Muhammad Ali "will be the next Louis Vuitton icon," according to Christina Binkley of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. Print ads featuring Ali will launch June 14, in the "latest installment of an ad campaign that has featured Mikhail Gorbachev, soccer great Pelé, musician Keith Richards and, most recently, actress Angelina Jolie." The ad, which will "run in magazines and newspapers in 60 countries, seems to capture Mr. Ali in private reverie." The company since '07 "has focused its ads on iconic individuals whose lives can be seen as extraordinary journeys." The campaign, which the company "refers to as 'Core Values,' was the brainchild of Antoine Arnault, son of LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault." While its execution is overseen by ad agency Ogilvy & Mather, the list of "human icons came from a meeting in which Louis Vuitton executives volunteered their own heroes." The result was "a list that included Andre Agassi, Sean Connery, and Catherine Deneuve." The company "won't disclose how much Mr. Ali was paid, but officials said payments were made to Mr. Ali's two organizations, one a personal business enterprise and the other an educational foundation." Ali's wife, Lonnie, said that he "requested his grandson be photographed with him" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/7).
