Johnson Products Co. Signs Carmelo Anthony

Johnson Products Co. Signs Carmelo Anthony

• NBA Star Carmelo Anthony has just inked a multi-year deal as the corporate spokesperson for Johnson Products Company, Inc. (JPC), promoting the company’s Ultra Sheen Men grooming collection. The partnership, the first of its kind for the new management team at JPC, is part of a strategic plan to regain its prominent global market share.

In 2009, JPC was acquired from Procter & Gamble with the combined investments of RC Fontis, St. Cloud Capital and Plus Factor, LLC, an African American management team. In two years, the new leadership has reorganized the company and its worldwide distribution.

“We are very excited to leverage the strong position in the ethnic hair care space that Johnson Products has to launch our new men’s line. Our team sees a lot of opportunity and growth in the men’s sector which doesn’t typically get a lot of attention,” explained JPC’s CEO Eric Brown. “Adding Carmelo Anthony to the Johnson Products Family as well as having him represent the Ultra Sheen Men brand to the community will certainly bring excitement to our new brand.”

The deal includes advertising and promotional campaigns, cause marketing and community outreach programs as well as personal appearances for JPC and Ultra Sheen Men. Anthony will also be involved in the development of innovative new grooming products for JPC, according to the company.

More info: www.johnsonproducts.com

• Hampton Sun and J.Crew have partnered together on a SPF 30 lip balm that will be sold in select J. Crew stores this month. The clothing retailer will also carry Hampton Sun’s Luxe Sport Continuous Mist Collection in SPF15 and 55.

More info: www.hamptonsuncare.com

• The first French model to achieve international acclaim, Madame Ines de la Fressange, has joined the family of ambassadors for L’Oréal Paris.

“Ines de la Fressange, our new L’Oréal Paris spokeswoman, has divine grace, that very contemporary way of being a woman, at once free, unexpected and mesmerizing. An accomplished model, mother and designer, she leads a full life. I am delighted that she is bringing that irresistible ‘je ne sais quoi’ to the brand,” said Cyril Chapuy, global brand president of L’Oréal Paris.

De la Fressange started her modeling career when she was 17, and took part in fashion shows for Kenzo, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix, among others. She was also Karl Lagerfeld’s muse at Chanel for several years.

In 1991 she created her own brand, “Ines de la Fressange,” and a store on the avenue Montaigne, which was very successful in France, the U.S. and Japan. Since 2003, she has made an active contribution to relaunch the luxury Roger Vivier brand as consultant and brand ambassador.

In 2008, for her 50th birthday, she appeared on the cover of Elle France.

More info: www.loreal.com

• Cheaper dish liquids clean just as well as their costlier counterparts, according to Consumer Reports.

Ajax and Kirkland Signature (Costco) were both very good at cleaning and cost just $0.06 per ounce, the least per ounce of the brands Consumer Reports tested, making them CR Best Buys.

The full report is available in the May issue of Consumer Reports, which is available at newsstands and online.

“Our tests show you don’t have to pay a lot to get your dishes clean,” said Jim Nanni, associate technical director for Consumer Reports. “All dish liquids contain surfactants, enzymes and other chemicals to aid in cleaning.”

Consumer Reports’ testers baked a mixture of evaporated milk, flour, egg yolk and sugar onto glass plates, put the plates in trays of warm water with equal amounts of each detergent, and used a machine that holds a sponge to rub each plate with equal pressure.

To test grease removal, testers dipped stainless-steel panels in lard, let the fat congeal for at least an hour, then cleaned them using the same process as with the glass plates. In both cases, scores were based on the number of rubs it took to remove the soil.

All of the products tested were very good at removing food and grease, but cost just a few cents per ounce while others cost up to $0.94 cent per ounce. The makers of DuoDish ($0.16/ounce) and The Laundress ($0.94/ounce) claim they can be used in the sink and the dishwasher.

Makers of “green” brands claim they’re safe for septic tanks, have minimal impact on aquatic life, are free of fragrance and dyes, or are “natural” (but there’s no official definition of that term except on meat and poultry products), according to the report.

Since all the tested products are recommended, Consumer Reports suggests consumers purchase dish liquid based on the price. Plus, the magazine suggests that consumers skip antibacterial cleaners, insisting that the government says they don’t clean any better, and they might lead to tougher bacteria — not exactly the kind of thing the industry, or its associations, wants to read about.

