Adidas Hits The Gridiron With Top NFL Prospect Reggie Bush

adidas today announced a multi-year partnership with Heisman trophy winner and expected top draft pick Reggie Bush. Signing Bush, one of the most explosive and dominant football players to enter Saturday’s NFL Draft, underscores adidas’ drive to become one of the dominant brands in American Football, extending the company’s rich performance heritage and catapulting adidas brand visibility to greater heights in the United States. As the primary athlete for adidas football, Bush will be featured in a variety of marketing and advertising initiatives and will play a role in the development of adidas football and training-specific apparel and footwear.

“adidas is about performance and giving athletes the edge to play at the top of their game,” the standout University of Southern California tailback said. “This partnership is a great opportunity for me to make my mark in the NFL with a brand that has a championship legacy.”

Bush will play a key role in promoting adidas’ revolutionary new Power Web Compression apparel. adidas Power Web apparel goes beyond ordinary compression apparel using strategically placed TPU banding located on and around specific muscle groups. Power Web with its TPU banding supports muscle balance, decreases chances for injury, improves core strength and positions an athlete’s body for better athletic form and technique. It has been proven through independent testing to increase a sprinters time up to 1 percent in sprints more than 30 m, or by 1 yard in a 100 yard sprint and increase vertical jump by 4 percent.

“Reggie Bush is one of the most innovative and electrifying athletes in the sport, which makes him the perfect partner to represent our brand and highlight Power Web — the most innovative apparel technology in the game today,” said Eric Liedtke, vice president of marketing for adidas America.

A star since High School, Bush’s collegiate career launched him to superstardom earning numerous accolades and awards in the process. In addition to being the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner, Bush was also the 2005 recipient of the Doak Walker Award and the Walter Camp Award, cementing himself as one of the most celebrated athletes in college history.

adidas has always partnered with the greatest athletes in sports. With today’s announcement Bush officially earns his stripes and joins a long list of adidas superstars, including David Beckham, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett and Andre Agassi, as a member of the adidas family.

Via PRNewswire

AND 1 Partners With AEG LIVE For 2006 Mix Tape Tour

AND 1 is taking their Mix Tape(R) property to the next level with today’s announcement of their new partnership with event company AEG LIVE, the second largest live entertainment company in the world. Today Lisa Fusco, GM of the Mix Tape Tour property within basketball footwear and apparel company AND 1, announced the company will work with AEG LIVE on producing the popular AND 1 Mix Tape Tour presented by Mountain Dew, now in its seventh year as the nation’s premiere playground basketball event.

“We are so proud to have AEG LIVE as our tour partner,” said Fusco. “This new partnership will allow AND 1 to bring streetball to an even bigger audience by leveraging AEG’s touring and marketing expertise. In conjunction with AEG our Mix Tape games this summer will be hotter and more exciting than ever before.”

The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, a summer-long tour featuring the nation’s best playground basketball players, will be in 25 cities from June 4th through August 25th. The Tour features the newly signed The Air Up There, Silk, Assassin and Bad Santa, as well as living legends Hot Sauce, Main Event, Half Man-Half Amazing, AO, Professor, Spyda and others taking on the best basketball talent each city can bring, with local ballers vying for a spot on the roster and an endorsement deal with AND 1.

“We are very excited to embark on this new partnership,” said Shawn Hunter, President, AEG Sports. “We believe that a property like The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, that so effectively and successfully blends together the worlds of sports and entertainment, will continue to have great growth potential. With AEG’s variety of affiliated divisions and assets, this is clearly an event that our organization will continue to invest more and more resources in the coming years.”

AND 1′s series of basketball videos and DVDs known as the ‘AND 1 Mix Tapes’ have attained cult status among hard-core ball players.

After more than a year of giving away the mix tapes featuring footage of little known local players paired with new hip-hop music, AND 1 took the show on the road for a three-city test. Now, seven years later, the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour has reached close to 1 million basketball fans and elevated the Mix Tape Tour players to international icons.

This summer the tour will hit 25 major cities, each hosting an Open Run, expo area and major game. In every city, Open Run participants will be vying for an endorsement contract and may be featured on the fifth season of “Streetball: The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour presented by Mountain Dew” on ESPN2 this summer.

