Barbie partners with pro golfer Brittany Lincicome to inspire girls

Even as a young girl, Barbie was never my go-to doll.  Though not a huge Barbie  fan, I’ve admired some of the marketing moves Mattel has made over the years in an effort to keep the old girl relevant. Tattoo Barbie may have been my favorite.

As part of Mattel’s latest campaign comes this piece of press:

For more than five decades, Barbie has been a perfect reflection of fashion and culture and has served as an inspiration to girls of all ages. This year, as part of the Barbie brand’s I Can Be… campaign, Barbie is empowering girls to dream it all, try it all and live it all. As part of this commitment, Barbie has partnered with 10 women who continue to serve as ambassadors of dreams and role models for girls. Named earlier this year as one of Barbie’s 10 Women to Watch in 2010, Barbie has forged a partnership with LPGA player Brittany Lincicome, the defending champion of the 2009 Kraft Nabisco Championship (KNC), to excite girls about the sport of golf and encourage them to live an active lifestyle.

Other women on Barbie’s 10 Women to Watch in 2010 list include snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler,  race car driver Danica Patrick and author J.K. Rowling.

So with the announcment of Brittany Lincicome as a Barbie partner, here’s what you have to look forward to: Throughout the year Brittany and Barbie will be hosting several clinics to further girl’s education and involvement with the sport of golf. This summer, Barbie is also introducing a new line of branded golf clubs with Accu-length and additional golf accessories bringing Barbie’s signature pink style to the course in a fun way. Barbie branded Accu-length clubs will be available online timed to the KNC. Together, Brittany and Barbie are paving the way for future generations of girls to tee up.

Can’t wait to see Barbie demonstrate the perfect backswing.

This is not the first time Barbie has tried to inspire girls to take to the tee.  They licensed the name for a line of kid-sized  Barbie  golf clubs replete with “girl-favorite features and detailing including lots of pink, flowers, hearts and butterfly graphics.”

We can’t really argue with Barbie’s choice of Lincicome as a role model or their effort to inspire girls to live an active lifestyle by encouraging them to get out on the course.  The Pepto-Bismal pink? That’s another story.

And the latest “Mad Men” Barbie collection? Don’t get me started.

About Brittany Lincicome
A golfer since she was nine-years-old, Brittany Lincicome is a professional golfer playing on the LPGA tour. Prior to going pro in October 2004, Brittany was a five time Rolex Junior All- American, winner of 3 AJGA titles and a two time PING Junior Solheim Cup Team member. As a professional, she is a 3-time winner. Her wins include the HSBC Women’s World Match Play Championship in 2006, the Ginn Open in 2007 and her first major victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship last year.. Brittany has represented the United States in 2 Solheim Cups and is the only player to have finished in the top 3 in driving distance each year for the past 5 years. Later this month, Brittany will be defending her title at the 2010 KNC being held in Palm Springs, Calif.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday

If you slept in this morning, never fear. There’s still time to take advantage of  “Black Friday,” the post-Thanksgiving free-for-all where everyone celebrates yesterday’s gluttony by going on a huge holiday season shopping spree.

With consumer spending down, merchants are putting even greater emphasis than usual on the importance of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. (Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday season.)

So, in order to do our part to stimulate the economy, here are some deals you can take advantage of:

Black Friday and CyberMonday Deals:

Sports Authority: Shop the circular during the 10 Hr Door Buster Special on Black Friday at SportsAuthority.com! 5am to 3pm on 11.27

Sports Authority: 15% off your Order on Cyber Monday at SportsAuthority.com! Exclusions Apply. Valid only on 11.30

Champion: Get free shipping with a $50+ order at ChampionUSA.com! This offer is valid now through December 1st!

ESportsonline: Save 20-50% + Free Shipping on Gifts for Women in the eSportsonline FOR HER Holiday Gift Shop.

Amazon: Visit Amazon.com to find great Black Friday deals and get FREE Super Saver Shipping on millions of items.

Avril Lavigne expands Abbey Dawn clothing line

Avril Lavigne’s  has expanded her line of punk style clothing for juniors (sold exclusively at Kohl’s).

