Octagon First Call

Kathy Kaehler stays busy - in addition to workouts with celeb clients including Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Kim Kardashian, Kathy has a robust list of commercial clients who use her for her spokesperson services. Ragu, Hanes and Propel have all partnered with Kathy to tap into her expertise, creating content and booking interviews with her to share their brand messaging to a health conscious consumer.

Recently, Nissan teamed up with the long time Today Show fitness correspondent to promote the launch of their new website www.mastertheshift.com, straight from the press release:

The centerpiece of the program is four elite athletes and professional trainers - or “Masters” - Alberto Salazar, Hall of Fame marathon runner, coach, Nike Oregon Project; Chris Carmichael, former Olympian, best-selling author and trainer to Lance Armstrong; Kathy Kaehler, Celebrity Fitness Trainer; and Laird Hamilton, big wave surfer, master of crossover board sports, pioneer of tow-in surfing and TV Host.

These “Masters” will be featured in an ongoing print and online campaign in Rodale brands including Runner’s World, Running Times, Bicycling, Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Best Life. Rodale will create a custom website, mastertheshift.com, featuring the training philosophies of each “Master” via webisodes and training videos. The site will have weekly sweepstakes, events listings, and enhanced tools and social features.

An influencer like Kathy may not have the same type of platform to build her personal brand that a Hollywood celebrity enjoys (Movies, TV shows, etc.). She’s done well to face this challenge, staying fresh by creating new content often (as an author, an expert and an endorser) and relevant by making good decisions on where her content can be accessed (the right TV shows, magazines and high quality brands). This careful selection of high quality commercial partners benefits the brands in her camp, never diluting the product (her personal brand) with excessive or poorly chosen exposure. Always something to consider in a spokesperson, the previous endorsement deals they have done, Kathy is a good example of a spokesperson who has an eye on quality in the companies she keeps.

Actor Josh Holloway is known for two things; his modeling years and starring as James Ford aka Sawyer on ABC’s LOST primetime series. USA Today profiles Holloway today in advance of the series finale this Thursday.

He stars in ads for Davidoff’s Cool Water cologne. While he has been a spokesperson globally for more than a year, this will be the first execution shown in the U.S. His last ad that ran in UK was ranked in the top 20 of the most sexiest ads ever broadcast in Great Britain (he dives off a cliff half naked).

He also is a pitch man Magnum Ice Cream in the country of Turkey. Previous spokespeople for the brand include Eva Longoria and Elisabeth Hurley.

Holloway’s interests include boating, sailing, snowboarding, motocross, martial arts and other active/lifestyle activities. It won’t be long before he creates his own apparel line or promotes some of these activities. He is very similar to Laird Hamilton who has done the exact same thing.

PS — Lost is on ABC, 9:00pm ET/PT.

olloway’s interests include boating, sailing, snowboarding, martial arts, motocross and playing the guitar. On a Channel 4 trailer that aired

An interesting one today. We had the National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) and their spokesperson Steven Raichlen in my backyard filming grilling videos. The safety tips (cooking burgers to 160 degrees) will be used in online websiodes and upcoming public relations and media materials

The NCBA partnership is timed with Raichlen’s book release and tour (Raichlen has written more than 25 books). Raichlen will travel the country promoting the book and in doing so, share the Association’s beef safety message.

In addition to the Tour, the NCBA will be part of Raichlen’s annual BBQ University next June. And look for his new TV show on PBS.

Another example of an Association using an EXPERT and not just a celebrity face.

We’ll attach photos and video shortly.

Stylists and designers are getting more and more corporate gigs; spokesperson work, reality judging and personal appearances. And June Ambrose could be the next big one.

She is a designer and stylist to the stars and is now making her reality show debut on MTV’s Rock the Cradle as the style/image judge. The show features children of nine superstar musicians as they compete against one another to determine who has what it takes to be the next rock star.

She has spent her career styling Kelly Ripa, Mary J Blige, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Diddy, Fantasia and more. A little more than a year ago, she also released a book, Effortless Style. Degree Ultra Clear deodorant used her as a spokesperson around the same time as the release and even sponsored her book release parties in NYC.

Last year, McDonald’s used her a fashion media consultant in the springtime with a new salad they were featuring. She’s been known to fly around the world to style Jay-Z and his “album covers”.

She is intelligent, attractive and bright and we have always wondered when her first real break would come. Maybe this MTV show will put her on the national stage forever…

And let’s not forget she is media friendly. She has already appeared on Regis & Kelly, Oprah, the View, vh1, E!, ABC’s extreme makeover and more.

PS — The nine celebrity offspring featured on Rock the Cradle are Olivia Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi ; Kenny Loggins’ son Crosby Loggins; Eddie Money’s daughter Jesse Money; Joe Walsh’s (The Eagles) daughter Lucy Walsh; Al B. Sure’s son Lil Al B Sure; Dee Snider’s (Twisted Sister) son Jesse Blaze Snider; Tom Johnston’s (Doobie Brothers) daughter Lara Johnston; MC Hammer’s daughter Akeiba Burrell Hammer and Bobby Brown’s son Landon Brown. Rock the Cradleis produced by FreemantleMedia North America, with George Moll, David Goffin, and Larry Rudolph serving as executive producers.

The Kentucky Derby just announced a partnership with chef Bobby Flay to serve as their first-ever “party” spokesperson.  The site, features recipes, entertaining tips and party-related merchandising. You’ll be impressed with how the Derby thought through this idea (sweepstakes, social networking, party planning, mobile).  

It could be a new trend — spokespeople for global events like the Super Bowl, Oscars, Masters, etc. — from celebrities and influencers in complementary type fields.

Flay will introduce a whole new audience to racing and could really bring Derby parties into mainstream America.

 I really like this play and it will be interesting to see how the Derby uses him during the week leading up to the Race (especially on NBC).

Has anyone seen former Olympic gymnast darling Mary Lou Retton’s PBS kids show? It is aimed for kids 4-7 and is similar in theme to shows like Hi-5 and Doodlebops. Let us know your opinion on these types of shows.