Tickets will go on sale nationally this Saturday, April 29th; for more information check out www.and1.com. AND 1 thanks its presenting partner Mountain Dew, and additional Tour partners Boost Mobile, KFC, the U.S. Army, Finish Line, Old Spice Red Zone, Ubisoft, Greyhound, Rockford Fosgate and The Truth, as well as others to be announced.

The 2006 AND 1 MIX TAPE TOUR SCHEDULE:

Sunday, June 4th Los Angeles, CA Home Depot Center
Wed., June 7th Oakland, CA Oakland Arena
Sunday, June 11th Portland, OR Rose Garden
Thursday, June 15th Salt Lake City, UT The E Center
Monday, June 19th Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center
Thursday, June 22nd Denver, CO Denver Coliseum
Sunday, June 25th San Antonio, TX Freeman Coliseum
Wed., June 28th Houston, TX Reliant Arena
Sunday, July 2nd Kansas City, MO Kemper Arena
Thursday, July 6th Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Sunday, July 9th Milwaukee, WI US Cellular Arena
Thursday, July 13th Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
Sat., July 15th Chicago, IL United Center
Thursday, July 20th Detroit, MI Cobo Arena
Monday, July 24th Cleveland, OH Wolstein Center
Thursday, July 27th Louisville, KY Freedom Hall
Sunday, July 30th Atlanta, GA Gwinnett Center
Thursday, Aug. 3rd Miami, FL Bank United Center
Sunday, Aug. 6th Orlando, FL UCF Arena
Wed., Aug. 9th Raleigh, NC RBC Center
Sat., Aug. 12th Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
Wed., Aug. 16th Norfolk, VA Constant Center
Sat., Aug. 19th Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Tuesday, Aug. 22nd Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden
Friday, Aug. 25th New York, NY Madison Square Garden

Via BLACK PR WIRE

May’s BLACK ENTERPRISE Examines The Proliferation Of The Pastor/CEO

For a growing number of modern-day clergy, preaching from the pulpit is only half of the job. A rising number of profitably managed black megachurches are turning pastors into high-profile CEOs of multimillion-dollar enterprises. In the May issue’s special report, “The Business of Faith,” BLACK ENTERPRISE (BE) conducts exclusive interviews with cover subjects Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell and Bishops T.D. Jakes and Eddie L. Long — religious leaders who have embraced business in a big way — often facing criticism — to further their church mission, spiritual message, and entrepreneurial aspirations.

The combination of church and business is booming as ministries grant pastors oversight of both for-profit and nonprofit ventures. A prime example is Bishop T.D. Jakes. As head of the Dallas-based The Potter’s House — one of the nation’s most prominent non-denominational churches with roughly 30,000 congregants — Jakes, 48, is adept at juggling projects. He successfully serves as the chief spiritual leader of his vast number of parishioners while simultaneously pursuing his entrepreneurial dreams. His $15 million for-profit media empire, T.D. Jakes Enterprises L.L.C., includes books, plays, a record label, and motion pictures, including Woman, Thou Art Loosed!

“The pastor oversees two kingdoms divided by a carefully constructed firewall,” says BE News Editor Nicole Marie Richardson, who co-wrote the feature and spent months researching black megachurches. “The ministry has a compensation board that determines Bishop Jakes’ salary and approves all budgets, including last year’s $15 million MegaFest. This solid financial infrastructure has enabled the church to fund nearly 100 charitable ministries ranging from grief management to debt consolidation.” To secure the flow of revenue for his far reaching endeavors, Jakes employs what he calls the three Ps: partners, corporations that help fund programs and initiatives; products, items sold to the public for proceeds that go to the church; and people, congregants who make significant contributions.

To avoid conflicts, Bishop Jakes employs two staffs and uses different accounting systems and financial institutions for The Potter’s House and T.D. Jakes Enterprises. He also has two sets of accountants perform separate compliance audits. By embracing entrepreneurship and sound business practices for both his church and his companies, Bishop Jakes says he’s answering God’s call. “(Our) compliance audits are so thorough that if I bought you a Coca-Cola on my church card, it would show up in the audit,” says Jakes. “We are pastoring to the equivalent of a small city. If you’re going to be here for longevity’s sake, you have to do things right.”

