Oriflame has signed No. 1-ranked women's tennis player Caroline Wozniacki to a sponsorship agreement, where she will appear in Oriflame advertising and catalogues, endorsing the brand's cosmetics, nutritional wellness range and jewelry. The deal comes after the brand signed on as the official cosmetics of the WTA (Oriflame). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Daniel Kaplan reports the Oriflame deal is the "most lucrative off-court agreement" for Wozniacki. The two-year deal is "believed to be worth in the low seven figures annually." The endorsement is "global, though Oriflame will likely use Wozniacki largely in Europe," as she is from Denmark. The deal "will move Wozniacki close to $10 million annually in earnings," with other endorsements including Rolex, adidas and Sony Ericsson. The deal also "suggests Oriflame will exercise its option to extend its WTA deal when it comes up this summer" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/4 issue).
WHAT WAS SERENA THINKING? In Boston, Kevin Paul Dupont wrote Serena Williams' appearance in a leaked ad for 2K Sports' "Top Spin 4" game was "sheer sexual exploitation." The spot was a "porn sports video crafted around Williams, who looked quite comfy in her not-made-for-tennis-or-prime-time tutu." Dupont: "Not hard to figure out what happened here. When Williams so willingly hung her rear end out in public, it got booted, leaving current and potential sponsors asking themselves the obvious question: What has gotten into this woman's head? ... It's a good bet Williams is far less appealing now to corporate sponsors" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/3).