November 20, 2008

Cosmogirl RIP: It’s the very last issue of CosmoGirl (tear) which becomes the fourth major teen mag to suspend publication this year after YM, Ellegirl and Teen People. CG, which was published ten times a year and reached approximately eight million readers before folding, will continue with it’s website but I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that the print version of the teen mag will be universially missed.

The Dec 08/Jan 09 issue featuring the lovely Taylor Swift on cover, takes a cue from Barbara Walters by doing their own spin on the most intriguing people of 2008.  Included are gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson who are honored as girls who have the guts to follow their hearts rather than the crowd.

Uniqlo Try: To get the word out about their newly launched Bra Top, Japanese retailer Uniqlo recruited hundreds of women to participate in a video survey; questions ranged from “how comfortable is the top?” to “what’s your favorite magazine?” and the resulting videos were posted on a website called Uniqlo Try. Site visitors can opt to watch videos of women physically (age, height, size and build) similar to them. The website has gone viral, spreading to blogs and news sites, which apparently has contributed to a five-fold increase in sales of the Bra Top

Though we haven’t tested them yet, Ener-G video games are being marketed as the first brand of sports games targeted toward girls.

The titles supposedly focus as much on gameplay as on socialization and allow girls to experience the fun of being part of a team. The games in the series feature three popular activities: dancing, gymnastics and horseback riding. 

In a press release, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft Tony Key says, “The Ener-G games will not only satisfy parents, but they also give tween girls a new outlet through which they can express their creativity and love for sports.”

We think girls have enough outlets for creativity and really want to kick some butt but will reserve judgement until we’ve actually played the games which include:

Ener-G Dance Squad
lets girls reveal their dancing potential by working with a coach to develop new steps and choreograph dances by combining the coolest moves.

Ener-G Gym Rockets 
lets girls live the life of a young gymnast, as they twist, tumble and twirl in five events, including floor, uneven bars and balance beam, on the way to the World Gymnastics Championships.

Ener-G Horse Rider
lets players create and train their own horse, enter competitions, ride around the open countryside and even tame wild horses.

Two game modes are available. Girls can play through story mode or try their skills in challenge mode.  It’ll be interesting to note which mode is more popular.

Rated E for Everyone by the ESRB, the first three Ener-G titles are on store shelves now at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $29.99.

Check out the site  -  www.ener-ggame.com  -  for a peek at the gameplay and graphics and a bit of online fun.  Like what you see? Might make a good stocking stuffer this holiday season.

Liukin, who won five medals at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, including gold in the individual all-around, is on a roll. And much of her success is due to her parents.

Both her mother and father (who is also Liukin’s coach) captured Olympic gold medals and world championships as stars of the former Soviet sports empire.

In Columbus this weekend to headline the 2008 Tour of Olympic Gymnastic Superstars, the birthday girl talked to the Columbus Dispatch about her parents: 

“There was never any pressure to be a gymnast,” Nastia Liukin said. “They just wanted me to be happy.”

It looks like Liukin grew up to be both. Happy Birthday Girl!

October 28, 2008

With the Olympics still fresh on many minds, a number of brands are trying to leverage the appeal of the two medal winning gymnasts.

Both Liukin and Johnson were heralded for their skills in the Beijing Olympics, turning in elegant performances that showcased their athletic physiques. Now both gymnasts, who each won Olympic medals, are the latest darlings of sports marketing. 

Liukin and Johnson signed a deal with Covergirl before the Olympics (along with Alicia  Sacramone) and they wore custom-made makeup during their events. It’s the first time female athletes have been named as the face of CoverGirl and it’s a very different direction for the cosmetic company to go.  Keep your eyes peeled because these champions will be in ads seen on magazine newstands very soon.

Meanwhile, Nastia Liukin is also designing her first clothing line in collaboration with Vanilla Star Jeans. Nastia’s collection, which will hit all major department stores for the holiday season, will be titled the Gold Collection. Check the site for in-store appearances in your area.

“My style is very casual and relaxed so my ideas fit perfectly with the designs of Vanilla Star. I can’t wait to see my new Vanilla Star Gold Collection in the stores and be able to wear it too!” Nastia said in a press statement.

The collection will feature T-shirts and jeans designed by the gymnast. If you can’t wait until the holidays, the brand has come out with an “Inspired by Nastia” line that is in stores now.

In addition to her deal with Covergirl, Liukin has appeared on a Wheaties box and has sponsorships with Adidas, American Athletic, AT&T, GK Elite Sportswear, Visa, Longines and Sega. And she’s appearing in a guest role on “Gossip Girl.”

Johnson found gold even before heading to Beijing to compete for Olympic medals according to her hometown newspaper The Des Moines Register.

The petite 16-year-old has a slew of endorsement deals from major corporations like Coca-Cola, Adidas, McDonald’s and Hy-Vee and appears in television ads and on Coke cans, ice cream boxes and orange juice containers. She drives a 2008 Land Rover LR2 and is outfitted in Adidas and GK Elite sportswear. And ABC cast her in a cameo role on ”The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” 

These gymnasts’ endorsements are worth more than $1 million each. And that was before they even won a Olympic medal.  Maybe time to pay their parents back for all the classes, travel and leotards.

Be sure to support the girls - and the brands that support them!!

October 15, 2008

This year’s event delivered a dose of inspiration and awe when more than 70 of the planet’s top female athletes gathered at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City to celebrate the achievements of girls and women in sports. The event raised more than $1 million that will be turned into grants and educational and advocacy-related programming.