More info: www.ConsumerReports.org

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the registration of Clorox’s Dispatch Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant Towels with Bleach to kill Clostridium difficile spores in five minutes. This is the first bleach-based wipe to receive EPA registration for C. difficile.

Dispatch towels with bleach clean and disinfect hard, non-porous surfaces quickly and effectively in just one step. The towels are pre-moistened with a unique 1:10 stable sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution like the concentration that is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) guidelines for effective disinfecting against the toughest healthcare pathogens, including C. difficile.The towels with bleach are EPA-registered to kill 26 additional pathogens that cause healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). They can be used on multiple surfaces in healthcare settings, including plastic, plastic laminate, stainless steel, sealed fiberglass and glazed porcelain.

Clorox acquired Dispatch brands from Midland, MI-based Caltech Industries.

In September 2010, the EPA registered Dispatch Hospital Cleaner Disinfectant with Bleach spray to kill C. difficile spores in five minutes.

More info: www.cloroxprofessional.com

• The USDA selected Purell Green Certified Instant Hand Sanitizer Foam as one of the first products in its new BioPreferred Label Program. The new USDA product label indicates products have been independently certified to meet USDA BioPreferred program standards for biobased content. Gojo is one of just 11 companies approved to use USDA’s new product label on certified biobased products.

Purell Green Certified Instant Hand Sanitizer is produced by Gojo Industries, and is made with 100% naturally renewable plant-derived ethanol in a readily biodegradable formula.

“We are extremely pleased to be among the first products to attain the USDA’s BioPreferred label,” said Gojo global sustainability senior marketing manager Nicole Koharik. “The distinction furthers our company’s sustainability efforts to promote hand hygiene for the well-being of people and the environment.”

More info: www.gojo.com

• SheaMoisture has partnered with Walgreens to launch a line of hair care products. The SheaMoisture hair care line — shampoos, conditioners and styling aids — is rolling out at more than 7,000 Walgreens stores and online at the retailer’s website.

“We are very excited to launch our newest collection at Walgreens,” said Richelieu Dennis, founder and CEO of Sundial Creations, maker of SheaMoisture. “They have been a key partner in the growth of our business and we are enthusiastic about bringing organic hair care products to such a broad consumer base.”

The range is available in four varieties — Raw Shea & Argan Oil, Coconut & Hibiscus, Yucca and Baobab and African Black Soap. The launch also includes two new hair kits, the Curl & Shine Kit and the Repair & Transition Kit, which contain travel sized versions of the Coconut & Hibiscus and Raw Shea hair collection.

There are several programs in place to support the launch, including a beauty advisor based program, a social networking strategy, store level sampling as well as demo stations, according to Sundial Creations.

“There has been a tremendous amount of anticipation for this launch in our social networking communities for months,” said Emmet Dennis, Sundial Creations partner and chief marketing officer. “This phenomenon is a testimony to the convenience of shopping at Walgreens and the loyalty that our customers have shown us for almost 20 years.”

More info: www.sheamoisture.com

• SK-II is rolling out the SK-II Clear for Life project with the goal of connecting women in need across Asia to a source of clear drinking water, so that they in turn can help empower their communities.

The project was inspired by SK-II global ambassador Cate Blanchett’s donation of 3 million liters of clear, purified drinking water to Asian communities in honor of SK-II’s 30th anniversary. For its inaugural year, the SK-II Clear for Life project has pledged a donation of 30 million liters of water through a partnership with Procter & Gamble’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water (CSDW) Program.

U.S. consumers can contribute to the cause by visiting the SK-II Clear for Life website and clicking to “Share The Word.” For every “click to share” on social media websites, SK-II will donate 1 liter of water to communities in need.

“The goal of all our cause efforts is to bring the transformative power of a crystal clear life, one filled with hope, harmony and optimism, to the lives of our loyal users, celebrities and the communities we serve,” said Joanne Crewes, vice president and general manager, Global SK-II.

More info: www.sk-ii.com

• To help break the cycle of domestic violence, Hissyfit is partnering with Beauty Cares, a non-profit organization that benefits victims of domestic abuse, through an integrated Facebook campaign.

Once Hissyfit garners 5,000 Facebook fans, its parent company Valeant will donate more than $100,000 worth of Hissyfit products to Beauty Cares. As an added bonus, when the brand reaches its goal of 5,000 Facebook fans, each fan will receive a 10% discount on her next hissyfit.com purchase.