The Canadian singer named the line Abbey Dawn after the childhood nickname given to her by her dad. She explains that “My alias name was always Abbey Dawn in my hotel rooms.”

The inspiration for Abbey Dawn came out of Avril’s closet. “It’s who I am and what I think is cool and anything I’d wear.” she says.

All the items in the line were co-designed and approved by the 24 year-old rocker, who says it’s hard to name her favorite piece since she loves them all so much.

For the target market, the clothes are fun but probably best worn in small doses. The takeaway is that it’s okay to borrow looks from well-known celebs and personalities but better to come up with your style.  Reminds me of one of my fave quotes:

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of someone else.”
-Judy Garland

Oh, and if Abby Dawn isn’t quite your style, you might want to check out Miley Cyrus’ new line at Walmart.

School Daze: Back to school trends & deals

NikeID
One of the original kings of customization, NIKEiD has launched a back-to-school iPhone app that gives teen girls (sorry, guys!) the opportunity to create custom kicks and apparel on the fly. No longer limiting designers to traditional computer access, the new NIKEiD app lets consumers choose designs and color combos for a number of styles of both shoes and clothing items. Since it wouldn’t be complete without a social media twist, the app also allows users to share their final design ideas with friends on Facebook so they can get those much-needed second opinions before making the actual purchase.

Sears
Using music as a showcase for their back-to-school looks, Sears has hired Disney t(w)een queen Selena Gomez to lead the Sears Air Band Casting Call, a competition to find a fifth member for Sears’ Arrive Air Band, which will be performing at this fall’s MTV Video Music Awards. Four separate TV spots feature Gomez’s call for the fifth band member, with each featuring back-to-school duds from Sears’ music-inspired fashion categories, including rock, pop, hip-hop and skater (not quite sure what “skater” music sounds like). Interested 8- to 16-year-olds are directed online to the Sears Arrive Lounge, where kids can submit their audition videos and vote on the contestants. In addition to contest info, the site features current band member profiles and video interviews, games, and of course, a Style Room where visitors can check out the clothes, make purchases, and share the items and looks with friends (or perhaps more importantly, parents) via email.

Macy’s
Thanks to the department store’s upcoming partnerships with two iconic teen style mags, Macy’s shoppers will soon be privy to the expert style skills and lifestyle advice of both Teen Vogue and Seventeen. Teen Vogue will host a number of in-store events in which stylists from the magazine will aid teen shoppers in creating a cutting edge back-to-school wardrobe with Macy’s merchandise. Judges will select a wardrobe champ at each location, with winners receiving a $5,000 Macy’s shopping spree and a spot in a future Teen Vogue fashion spread. Seventeen will infiltrate Macy’s locations with a number of fashion shows and mini-makeovers for teen shoppers. While the actual dates and locations have yet to be announced, the events will take place at the end of this month and into September – just in time for adolescent clothes horses to put their best looks forward for the “fashion show” that is the first week of school.

(via Trend Central)

Sports Authority
Back to School also means Back to Sports for a lot of students. To suit up for a championship season, Sports Authority is offering some great online promotions:

• 25% off Any Single Item at SportsAuthority.com Friends and Family Sale! Exclusions Apply. 8.13 to 8.16
• Shop Back to Sports and Save 15% off $100 at SportsAuthority.com! (exclusions apply. Ends 8.31)

So, with school almost back in session, it’s time to reset your clock and get back in gear!

Puma and WPS make a great team

After another weekend of play, the Los Angeles Sol (7-1-3) remain atop the WPS standings. Camille Abily and PUMA spokeswoman Marta lead the team with six and four goals respectively.

Just prior to the start of the Women’s Professional Soccer season, brand PUMA and WPS announced an exclusive partnership making PUMA an official founding partner of the new league and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises.

The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball. In addition to on-field performance wear, PUMA will outfit the athletes and teams at all WPS-related events, activities and WPS appearances in sportlifestyle apparel. This partnership kicked off last month and will see PUMA collaborating with WPS to enhance the game of women’s soccer and will act as the foundation in the PUMA Women’s category.

