NEW YORK, April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Fergie, six-time Grammy-award winning artist and Avon spokesperson, joined Andrea Jung, Avon Chairman and CEO, to celebrate the company's 125th Anniversary in New York's Madison Square Garden with 5,000 Avon Representatives.  To honor the occasion and Avon’s 125 years of empowering women, Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, proclaimed April 6, 2011 “Avon’s 125th Anniversary Day.”

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The event was the sixth stop 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 will participate in the Avon Believe World Tour as it visits Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, London, Istanbul, Chicago, Mexico City, Warsaw, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Manila, Shanghai, New Delhi and Johannesburg.  In addition to Fergie, special guests who have joined Avon at past stops of the Tour include Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey, Yasmin Le Bon and Suze Orman.  Zoe Saldana and other celebrity guests are expected to make appearances at future stops.

"New York City is a special stop on the Avon World Tour since it was here, in 1886, that our founder David H. McConnell started this company with a dream of empowering women to earn an income to support themselves and their families.  Today, New York City and the surrounding areas are home to thousands of Avon Representatives and customers who believe as strongly in Avon now as our founder did 125 years ago," said Ms. Jung. "And hosting our celebration with Fergie in the legendary Madison Square Garden truly makes this occasion even more memorable."

During the event, Fergie previewed her fragrance Outspoken Intense, scheduled for global launch in late Summer, and available exclusively through Avon Representatives.  Outspoken Intense is the second fragrance developed for the company by Fergie; the first fragrance, Outspoken, debuted in August 2010 and was the best selling fragrance launch in Avon history.  Fergie is also the spokesperson for Avon's global hair care brand Advance Techniques.

As a highlight to the program, Jung and Fergie presented a grant of $100,000 to New York City-based organization, HELP USA, to continue its work to support victims of domestic violence.

"I have had the pleasure of seeing Avon's impact on women around the world and I am so proud to lend my name and support to Avon's great work," said Fergie. "It's an honor to be affiliated with a company that is so committed to giving back to the causes that matter most to women."

The donation is part of the new $2 million Avon Global Believe Fund created to help support women's domestic violence shelters and agencies in each of the 16 cities on the tour, as well as other Avon markets worldwide.  Avon and the Avon Foundation for Women are funding 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.

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, its first-ever online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for women and men.  Fergie serves as a judge, along with other music industry leaders from around the world including: 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 sing 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 6.5 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.  

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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.