Additional features in the current issue:

“How to Hold Your Church Accountable” (pg. 114)
“Secrets of Successful Investment Clubs” (pg. 87)
“Shopping for the Right Mortgage” (pg. 94)

The May issue of BLACK ENTERPRISE is on newsstands now.

Via PRNewswire

The Tavis Smiley Show To Introduce Friday Podcasts

The Tavis Smiley Show from PRI will mark its first year on the airwaves this week by introducing Friday podcasts on April 28, 2006. The weekly podcasts will make the political, health, finance, music and entertainment segments of the show available to listeners who visit www.tavistalks.com and sites such as Apple iTunes.

Since returning to public radio in April 2005 following a successful three-year run of his daily program on NPR, Smiley’s new weekend radio show has grown to an extended family of 65 stations, including the top ten metros. “I had grown to love the stations and listeners of public radio – and believe me, I heard from a lot of people who were upset when I left NPR,” said Smiley. “I knew we had to continue the journey, so with PRI’s committed support we started our own company, Smiley Radio Properties, and created a two-hour weekly show that is a high-energy exchange of views and insights with the most interesting people alive today.”

Smiley’s roster of guests over the past year has included politicians, thinkers, entertainers, and everyday people. He has welcomed–and challenged – former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; actor/directors Spike Lee, Alan Alda, Samuel L.Jackson, Forest Whittaker and Ruby Dee; artists Earth, Wind & Fire, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, Queen Latifah and many more.

“The stations and listeners we are able to connect with are the best out there, and we are grateful to each person who has been part of our first year. With our new Friday podcasts we are responding to listeners who’ve asked for more ways to be enlightened, encouraged and empowered by the fascinating guests and topics we deliver each week,” added Smiley.

In the last year Smiley and his team of producers also developed special broadcasts for public radio. Retracing the Road to Freedom: The 50th Anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a riveting commemoration of the civil actions that helped change the course of the nation, aired in December. In February, the show presented the Barbara Jordan 70th Birthday Tribute, an hour-long celebration of the late Congresswoman’s life and enduring legacy.

Smiley regularly produces live broadcasts on-location for special industry events and recently broadcast Tavis Smiley hosts Jazz at the Smithsonian with artists Al Jarreau, McCoy Tyner, Geri Allen and scholars David Baker and John Hasse with support from PRI, member station WETA and the Smithsonian.

Maxie Jackson, Program Director of WETA in greater Washington DC says, “WETA considers The Tavis Smiley Show one of the pillars of our weekend lineup. Its diverse perspectives and engaging conversations are trademarks of Tavis Smiley.”

Ron Jones, Vice President of Programming for Chicago Public Radio adds, “The Tavis Smiley Show continues to perform an important function for Chicago Public Radio in our effort to provide an array of critical perspectives. Tavis is an important voice that resonates with our listeners, and his program is a valuable and successful addition to our weekend lineup.”

To learn more about the show and hear current or past programs, visit www.tavistalks.com.

Via BLACK PR WIRE

Rihanna Kick-offs 6 City Tour To Promote New Album

The cool sounds of Rihanna and the great taste of Fuze came to The Venue in Dearborn, MI recently to kick-off the Def Jam recording artist’s six city tour sponsored by Fuze Beverage – a healthy non-carbonated vitamin enriched beverage. The 18-year-old Barbados-born beauty is traveling across the country promoting her latest album “A Girl Like Me,” making new friends and sharing her music with her fans. The current tour ends in May 2006.

A Girl Like Me is the second album by Barbadian Pop/R&B/Dancehall singer Rihanna. The album will be released through Def Jam Records and is expected to be released on April 25, 2006. The lead single “S.O.S. (Rescue Me)” has achieved considerable airplay throughout the United States and Canada and has reached high peak positions on both airplay charts. It contains samples of the ’80s hit “Tainted Love” from Soft Cell.