That’s just the start for PUMA, which will have its name and logo on the league’s balls, uniforms, goalkeeper equipment, even sports bras. “Women’s soccer is on a tremendous growth pattern in the U.S.,” says Jochen Zeitz, chief executive of PUMA. “This is a huge opportunity for us.”

PUMA’s decision to join forces with WPS is part of an effort to target its marketing to young women. The company already has a footwear deal with Brazilian star Marta Vieira da Silva who is widely recognized as the best female soccer player in the world and currently playing for the Los Angeles Sol. PUMA also has a deal with U.S. national team player Leslie Osborne, who will be playing for FC Gold Pride.

Given PUMA’s name recognition and reach in soccer, the deal is a milestone for the new women’s league, especially amid a global recession.  Kudos PUMA. And Kudos Abily and Marta for bringing such energy and excitment to the game.

Learn more…

Gina Carano action figure set for stores this summer

If you ever wondered what Barbie would look like if she could beat Ken (or GI Joe) up, she’d probably look a lot like a Gina Carano action figure.

Former American Gladiator Crush and top women’s fighter, Gina “Conviction” Carano is not just another pretty face.  She’s well trained in Muay Thai kickboxing and possesses an unbeaten MMA record.

Known to many as the face of female mixed martial arts, Carano has  truly transcended the sport of MMA. Now, the unbeaten star has announced she will be working with Round 5, the leader in collectible MMA figurines, to produce an action figure that reflects her stardom.

Carano (7-0) has emerged as MMA’s most popular female fighter following her stint with the now-defunct EliteXC organization. She became the first female fighter to compete on U.S. network televised when she appeared on CBS in 2008. She was also the first female fighter to appear on Showtime, and she competed in Nevada’s first-ever state-sanctioned female combat-sports bout in 2006.

A pioneer in women’s MMA, Carano has earned additional attention by serving as a mentor/coach on the Oxygen network series “Fight Girls.”

Although now a free agent, Carano is expected to sign with Strikeforce in time for an August bout with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos. The two were on a collision course in EliteXC before the company’s collapse. The bout will likely be the biggest in female MMA history.

“Gina Carano has emerged as a star, not just in MMA but in the mainstream,” said Damon Lau, Round 5 President. “As the first female in the Round 5 line, we expect her figurine to be popular among the sport’s enthusiasts as well as those who have seen her on TV or in magazines.”

“I’m incredibly blessed to be a part of so many wonderful opportunities and to now be included in Round 5’s line up of gifted fighters is another exciting privilege,” said Carano. “When I was a little girl my dad always joked about making a ‘Gina doll’ and I smile when I think it has become a reality. It is both humbling and invigorating to consider this is just the beginning with so many other gifted women whose figurines are yet to be made.”

The six inch Carano figurine is tentatively scheduled to be released as part of Series 4, which is planned for a summer 2009 release. Carano will maintain creative control of her likeness and will have a major hand in creating the final design. She’ll also benefit from a royalty agreement that gives her a portion of the proceeds.

For more on the company behind the figurines, check out MMAjunkie.com’s Round 5 company profile.

Pretty Tough Tuesday: Fastpitch 411

1. The College World Series is here! Don’t miss a minute. Check out the television schedule here.

2. The three finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year were announced.

3. Did your favorite team make the College World Series? Check out the brackets and Super Regional results here.

4. Follow the WCWS on Twitter and Facebook.

5. Want to snag some college softball gear? Go here.

Have a fabulous week, everyone!

E-Bikes: Green with a boost

Bike-to-Work Day just passed, and it’s possible you never actually got on your bike. No doubt you wanted to. You probably thought about it but maybe you were worried about traffic or you live in a city with hills. Or maybe you just wanted to be able to arrive at work or school without looking like a sweaty mess.

We get it. Maybe a regular bike isn’t for you. But… how about an electric bike? E-bikes, electric bicycles, or plain old mopeds, electric-powered two-wheelers seem to be the next big thing.

Electric bikes are regular bicycles but with a motor attached for when you need an extra boost. They’ve been popular in Europe forever. Now they’re slowly making in-roads in car-happy America. They’re a great way to go green. You get the versatility of knowing you can pump on your own when it makes sense to do so and turn on the power when you need a little something extra.

