Maria Sharapova
Russian tennis star, Maria Sharapova, has recently been revealed as a brand ambassador for Porsche. This week we look at some other famous ladies who have hooked up with carmakers to promote the brand
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue and the Lexus CT 200h
The Lexus CT200h was launched in 2011 as the world’s first full hybrid executive compact car. The “Quiet Revolutions” advertising campaign (so called because the car can be driven in near silence) was fronted by Kylie Minogue. As a brand ambassador for the car, the Aussie singer also got the privilege of driving one of her own. The CT 200h supplied to Kylie for her own personal use raised just over €34,000 for charity when it was finally put up for auction.
Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta
The launch of the sexy Giulietta hatchback from Alfa Romeo coincided with a slick marketing campaign featuring Uma Thurman. The A-list actress became the face of the Giulietta when it was launched in 2010, starring in ads for the car across Europe.
Katie Melua
Katie Melua and the Opel Ampera
Katie Melua was announced as a brand ambassador for Opel in 2010. The singer is a strong advocate of environmental causes and social responsibility which made her a perfect fit for the brand who were about to launch the electric, zero emissions Ampera model.
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham and the Range Rover Evoque
The Beckhams love their Range Rovers so Victoria is a very genuine ambassador for the brand. When Victoria launched her fashion label she caused the fashion world to sit up and take notice. She has now turned her hand to cars and designed her own special edition of the Range Rover Evoque. Victoria has been pictured with her perfectly petulant pout beside the car, and in ads and other promotional material.
Shakira
Shakira and the SEAT Ibiza and Leon
SEAT sponsored Shakira’s European tour in 2010 and as part of the deal she became a brand ambassador for SEAT cars. They launched two special editions in her honour, the Ibiza and Leon “Good Stuff” editions (the name was taken from a song on her album She Wolf).
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez and the Fiat 500C
In an attempt to cause a little stir to coincide with the launch of the car in America, Fiat called on the services of Jennifer Lopez to act as a brand ambassador for the Fiat 500C. Jenny from the Block appeared in an advert driving around her old neighbourhood in the Bronx in the tiny, convertible Fiat, with one of her song playing in the background.
Claudia Schiffer
Claudia Schiffer and the Citroen Xsara
The German supermodel appeared in a series of adverts for the Citroen Xsara in the late 1990s, adding a bit of pizazz to the marketing campaign for the car including an advert where a naked Schiffer takes the car for a spin. The funniest part of the collaboration between Citroen and the supermodel was that Schiffer couldn’t drive at the time!
Next week, Caroline investigates if the use of female brand ambassadors by carmakers influences our car choices? Would you buy a car just because you saw a famous woman driving it?
9th May, 2013