Via (PRNewsFoto/Fuze Beverage)

The Enyce Clothing Company Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary

It was a special night to remember for all who attended. The Enyce Clothing Company celebrated a decade in the fashion industry with an exclusive Gala at The Nest in New York City on Wednesday, April 19th. There were four separate floors of festivities, with a different DJ on each floor lending their own unique flavor to this momentous night — Pete Rock, Q-Tip/The Abstract, ?uestlove and Sky Nellor. This collection of DJ’s at one party will definitely go down in hip hop history.

Busta Rhymes, Maxwell, NY Knicks – Nate Robinson, Jalen Rose and Jamal Crawford, Ben Chavis, BET’s Melyssa Ford and Stephen Hill, as well as Naima Moora from America’s Next Top Model all came out to celebrate Enyce’s milestone. “We wanted to show our appreciation tonight to all the Stylists, Costume Designers and Editors and Celebrities that put us in the public eye, whether it was in print, on a runway, or on the screen”, said Chaka Wilson, VP Marketing, “and many thanks to the Artists, Directors and Producers that selected our collection for their videos and films, to the Athletes in many a post game interview wearing our gear and to the Retailers and Buyers with whom we’ve built relationships throughout the years.”

Enyce has consistently set the standard during its decade in the fashion industry in utilizing creative, cutting edge ideas to set themselves apart from other apparel companies. The 10th Anniversary Gala was a testimony to their extraordinary talent of always being on the pulse of what’s hot. Everyone who attended walked away waiting to see what Enyce will do in the next ten years.

To learn more about the Enyce Clothing Company, please visit our website at http://www.enyce.com.

Via PRNewswire

Lincoln Brings Music Icons New Edition ‘Home Again’

Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln Brand and R&B supergroup New Edition are taking style, soul and sophistication on the road this season with “Lincoln Presents … Spend the Night With New Edition.” The eleven-city American tour headlined by New Edition and featuring special opening performances by R&B crooners KC and Jojo, will include contests and promotions featuring the 2006 Zephyr, Lincoln’s first entry-level luxury sedan. The tour kicks off April 27 in New York City and runs through May 21.

“What we’ve designed this year is a program that fully engages our fans, yet stays true to what both the New Edition and Lincoln brands represent — style, class and sophistication,” says New Edition member Michael Bivins.

“Lincoln Presents … Spend the Night with New Edition” tour dates are: New York City (April 27, 28), Washington D.C. (April 29, April 30), Baltimore (May 3), Merriville, IN (May 5), Detroit (May 6), Virginia Beach (May 7), Atlanta (May 19), Oakland (May 20) and Los Angeles (May 21). More information on the tour, dates and promotions will be available at http://www.lincolnlounge.com.

Via PRNewswire

Tyler Perry’s New Book Debuts At #1 On The New York Times Bestseller List

Tyler Perry, the ground-breaking and immensely popular playwright, director, producer and performer, has conquered the literary world at #1 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list with his first book, Don’t Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life, published in hardcover by Riverhead Books on April 11, 2006. This blockbuster debut, which will appear on the April 30th New York Times bestseller list, is another example of how he has soared to the top of every facet of entertainment he has entered: from #1 movies (Diary of A Mad Black Woman and Madea’s Family Reunion) to multi-million selling DVDs to sold-out national stage tours. Mr. Perry, a true renaissance artist, has proven once again that he is able to communicate his comedic brilliance and words of inspiration to expand his enormous popularity in whatever venue he chooses.

Don’t Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings is currently the #1 selling nonfiction hardcover title at retail chains and at a number of independent bookstores across the United States and also reached #1 on Amazon.com as well as barnesandnoble.com, with more than 301,000 copies in print after only one week on sale. In addition, the book debuted today as the #1 hardcover nonfiction title on USA Today’s Best-Selling Books list.

Tyler Perry said, “I’m really happy for the loyalty and continued support of my fans.”

Geoffrey Kloske, Vice President and Publisher, Riverhead Books, commented, “This tremendous market reaction to Tyler Perry’s extraordinary new book comes as no surprise. This is a great Riverhead success story and confirms our faith in Tyler’s dynamic talents and his ability to connect with his ever-expanding audience on every level.”

