-carpet correspondent for award shows, she is an expert in the entertainment industry. With the award season just around the corner, she will certainly be on a number of TV shows (in addition to her daily hosting responsibilities for E! News) with the ability to reach a large audience with brand messages.  She would be a great face to represent a fashion or beauty product for the holiday season.

Thanks to the popularity of Disney’s High School Musical series, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Corbin Bleu have all become household names in the past few years. In the newest film, which hits theaters today, three fresh faces appear alongside the original cast in the halls of East High School. These new stars have the opportunity to win the hearts of HSM fans and carry the franchise into the future. The rising stars will only get bigger and will likely be idolized by kids, tweens, teens and beyond- presenting a perfect opportunity for brands to capitalize on.

Matt Prokop will play the jock and musician, Jimmie “The Rocket Man” Zara… similar to a sophomore version of Troy Bolton. With a personal passion for soccer and his character’s singing and dancing abilities, it would be interesting to see him endorse a sports or Dance Dance Revolution-type of video game.

Jemma McKenzie-Brown will act as Sharpay’s personal assistant in HSM3, catering to her many high maintenance needs.  Since she’ll be associated with everything glamorous, Jemma would be a nice fit for a personal care product targeted to teens, such as hair care or body spray.

Justin Martin will be playing the role of Donny Dion, comparable to Corbin Bleu’s character. As a self-proclaimed shoe fanatic, he makes sense to endorse a lifestyle shoe or fashion brand.

It’s essential to remember that youth often do not separate the actors from the characters they play. Therefore, you must find a way to connect both the character’s and actor’s image to the brand that they are endorsing. These fresh faces present a unique opportunity for brands to reach a captive, youthful audience with a message.

Time and time again, celebrity spokespeople have proven to be an effective tactic for marketing/advertising/PR campaigns. Benefits of using celebrities include increased awareness, product differentiation, brand preference and a goodwill association. While you may think, “the bigger the name, the better the spokesperson” it is not always true.

Many factors affect the success of a celebrity spokesperson. Brand fit, campaign goals and target demographics must all be considered when choosing a celeb. Moreover, you must consider the celebrity’s image and also assets that they can potentially bring to the table.

For instance, Gwyneth Paltrow recently launched a new lifestyle website, GOOP. The site offers advice on how to Make, Go, Get, Do, Be and See like her. More importantly, fans sign up to receive a weekly newsletter of tips and ideas from Gwyneth. If a brand engages Paltrow in a campaign, the newsletter and database would serve as a great platform to reach out to Gwyneth’s trusted fans. It’s a perfect move to focus on a targeted demographic as well as reach potential new customers. Coupled with the fact that Paltrow is also relevant due to her role on the new PBS 13-part series Spain… on the Road Again (where she joins Mario Batali on a journey to sample food around Spain), Paltrow could be a home run for the correct campaign.

We’ll see if any brand capitalizes on the opportunity…

Not only has Dubai shocked the rest of the world with its indoor skiing resort and manmade islands with housing developments, but now it has turned to a new outlet to become the biggest and the best: celebrities.  The newest and most intriguing development on the Dubai scene is the recently formed partnership between Leisurecorp and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.  This culinary partnership marks the most extensive partnership deal between a real estate developer and a chef.  The deal includes home kitchens designed by Oliver for the first time ever, the opening of two restaurants by Oliver in the Water neighborhood, and the Middle East’s first “Kitchen Library”. 

The kitchens, which Jamie has partnered with luxury brand Poggenpohl to create, will feature top of the line appliances by Miele as well as chef necessary features.  Oliver’s restaurants will be the first international location of his signature Italian restaurant, Jamie’s Italian, and a new BBQ restaurant concept that has yet to be named.  In this same Water development, residents will also enjoy other celebrity ventures such as the championship golf course designed by Vijay Singh and The Chris Evert Tennis Centre.  Dubai, with its futuristic concepts and previously unfathomable designs, has a made a name for itself as the new playground for the rich and the famous.  Offering tax-free earnings and year-round sunshine, Dubai’s main focus has been based on tourism and attracting foreigners to move to the emirate.  Celebrities have been snatching up real estate on the man-made island developments of The World and The Palm Islands with recent reports of real estate purchases by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, David and Victoria Beckham, and Hillary Swank.

Within the past year, A-list stars such as Tiger Woods, Brad Pitt, Boris Becker, Giorgio Armani, and Hillary Swank have all contributed to the development of Dubai.  Tiger Woods has created The Tiger Woods Dubai, a private residential community and resort that will feature the world’s first golf course designed by Tiger Woods.  Brad Pitt has partnered up with an L.A. based architecture firm to design a five-star, environmentally-friendly, hotel complex in Dubai.  Boris Becker has partnered with ACI to launch the Boris Becker Business Tower, while Giorgio Armani has decided to launch a line of Armani Hotels, with the first one being opened in what will be the tallest commercial and residential building in the world, the Burj Dubai.  Hillary Swank has signed on as the face to launch Aquiatainia, one of the most exclusive projects in Dubai to date, located in the archipelago cluster called “The World”.  Dubai has linked themselves to not only the top developers and brands, but has now succeeded in linking themselves to the top celebrities.