E-bikes are growing in popularity as many amateur cyclists attempt to venture ever further on their two-wheelers.Bicycle Retailer notes, “Best Buy will be piloting electric-powered personal transportation products at some of our stores on the West Coast later this spring,” said Paula Baldwin, senior manager for Best Buy public relations. Currie Technologies will be stocking Best Buy with six different Izip models, ranging in price from $499-$2,000. The Southern California-based company will also provide Best Buy with two electric scooters at $299 and $599, according to Currie president Larry Pizzi. “There could be a larger rollout as we approach this holiday season,” Pizzi said.

They may not be cheap,  but with the current state of the economy, it’s surprising there isn’t more excitement surrounding the new crop of E-Bikes on the market. The A2B, for example, costs 16 cents per mile according to Ultra Motor, versus nearly a dollar per mile for a typical car. The power lasts for up to 20 miles at a cruising speed of 20 mph, and it’ll drive up hills without you breaking a sweat.

Here are a couple other popular models to consider:

Ecobike Elegance
The 61-pound Elegance gets a range of 25 miles in pedal-assist mode. An on-off switch turns on the motor when you need a little extra help. For more juice, crank on the throttle. The bike goes up to 20 mph and, like the HG1000 has a removable battery. $1680.

Twist Freedom DX
Wired calls this 63-pounder from Giant the “most modern, integrated and attractive pedal-assist electric bike on the market.” Unlike many others, though, it has no throttle. To get power, you have to pedal. The motor has three settings — Economy, Normal, and Sport — so you can adjust how much help you want. Unlike many electric bikes which stash the battery in the middle of the bike where a water bottle might usually go, the Twist Freedom puts its batteries in rear-mounted saddle-bags. $2,250.

Electric bicycles and scooters can ease congestion,  are pleasant to ride,  plus they are classified as zero-emission vehicles. Good for the environment and great if you tend to be lazy (or don’t want to work on fitness 24/7).  Might be time to check these babies out.

(h/t to goodcleantech.com)

Tweens, teens, plastic and action sports

Looking for a way to keep track of your finances and connect to favorite artists and athletes?  MYplash (from Plastic Cash Int’l) is a teen branded prepaid caid that targets sports and music enthusiasts looking for something other than a Walmart-branded debit card in their wallet.

The reloadable Visa Prepaid Card program features celeb images along with links to deals on related merchandise. What’s even better is that they include some great female athletes including snowboarders Torah Bright and Ellery Hollingsworth, skier Sarah Burke as well as surfers Coco Ho and Kassia Meador.

On the music front – there’s not a lot of girl power but Danity Kane does grace one of the cards (trivia fact: the group takes its name from a female anime superhero conceived by one of its members). 

MYPLASH just announced a deal with EMI Music, one of the world’s largest music companies, so hopefully more of our fave female artists will show up on cards soon.

Oh, and if you need budgeting tips, you can find them on the MYplash website along with info on all their featured cards.

Social shopping at Vans.com, Jansport.com and others

For years retailers have struggled to improve their online experience, but shopping online is mostly a solo endeavor. And everyone knows it’s more fun to shop with friends.

Without interaction and purchase validation, shoppers are often plagued by indecision and don’t buy anything at all. Friends help out with that.

With the proliferation of social media, a number of collaborative shopping opportunites are being rolled out by big-name retailers, including Vans, Lucky Brand Jeans and Warner Entertainment.

A new feature on Vans.com, for example, lets online shoppers invite friends to help design their customized sneakers.

The collaborative-shopping technology now live at Vans allows consumers building custom shoes online to chat with friends in real time about the product design. Click on a link saying, “Invite friends to design with you,” and access friends through AIM, e-mail or any other service a link can be sent through. Assuming the friend is also at a computer, she can join a chat on the Vans site to give a thumbs up or down on the design, as well as make her own suggestions.

A second piece of technology, friend-based merchandising, is now live at Jansport.com. When shoppers view a product, they are given the option to “Share on Facebook” by adding the “My Favorite Jansport” application. Once the shopper has added the application, she can invite friends to comment on and rate Jansport products. As the application gains steam, customers will be able to view comments and favorites from their friends.

Is team-shopping what users really want?

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