Mr. Perry shares his wise, endearing, and ferociously funny observations, advice, and beliefs in his book through the voice of his beloved character, Madea Simmons — the irreverent, sharp-tongued, pistol-packing grandmother at the center of his back-to-back #1 hit movies, Diary of A Mad Black Woman and Madea’s Family Reunion, multi-million selling DVDs and sold-out theatrical productions, including Madea Goes to Jail.

Major media appearances accompanied the release of Don’t Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings, with Mr. Perry interviewed on ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” and “The View,” CBS-TV’s “The Early Show” and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” The Christian Broadcasting Network’s “The 700 Club” (to be aired later this month) as well as PBS’ “The Charlie Rose Show,” WNYC-FM’s “The Leonard Lopate Show” and NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “Talk of the Nation.” Last week, he also did a 30-market national television satellite tour and a 25-market national radio satellite tour.

Huge crowds of people of all ages have been turning out to see Mr. Perry in person. He recently held phenomenally successful autographing sessions at Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue and Hue-Man bookstore in New York City, the Borders bookstore just outside of Washington, D.C., and Wal-Mart in Atlanta. Other appearances include stops in Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Print coverage includes Entertainment Weekly (April 7 issue), Jet magazine (April 10 issue), Essence (May issue), Ebony (May issue) and The Charlotte Observer (April 15 issue), with much more to come.

Sean McDonald, Vice President and Executive Editor, Riverhead Books, was the acquiring editor of Don’t Make A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings. Tyler Perry is represented by Jay Mandel and Charles King of the William Morris Agency.

Via PRNewswire

Pantene Total You Tour Partners With Celebs To Celebrates Total Sisterhood

Celebrating its fifth year of educating and empowering African-American women, the Pantene Total You Tour (PTYT) has again partnered with celebrities to talk about achieving holistic health and wellness through total sisterhood. Starting as an HBCU tour five years ago, the Tour has grown to reach more than 100,000 Black women nationwide making it a one-of-a-kind event.

Designed specifically for women of color, the PTYT will visit eight cities nationwide with a full day of panel discussions, personal anecdotes and inspiration related to women’s holistic health. In the past, the tour focused on enlightening African-American women about total wellness of the mind, body and spirit. This year, the tour focuses on empowering women to “do” total sisterhood. Bringing women together from various backgrounds and motivating them to “be” their unique and holistic beauty.

“This year’s theme underscores the teachings of past years, but now turns our attention to activating total sisterhood, total beauty and the total you, which is imperative,” says Rod Chappell, a Tour founder and CEO/President of Grassroots Promotions, LLC. “It’s essential that we empower and encourage women to take proactive measures regarding their holistic health and the transformation of the mind, body and spirit.”

Kicking off the event with an intimate “Girlfriend Chat,” PTYT veteran and fitness guru Donna Richardson Joyner will be joined by actress and comedian Myra J, “Girlfriends” star Jill Marie Jones and ESSENCE magazine editorial director Susan L. Taylor.

“This tour provides women with the opportunity to gain valuable advice regarding their health and is a great outlet to have fun and be entertained,” says Donna Richardson. “For the Black community, and even more importantly for women, it’s critical that we recognize the health risks we are faced with, and through this event, we will do so.”

While the tour has evolved, its caliber of talent has continually boasted some of the most well respected African-American icons. Previous panelists and artists have included Queen Latifah, Nikki Giovanni, MC Lyte, and Erykah Badu

Keeping to its roots, PTYT seeks to bring an experience to its visitors, not just a bag of products. Sisterhood weekend will also include:

·A fashion show and model call hosted by America’s Next Top Model winner Eva Pigford;

·Live performances from artists such as gospel recording artists Yolanda Adams and Mary Mary, and R&B artists Tyrese, LeToya Luckett, Goapele and Ju-Taun;

·A total You EXPO featuring healthcare consultants, makeovers, manicures, product demonstrations and giveaways.

For more information about the tour, including event dates, locations and ticket prices, visit www.pantenetotalyoutour.com.

