Avon Launches Year-long 125th Anniversary Celebration

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning actress and Avon Global Ambassador Reese Witherspoon today joined Avon Chairman and CEO Andrea Jung to launch the company's 125th Anniversary year with a celebration in Atlanta, GA for more than 5,000 Avon Representatives.  The event was part of the 16-city "Avon Believe World Tour" to celebrate the company's heritage and belief in its mission to empower women. Throughout 2011, approximately 125,000 Avon Representatives are expected to participate in the Avon Believe World Tour as it visits Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, London, Istanbul, New York, Chicago, Mexico City, Warsaw, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Manila, Shanghai, New Delhi and Johannesburg. Special guests such as Fergie, Patrick Dempsey, Suze Orman, Zoe Saldana and Yasmin Le Bon are expected to make appearances at many of the events.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/47913-Avon-World-Tour/

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110125/MM35475 )

During the event in Atlanta, Witherspoon and Jung announced the creation of a new $1 million Avon Global Believe Fund that will launch a pioneering global effort to support women's domestic violence shelters and agencies in each of the 16 cities on the tour.  The Avon Foundation for Women will partner with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) to identify and fund an international network of outstanding nonprofit organizations to help them provide critical life-saving services for victims of domestic violence and their families. This global effort also aims to draw attention to the alarming lack of adequate services for women and children who are victims of domestic violence in communities everywhere.

Avon's new $1 million commitment is in addition to the company's previously announced financial donations to other major partners in global efforts to stop violence against women including: the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women; Vital Voices and the U.S. State Department to establish the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Women; and Cornell University Law School for the creation of the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice.

"As the company for women, Avon feels an obligation and responsibility to play a leadership role in helping to improve the lives of women around the world, and we truly believe we can make a difference," says CEO Andrea Jung. "Avon was founded in 1886, 34 years before women in the United States won the right to vote, on the then-revolutionary concept that women could earn an independent income, and achieve financial freedom and personal empowerment. Decade in and decade out, the 'Avon lady' has been at the forefront of the changing role of women. Today, Avon is the largest engine of economic opportunity for women on earth, serving more than six million Avon Representatives in over 100 countries. In addition, the Avon Foundation for Women is the largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women, and Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $800 million to improve women's health and safety around the world."

Announcing the Avon Global Believe Fund today in Atlanta, Avon Global Ambassador Reese Witherspoon commented: "I am so proud to be working with Avon – a company that is on the forefront of women's issues around the world. Approximately one in three women globally is likely to experience some type of violence in her lifetime. It's a sad fact, and I believe we all have an obligation to address this vitally important issue, one of the most prevalent yet underfunded problems in the world."

Other 125th Anniversary Programs

In addition to the Avon Believe World Tour and Avon Global Believe Fund, Avon is also celebrating 125 years of empowering women with its previously-announced program, Avon Voices, the first-ever online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for women and men. A renowned judging panel of music industry leaders from around the world includes: Fergie, six-time Grammy award winner; Diane Warren, legendary songwriter; Natasha Bedingfield, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter; Delta Goodrem, Australian Artist of the Decade; Lea Salonga, Filipina singer and actress; Ivete Sangalo, Brazil's biggest pop star; and Russian sensation Valeriya.  The program launched in December 2010 in more than 60 countries, and invites people around the world to share their voices, join in and sings out.   More information is available at www.AvonVoices.com.

To provide historical information for students and scholars, Avon has partnered with the Hagley Museum and Library to create a digital corporate archive including Avon brochures, advertising and product images spanning the company's 125-year history of empowering women.  The mission of the Hagley Museum and Library is to collect, preserve and share the story of  great American enterprises. Avon's digital corporate archive can be accessed at http://www.hagley.org/library/exhibits/avon/

About Avon

Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with over $10 billion in annual revenue. As the world's largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in more than 100 countries through approximately 6.2 million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon's product line includes beauty products, as well as fashion and home products, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, and Mark. Learn more about Avon and its products at www.avoncompany.com.

About the Avon Foundation for Women

The Avon Foundation for Women, the world's largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy focused on issues that matter most to women, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women. Through 2010, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $800 million in more than 50 countries for causes most important to women. Today, Avon philanthropy focuses its funding on breast cancer research and access to care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program. Avon also responds generously to provide support for relief and recovery efforts in times of major natural disasters and emergencies.  

SOURCE Avon Products, Inc.