Beauty Cares’ mission is to break the cycle of domestic violence for women and children. The organization’s signature event, The Beauty Cares Breakthrough Experience, promises a transformation inside and out for survivors of domestic violence currently residing in shelters. Within a safe, calm environment, professional makeup artists and top hairstylists create a polished, work-appropriate look to highlight guests’ natural beauty and enhance self-esteem. In this fun, interactive session, the artists and stylists provide tips for recreating that same look to keep feeling great, day after day. Beauty Cares further provides a gift tote containing the products required to maintain their beautiful new look.

“We’re proud to lend our support to Beauty Cares,” said Trey Schutz, vice president and general manager, dermatology, Consumer Products at Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which owns Hissyfit. “This organization isn’t about making women look good, it’s about making them feel good. To us, there is no cause more worthy than helping these women regain their confidence and independence, which is why we’re so pleased to help support this cause.”

More info: www.hissyfit.com

• Telemundo, in partnership with L’Oréal USA, has rolled out Club de Noveleras, its official telenovela fan club at www.clubdenoveleras.com. This initiative is the first-ever for both companies of its scope and scale, according to the Spanish-language network.

In addition, there will be 10 in-market large scale Club de Noveleras talent tours in 2011, featuring two events per market in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and Houston. At these events, members will meet their favorite Telemundo novela stars and also get hair and makeup touchups with the latest Maybelline and Garnier products. Samples will also be distributed.

“This is the first time that several L’Oréal USA brands and divisions have come together to celebrate the beauty of the Hispanic community,” stated Marc Speichert, chief marketing officer, L’Oréal USA. “L’Oréal USA has a profile of beauty products that fit the need of every U.S. Hispanic consumer. Through this partnership with Telemundo, we will create the first Hispanic community that allows users to engage with their favorite Telenovela stars, connect with others about beauty while earning rewards and free gifts for participating in this ultimate Hispanic beauty destination.”

“This integrated program transforms viewership into relationship while connecting L’Oréal USA’s brands like L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline and Garnier, to their target consumers in an experiential and unique way,” said Jacqueline Hernández, chief operating officer, Telemundo. “Consumers will be able to join an online community where they can interact with each other and with their favorite telenovela stars, while also finding rich beauty content including a brand new dedicated beauty blog.”

In the Club de Noveleras’ loyalty program, subscribers will earn points and can redeem them to win prizes, Telemundo brand premiums and various products from across L’Oréal USA’s beauty portfolio. Telenovela fans will be able to interact with other fans on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, see exclusive Telenovela content available only to Club de Noveleras members and learn beauty tips and all about the latest trends in makeup and hair care from prominent beauty blogger Johanna Torres, former editor-in-chief of Siempre Mujer.

Telemundo’s recently launched social media unit, Social@Telemundo, will also play an integral role. Torres will reportedly engage the community, providing beauty tips and hosting polls about a range of beauty topics. In addition, the program will be cross-promoted across all NBCU platforms.

The site will also serve as an insights vehicle with a daily panel that will provide L’Oréal USA with key information on what Club de Noveleras members are looking for in their beauty regimes, according to Telemundo.

More info: www.clubdenoveleras.com

• Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps is expanding into the food business with a culinary coconut oil. Dr. Bronner’s Magic “All-One” Fair Trade and Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is fresh-pressed, unrefined and can be used for stir-frying, soups, sauces and baking deserts — as well as body care, as field research in the tropics shows that people who follow a traditional diet high in coconut oil enjoy excellent cardiovascular health.

According to the company, clinical research confirms that the saturated medium chain fatty acids (MCT’s) in VCO, such as lauric acid, actually improve blood cholesterol by increasing the ratio of HDL to LDL cholesterol.

Available exclusively at Whole Foods Market nationwide until May, the new “All-One” Coconut Oil is sold in 14oz. jars for $9.99.

• Christina Zehavi traveled from Israel to celebrate the creation of Christina-USA. In an introduction and training meeting held in Sarasota, FL, Joe Contorno, president and CEO of Christina-USA, brought together a wide range of experts to learn firsthand about Christina’s professional products and treatments. Instructed by Zehavi herself, the three-day training consisted of in-depth education and hands-on training of Christina’s seven multi-stage professional treatments.