Via BLACK PR WIRE

MTV And Global Gaming League Join Forces

MTV, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIAB), announced a partnership with the Hip-Hop Gaming League (HHGL) to help promote and give visibility to the first underground, online V.I.P. video game league. MTV’s promotional presence will be evident through on-air and online programming and across MTV’s various platforms. The inaugural season of the HHGL is being orchestrated by the league’s first commissioner and co-founder, Snoop Dogg.

Fans will be able to check out the latest updates on all the HHGL action on HHGL.com, the league’s new, dedicated website, as well as the MTV Overdrive Games channel at http://games.mtv.com for updates on who’s beating who each week leading up to the finals taking place on May 13 in Los Angeles in which the entire match will be streamed live. The finals will also air as part of Sucker Free on MTV2 in May. In addition, the G-Hole, MTV’s newest video game show, is featuring the HHGL in segments that will air across all of MTV’s various on-air and online platforms.

“Who else could do it this big other than MTV, Snoop Dogg and Xbox Live,” said Snoop Dogg. “How bout dat, ya dig?”

“We’re thrilled to partner with the Hip-Hop Gaming League as it brings a whole new level of visibility to the world of organized video game competitions,” stated Salli Frattini, senior vice president, executive in charge of production. “Working with the HHGL allows us to present some of our audience’s passions across MTV’s multiple platforms by bringing together some of the biggest names in hip-hop to test their competitive skills on some of their favorite video games.”

Hip-hop’s finest get their game on in the Hip Hop Gaming League. The player line-up for the inaugural season includes personalities from the worlds of hip-hop, sports and entertainment, including Paul Wall, Just Blaze, Twista, David Banner, Krayzie Bone of Grammy winners Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony, MLS Star Cobi Jones, Murs, Kaine of the Ying Yang Twins, NBA Star Jalen Rose, Fredwreck, BReal of Cypress Hill, Eric V. of the Baka Boyz and Method Man. Players were selected based on their video game skills and for their prominence in the hip-hop community. They are challenging each other over the course of the upcoming weeks on NBA 2K6 and Madden NFL ’06 on the Xbox Live 360 Network to see who will be crowned the first ever HHGL World Champion and awarded eternal bragging rights.

“The Global Gaming League is a video games media company focused on building community and content,” said Ted Owen, chairman and founder, Global Gaming League. “The Hip-Hop Gaming League is a perfect expression of this new culture and we are thrilled to partner with MTV on this venture.”

The HHGL finals will be held May 13, 2006 in Los Angeles. The event, hosted by Snoop Dogg himself, will feature two HHGL semi-final matches, the HHGL championship match, and a VIP exhibition tournament. All matches will be played on customized HHGL Xbox 360s. The live event will also feature music performances by A-list talent.

Via PRNewswire

Mariah Carey Hits Perfect Note With Pepsi

Mariah Carey will take center stage with Pepsi in a unique partnership this summer. The Grammy Award-winning artist will write and record original ringtones that will be available exclusively through the Pepsi Cool Tones & Motorola Phones promotion.

The Pepsi Cool Tones & Motorola Phones promotion is giving music fans the opportunity to download more than 100 original ringtones created specifically for the program by some of the summer’s hottest artists, including 20 original voice and music tones written and produced by Mariah Carey. This marks the first time top musicians and producers have written music and lyrics in the ringtone format for a large scale promotion.

The consumers who participate in the Pepsi Cool Tones & Motorola Phones promotion will also have the opportunity o win their choice of Motorola phones including the Motorola RAZR(TM) and Motorola SLVR(TM). Additional information about the promotion can be found on http://www.pepsismash.com, powered by Yahoo! Music.

“I had a lot of fun with this project. It was a great creative outlet because musically I could do things here that I would never think to do for one of my albums,” said Mariah Carey. “This was a great idea by Pepsi, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Carey will kick off the Pepsi Cool Tones and Motorola Phones promotion with a national TV commercial in May, which will be directed by Paul Hunter and created by BBDO, New York, Pepsi’s long-time agency. Hunter, an award-winning director of music videos and commercials, has directed the videos for a number of Carey’s chart-topping hits.