Cal Ripken Jr. retired more than eight years ago, yet he still is the most marketed baseball player in this country and one of the top overall athletes used in advertising programs.

Besides his playing statistics and World Series ring, Ripken is best known for his consecutive games streak of 2, 632 (breaking Lou Gehrig’s record of 2,130).

But what keeps him ticking in 2008?

It’s simple. Holiday Inn and Pacman Jones, right?

Let’s start with Pacman. Driving in this morning, I heard Cal Ripken’s name mentioned on three sports radio stations (satellite and commercial). All were used in comparison’s to Jones suspension again in the NFL last night. Anytime Jones, steroids or anything negative takes place in the world of sports, Ripken’s name surfaces. It helps him and companies really like that.

And Holiday Inn? If you read USA Today, like most brand managers and marketers, you’ll see that Holiday Inn runs a daily ad in sports featuring Cal. He is the athlete in the world guaranteed to be in the sports section every day (and he hasn’t swung a bat in eight years). It reinforces his awareness levels.

And in this morning’s USA Today A Section, there is a new ad for Cal and State Farm insurance promoting National Teen Driver Safety Week. The ad drives people to State Farm’s program website.

He has also been in-studio for TBS’ playoff coverage the past few weeks.

PS — There are only two celebrity/corporate ads/endorsements in USA Today’s 36 pages this morning and both with Cal (State Farm and Holiday Inn).

It’s no surprise that celebrities have been endorsing political candidates throughout this election year. But Sara Lee is putting a new spin on celebrity presidential endorsements.  The deli company has recently teamed up with Chef Louis Eguaras, the former White House Chef and current owner of Presidential Culinary Services to create campaign-inspired sandwiches.

The Chef has developed special campaign recipes (available at Sara Lee’s website), gives ‘Presidential Tips’ for sandwich making and lends a credible voice on happenings inside the White House. The campaign celebrates National Sandwich Day - which just happens to be November 3^rd (the eve of the 2008 presidential election).  

A great move by Sara Lee to capitalize on the election year excitement with a credible, relevant spokesperson and without becoming involved in all of the current mudslinging.

Now more than ever, tweens are reshaping the celebrity landscape.  With High School Musical 3 hitting theaters at the end of this month, the use of tweens in advertising and marketing campaigns is hitting a fever pitch. Several brands are looking to capitalize on the buzz surrounding the newest installment in the HSM series.

Honda recently signed on as the exclusive automotive sponsor of High School Musical 3: Senior Year. The co-branded campaign features members from the teen cast in TV and radio spots, print and online ads, and a microsite. The campaign also offers a sweepstakes with winners receiving autographed pieces from the HSM3 set as well as a 2009 Honda Odyssey. The cast can also be seen promoting Sara Lee’s Soft &Smooth brand in TV ads, point-of-sale-materials, PR, a HSM microsite, movie theater events and a consumer sweepstakes contest.

Tweens have now broken into the Broadway scene as the new musical “13″ opened on Sunday. The show speaks directly to its tween target demo with an entire cast and onstage band of teenagers. Look for these performers to start appearing in more mainstream tween entities.

And, these young stars are savvy about their images, many of them already linked to a cause or charity. Just this past weekend, many of the biggest tween stars attended ‘Target Presents Variety’s Power of Youth’ event supporting St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Selena Gomez, Taylor Lautner, Miranda Cosgrove, Victoria Justice, Mitchel Musso, Brenda Song and Moises Arias (among others) were all in attendance.

Publicist Kristian Laliberte nailed it when she stated that “they’re the new influencers”. Today’s youth are hit with an overwhelming amount of media from all angles-TV, internet, cell phones, video games, blogs and more. Moreover, they have relatively large dispensable incomes and they’re looking to people they can relate to (ie: tween stars) for ideas on where to spend.  It is tweens’ media savvy combined with their purchasing power that enables them to influence marketing campaigns of popular products and brands.

Two-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor was forced out of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) competition because of a ruptured Achilles tendon (which happened in rehearsals last Friday).

DWTS has built and rebuilt celebrities over the past few years including Lisa Rinna, Mario Lopez, Joey Fatone, Emmitt Smith and Jennie Garth.

So what does this injury mean for Misty’s marketability? It helps her!

With this year’s talent pool, she was not going to win the show and now ABC (and the star-hungry LA media pool) will track her surgery and recovery (including have her back on air next year when she is healthy). This long term attention will outweigh her being knocked out of the competition.

Also, in post-Olympic media interviews, she talked about starting a family in advance of the 2012 Games. And with the attention that this summer’s NBC Olympics in Beijing got (and her success with Kerri Walsh), I guarantee she will be endorsing mom/baby-type products (if she is able to get pregnant) in the next few years. Also, it wouldn’t surprise me if a physical therapy-type product aligns with her.

We’ll track this one and keep you posted.

PS — The most marketable person on this season’s show is clearly Brooke Burke.