Jessica Mendoza, who was a part of the silver-medal U.S. Olympic softball team, was named Sportswoman of the Year for team athletes at the celebratory awards dinner.

Other honorees included Patience Knight, who won the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award for exhibiting extraordinary courage in her athletic performance and demonstrating the ability to overcome adversity.

The Billie Jean King Contribution Award was presented the Women’s Tennis Association for it’s significant contributions to the development and advancement of women’s sports in general and to the Women’s Sports Foundation specifically.

An tribute was also made to the All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League players for their pioneering athleticism in the 1940s and 1950s. Five players from the league were given a standing ovation as they took the stage.

Kudos to the organizers, participants, and honorees!

October 15, 2008

Olympic all-round gymnastics champion Nastia Liukin, who turns 19 later this month and aspires to do some modeling and acting, has mentioned numerous times that her fave TV show is GG.  She found herself sitting next to the show’s producers at a restaurant in Los Angeles and voila, they contacted her management the following day and offered her a guest spot.

According to Reuters, Liukin’s not sure if her role will go beyond the one episode but she is looking forward to playing a character on the hit show that depicts the lives of rich young teens in New York City. Filming is scheduled to take place Oct. 21.

Liukin’s guest spot follows fellow gymnast Shawn Johnson’s cameo appearance in the season finale of “The Secret Life of an American Teenager.” Playing herself, Johnson, 16, got a chance to flirt with “Ricky” in the school hallway.

Oh, and if getting cast in “Gossip Girl” wasn’t enough, Liukin was also honored last night as the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Individual Sportswoman of the Year.

October 2, 2008

The AP reported, however, that the age dispute has been resolved for the Beijing Games and the ruling backs the Chinese gymnasts. International gymnastics officials on Wednesday closed their 5 1/2 -week investigation into the ages of the Chinese gymnasts at the Beijing Olympics, saying the documentation provided confirms they were old enough to compete.

It seems little girls  grow up quickly these days, especially if they’re Chinese gymnasts. One day they’re just 14, the next day they’re 16.

The Chinese will tell you that Asian gymnasts are naturally smaller. There are no scientific tests that can tell age with perfect accuracy. So real proof has to come from official government documents. And official government documents say they are 16. Case closed.

Controversy has raged because younger gymnasts are considered to have an advantage - they are more flexible and are likely to have an easier time doing the tough skills the sport requires. They also aren’t as likely to have a history of injuries or fear of failure.

While China’s 2008 gold medal gymnasts are in the clear, the team that won the bronze medal eight years ago in Sydney, however, still faces questions. Two members of the 2000 squad—Dong Fangxiao and Yang Yun—remain under scrutiny.

For now, there won’t be any medals returned, or any suspensions announced. No one will be punished for breaking the rules. And Olympic officials won’t have to embarrass the Chinese, who just spent billions of dollars to host an extravaganza on their behalf.

It’s not like the same government that faked multiple aspects of the opening ceremony to make sure everything went according to script would give themselves an unfair advantage during the actual competition.

September 26, 2008

MyNetworkTV is presenting a televised special featuring the 2008 U.S. Olympic Gymnastics team. The two-hour show will be a high energy, high impact music and gymnastics production.

Among the participants are 2008 Olympic medal winners Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, Alicia Sacramone, Shayla Worley, (hunky) Jonathan Horton, Raj Bhavsar as well as special guest gymnasts including Paul and Morgan Hamm and Shannon Miller.

The TV special is based on the Gymnastics Superstars Show, currently on a multi-city tour across the U.S.  Truly a star-studded extravaganza it looks like fun for all. And for a behind-the-scenes look at what happens on tour, check out gymnast Shayla Worley’s blog.

The  television special is scheduled to air Sept. 26th at 8/7 Central Time (that’s 6:00 EDT). Find out what station in your area is broadcasting the show.

September 4, 2008

 A nationally televised special airing on MyNetwork TV on September 26th from 8:00-10:00pm (EST) will kick off the two-month 37-city trek across the United States featuring world class gymnastics and music from Disney’s hottest young recording artists.

All around women’s gymnastic gold medalist Nastia Liukin was among the first gymnasts to arrive in Reno this week for the launch of the 2008 tour.

Liukin and the other Olympic athletes were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd at the Reno Tahoe International Airport. They took time to sign autographs and answer questions from fans.

“This show is really about giving back to our fans and thanking them for the support along our whole Olympic journey,” Liukin said.

Joining Liukin will be Beijing gold medalist Shawn Johnson, 2005 world champion Chellsie Memmel and Shannon Miller.

Jordan Pruitt, KSM and other music groups will also perform on the tour which kicks off in Reno 3-5 p.m. Sunday at Lawlor Events Center.

Tour dates & tickets

September 2, 2008

Wheaties, known as the “Breakfast of Champions,” will give Liukin her own special edition Wheaties boxes, General Mills Inc. announced Thursday.

Liukin, who is from Parker, Texas, won five medals in the Beijing Olympics, including helping the U.S. win silver in the team competition.

The special-edition boxes will be sold starting in September.

Not every Olympian is jumping on the Wheaties bandwagon however. Swimmer Michael Phelps, who stole the spotlight after winning a record number of Olympic medals, signed with Kellog’s, who will print pictures of Phelps on boxes of its Frosted Flakes and Corn Flakes cereals.