Carey’s partnership with Pepsi also includes an exclusive Pepsi Smash concert this summer at the intimate Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, which will be the first stop of her highly anticipated tour. Music fans will be able to win tickets to the show, Carey’s first full concert performance in over three years, via radio and retail promotions across the country.

Mariah Carey has had more number one singles than any other artist in history. She has been recognized with the most prestigious accolades in the music industry, including five Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award and the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium,” to name a few. Her current album, “The Emancipation of Mimi,” was the biggest-selling album of 2005 and has been certified five times platinum.

Pepsi has a long history in music, having featured the biggest recording artists and a diverse range of chart topping songs in marketing campaigns, concerts and commercials. Recent associations have included superstars Kanye West, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani and Green Day. West and Stefani headlined the 2005 Pepsi Smash concerts.

Las Vegas-based MEGA, INC., Pepsi’s music marketing agency, facilitated the partnership with Mariah Carey.

Via PRNewswire

Appeals Court Reinstates Black Fraternities And Sororities Case Against Converse

In a major victory for the NPHC’s African-American Fraternities and Sororities, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel agreed unanimously to reinstate a landmark trademark infringement and trademark dilution lawsuit filed by The Pittman Law Firm, P.C. and Davis and Kendall, P.C. on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta Sororities and Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternities.

The original case arose out of a complaint filed on December 11, 2003, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, on behalf of six predominantly African-American fraternities and sororities against Converse, a manufacturer of sneakers and basketball shoes, alleging federal and state claims of trademark and trade dress infringement, as well as unfair competition. The sororities and fraternities own a series of trademarks and trade dress, some of which contain the founding year(s), colors and identification of the plaintiffs. According to the complaint, Converse produced and marketed a line of athletic shoes called the GREEKPAK Weapon basketball shoe that features a two-color combination associated with one of the organizations and a small embroidered date near the heal of the shoe that corresponds to the founding year of that same organization. The district court granted Converse’s motion to dismiss on January 12, 2005.

However, in an opinion just written by the Chief and Presiding Justice of Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Court, citing to the “detailed description of the claimed marks or dress in the plaintiff’s complaint,” ruled that “the district court’s conclusion (to dismiss the case) is difficult to square with the excerpts from the complaint.” In finding that the petition clearly demonstrated the required elements for trademark and trade dress infringement, trademark dilution and unfair competition, the high court ruled that the case should not have been dismissed and ordered that it be sent back immediately to the District Court. Converse was also ordered to pay the court costs and filing fees for losing the appeal.

Aubrey “Nick” Pittman, one of the counsel for the Fraternities and Sororities, said, “This represents a major victory for these organizations. Converse flagrantly infringed these trademarks and tried to use its corporate muscle to make money through unfair competition by using the protected property of these groups. Apparently, Converse assumed that it could take rights that did not belong to it without ramifications. It underestimated the fight in these organizations. The court’s opinion essentially guarantees these organizations that they will have an opportunity to present Converse’s brazen actions to a jury. This opinion will send a strong statement that these groups will not allow anyone to infringe upon their rights and this strong ruling from the appeals court will positively change the dynamics of protection of these organizations’ intellectual property rights.”

Delta Sigma Theta National President, Dr. Louise Rice, who has followed the lengthy appeal, said of the opinion, “This is a significant victory. Since our founding in 1913, our trademarks have always been recognized and have never been under attack in such a manner (as Converse did). This will send a message to Converse and everyone else that we are committed to undertaking whatever effort is necessary to ensure that our marks are not infringed or diluted.”

Samuel Hamilton, Chair of the NPHC Council of Presidents, who also serves as President of Kappa Alpha Psi, said of the opinion, “This opinion delivers a strong blow on our behalf. Perhaps Goliath (Converse) will recognize that our sling shot and a stone, combined with truth, can be lethal and will prevail. I hope Converse and others get the message that we will leave no stone unturned to protect the valuable rights that we have worked so hard to establish.”

John S. Kendall, co-counsel for the organizations added, “We applaud our clients for continuing this fight and having confidence in our opinion that this case would be reinstated. It is amazing that Converse and its lawyers would spend over two years and substantial money trying to dismiss this action instead of admitting its infringement and working with these groups to resolve this clear case of infringement.”