More info: www.christina-usa.com

• “My Fair Lady” was the theme of Sue Wong’s Fall 2011 show that took place at her private residence in Los Angeles, CA.Paying homage to the Edwardian styling of the film and the overall theme of transformation, Wong tapped China Glaze to complement her collection, which was filled with ornate gowns, rich satins, flowing chiffons and fine laces. Colors included China Glaze Drastic (a dark, brick red) and China Rouge (a rich, creamy red) and Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat for a high gloss shine.

• Celebrity Apprentice Hairstylist Kimmi Hendrix recently created La Toya Jackson’s latest hair color change using her favorite cruelty free hair color by IT&LY Hairfashion. Jackson, a recent cast member for NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, is one of the youngest members of the Jackson family and a singer, songwriter and musician.

More info: www.italyhairfashion.com

• As summer approaches and college courses begin to wind down, Procter & Gamble wants to help students prepare for their important and exciting summer internships. ReadyU is a program dedicated to supporting college students by helping them navigate the journey of life outside the classroom. The program is supported by over 150 colleges throughout the country and is championed by campus ambassadors with dedicated events featuring select P&G products, which assist students in succeeding in those important moments that go beyond the average curriculum.

To arm students with the skills needed to put their best foot forward this summer, ReadyU has partnered with Celebrity Stylist Jen Rade. Ranked as one of Hollywood’s Most Powerful Stylists, she will provide beneficial hints in order for future CEOs to rock their internships.

ReadyU is also helping four lucky students kick off their summer internship in complete style. Beginning April 8, college students nationwide had the opportunity to enter The ReadyU Ultimate Style Sweepstakes. The four winning students (chosen at random) will be awarded a $1,000 Visa gift card to help themaccessorize and dress their best, along with an intern survival pack, featuring essential products from P&G brands including, CoverGirl, Pantene, Old Spice, Gillette, Tide and Crest.

Students must “like” the ReadyU Facebook page to enter.

More info: www.pg.com

• Henkel’s Dial for Men brand recently enlisted Red Tette-mer + Partners to reposition its Dial for Men body wash — highlighting the fun part of why men use body wash: getting dirty. This campaign connects with men by encouraging them to celebrate dirt as a badge of honor, evidenced with its new tagline “Get your dirt on, we’ll get it off.”

The interactive campaign, launched on Facebook (www.facebook.com/dialformen), encourages guys to embrace their dirty side by taking a Filthocratic Oath. Fans can then enter the 30 Days of Dirt giveaway to win prizes like Cabela’s gift cards, Dial products, dirt bikes and Polaris all-terrain vehicles. A national TV commercial debuted on April 4.

In August, Dial for Men will present the muddiest, filthiest three days mankind has ever seen at its Camp Dirt. The three-day camp is the ultimate prize of a sweepstakes starting in April and includes dirty-awesome activities like Bulldozer Drag Racing, Digging with Dynamite and Paintball ‘Pocolypse.

More info: www.facebook.com/dialformen

• Sears is trying beauty…again. The retailer will reenter the beauty business with full-fledged departments in 100 of its busier stores during the next several months.

The move marks the venerable retailer’s biggest attempt at beauty since its failed Circle of Beauty concept back in the 1990s, which was eventually pulled from stores in 2001. Later, Sears carried Avon’s retail line BeComing, but Avon dropped that project in 2003. Brands will include L’Oréal, Cover Girl, Maybelline, Revlon and Physicians Formula, as well as skin care, fragrance and nail care items. In addition, sources say Sears will also stock masstige brands like Ahava, Lumene, Dermalogica, Burt’s Bees and StriVectin.

• Obagi Medical Products has rolled out an enhanced website with an updated look and feel, with a Facebook welcome tab, You Tube page and official Obagi blog.

More info: www.obagi.com

• One Love Organics has been awarded the Green America Business Seal of Approval. To be considered for the seal and earn a listing in the annual National Green Pages, businesses complete a rigorous screening process to ensure they meet Green America’s standards for the environment, community and labor.“We are over the top excited to earn this coveted Seal of Approval,” said Suzanne LeRoux, president of One Love Organics. “It’s one of the most respected and recognized symbols in the green marketplace and a powerful way to set One Love Organics apart as a leader in its field.”

More info: www.oneloveorganics.com