After hearing from members across the country, many of the groups were considering calling for a world-wide economic boycott of Converse and its parent company, Nike, over what the groups perceived as a clear case of a deliberate attack on the marks of these African-American organizations. Pittman and Kendall added, “If Converse wants to spend another two years fighting this, we are prepared to go full steam ahead. On the other hand, if it is prepared to admit its wrongs and avoid the calls for a boycott, our clients are open to discussing other ways of protecting their rights.”

The six plaintiffs are a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), which is comprised of nine (9) International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Via BUSINESS WIRE

New Campaign Challenges Minorities To Have Their Vision Screened

Statistics and a predisposition for eye disease are two big reasons minorities must take an active role in their eye health, according to the Am Eye Healthy? campaign. April is Minority Health Month, and the Am Eye Healthy? campaign is focusing its attention on Latino and African American eye health. These minority groups have among the highest rates of visual impairment and eye disease such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. In fact, glaucoma is 4 to 5 times more prevalent in African Americans than Caucasians and 75 percent of Latinos currently living with glaucoma and ocular hypertension are unaware of their disease.

At a recent Am Eye Healthy? eye screening event in Houston, Texas over 500 Latino residents showed up to have their vision tested. Nearly 80 percent of the individuals screened failed the test and were referred for follow-up care. Similar results for minority participants were seen in cities across the country. While these numbers are distressing, they are not surprising. Blindness affects African Americans more frequently than Latinos and Caucasians; and Latinos, due to poor eye health education and a genetic predisposition for eye disease, have higher rates of visual impairment than any race or ethnicity.

Read more

Movie Depicting Jesus As Black Aims To Unite Blacks And Jews

“Color of the Cross,” a Nu-Lite Entertainment production, is an independent, biblically charged religious biopic based on the last 48 hours of Christ’s life and stands to be the most controversial depiction of Jesus to date. In this gripping, two-hour epic, Jesus is portrayed as a black Jew. This retelling of the biblical story from a black perspective seeks to repair the anti-Semitism that has been associated with the story of Christ.

The inclusion of Black Jews during Passover in the film makes a clear statement toward the shared history of African and the Middle Eastern cultures without being offensive. Unlike “Passion of the Christ,” “Color of the Cross” chose not to focus on the bloody torture of Christ’s crucifixion. Instead the film focuses on the human pain and suffering that Christ, the Disciples, and Christ’s family endured. “Color of the Cross” reaches across a cultural divide to inspire and challenge its viewers intellectually.

According to the film’s director, Jean Claude LaMarre, “To watch a black man on screen, being referred to as rabbi, or to see him partaking in a Seder meal and observing Passover really blurs the lines that divide blacks and Jews in this country. We are part of the same history.” “Color of the Cross” seeks to stimulate and awaken peace and unity between all races of people.

Recent programs such as the History Channel’s “Warriors of the Bible” clearly shows the diversity of cultures as they existed in the geographical region where the Bible stories occurred. And like many of the recent programs flooding the media such as the Book of Judas, Ron Howard’s “The Da Vinci Code,” etc, “Color of the Cross” also bases its story not just on scriptural interpretation but other historical data with many interpretations pointing to the fact that Christ very well may have been dark skinned.

The film will have a theatrical release in October 2006. Revealing clips and exclusive information can be found at: http://www.colorofthecross.com

Via PRNewswire

Solange Knowles Pregnancy Rumors Put To Rest

Solange Knowles management, Music World Entertainment (MWE), released a statement today, discounting all rumors and denying there is any truth to the reports that she is pregnant. Responding to irresponsible bloggers and gossip news, who have misreported that Solange Knowles is pregnant with her second child, Solange states, “There is absolutely no validity to this rumor, the bloggers are circulating old photos of me from my baby shower over two years ago and are misrepresenting them as current photos. I am busy producing, recording and negotiating future movie deals, and you can see by my recent photographs posted on wire services all over the world that were taken on March 28, 2006 at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I am definitely NOT pregnant.”

Via PRNewswire

Next Page »