As you might know, it is Reese’s birthday this coming Thursday (22nd), so I thought it would be nice to do something special to celebrate it this year. So I thought, and came up with an idea: over the next 5 days I will be putting together 5 special posts celebrating five of the reasons why we love Reese! The posts will be in no particular order, after all, Reese is so dynamic it’s hard to pinpoint the reason we love her most 😉 Just a collection of five of the things we think make her extra special.

You are more than welcome to post a comment on any of the entries and share with us why you love Reese, tell us your five reasons for adoring her, or telling us what you think about our reasons. Just type in your comment, hit Submit, and I will approve it asap.

Remember to check back daily for this special feature, as we mark Miss Reese’s 36th birthday week.

So to start us off …

“As a woman and a mother I care deeply about the well being of other women and children throughout the world and through the years, I have always looked for opportunities to make a difference.”

“I believe we all have a responsibility to raise awareness about the violence that affects one in three women around the world, making it one of the most prevalent, yet underfunded global problems.”

It’s hard not to admire Reese when you hear her talk so sincerely about promoting women’s rights and speaking out against violence against women. When you hear her speak about it it really feels like she believes strongly in what she’s talking about, and that she’s not just saying it because it makes her look good. On top of that, she seems genuinely interested in meeting and talking to not only Avon staff and representatives and the staff at charities and initiatives Avon supports, but also real survivors of breast cancer and domestic abuse.

“When I was first approached by Avon to represent their foundation … I wanted to know, what were the issues on women’s minds? … Breast cancer is first and foremost on the list of concerns for women. Domestic violence is also in the top three … It was really an education for me to see that these are the issues affecting women every day of their lives.”

Reese became a global ambassador for Avon in 2007, and since then has attended conferences, annual walks, award ceremonies and launch events for the company. She has travelled worldwide in her role, from Brazil to Poland to Russia to Japan, most recently attending the Avon Communications Awards: Speaking Out About Violence Against Women event in Washington D.C. She appears regularly with Avon CEO Andrea Jung at these events, and has also spoken alongside Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama! Every year Avon launch a new empowerment product, which is usually an item of jewellry, which they sell to raise funds for their various programs, and Reese models the item to promote it. This year the Empowerment Circle Of Support Necklace was launched, and can be purchased for $5 at Avon.com.

As well as these women’s rights issues, Reese is also the face of the Avon cosmetics brand and has appeared modelling their make-up in numerous print and online adverts.

On why she chose to work with Avon, Reese says she admires how philanthropic the company are and thinks that their “mission statements are similar” to hers. She appreciates having the opportunity to “shine the spotlight” on things that are important to her, and that are important throughout the world. She says that the work she does for Avon is “exciting”, can be sad, but overall they all have a feeling of hope in the work that they do. With regards to Avon’s cosmetic products, Reese acknowledges that with the Avon brand you know you are getting a good quality product. Knowing Reese’s passion for enhancing and supporting women’s rights, it’s easy to understand why she wants to work with Avon, a company that is dedicated to women.

“It’s a shocking reality that one in three women worldwide will experience violence in their lives. It’s an unacceptable truth that we must all work to change.”

To celebrate Reese’s work with Avon, the Gallery has been updated with various new/old Avon related photos, including additional promotional adverts, empowerment product images, and HQ photos from a few Avon events. Some of the Avon event photo additions are HQ replacements for photos we previously had, and others are brand new to the site. Click the thumbnails below to view the newly updated albums.

You may also be interested to read the official press release announcing Reese’s appointment as Avon’s Global Ambassador, and you can find that just below the photo thumbnails. Browse back through our News Archives to find all news, photos and videos relating to Reese’s role as the Avon Global Ambassador.

And remind yourself of the 3 ways you can speak out against domestic violence in the video at the bottom.

Avon Signs Reese Witherspoon as First Ever Global Ambassador

Aug 1, 2007

Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) today announced that it has signed world-renowned, Oscar-winning actress, Reese Witherspoon, as the company’s first ever Global Ambassador. In this newly-established role, Ms. Witherspoon will serve as the Honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation, focusing on breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives, and she will be the spokeswoman for Avon’s beauty brands and Sales Representatives.

As part of this multi-year agreement, Ms. Witherspoon will also be involved in product development initiatives, and appear globally in Avon advertising, web sites and in the company’s brochures. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We are thrilled to welcome Reese as our Global Ambassador and believe she will give a strong voice to the company’s commitment to empowering women,” said Andrea Jung, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Avon Products, Inc. “As the company for women, Avon wanted to partner with someone who could represent not only our world-famous beauty brand, but also could be a source of inspiration for our more than 5 million Avon Representatives around the world — and Reese is a perfect fit. She is an accomplished actress, a successful producer and a working mother — and clearly embodies the drive, the commitment and entrepreneurial spirit that is at the heart of the Avon Representative.”

“Our partnership with Reese represents a breakthrough moment for our company — and comes just months after the launch of our successful Hello Tomorrow campaign, which signaled a true evolution for the Avon brand,” said Geralyn Breig, Senior Vice President and Global Brand President, Avon Products, Inc. “This is the first time we have had celebrity representation on all three dimensions of our business — our philanthropic initiatives, our brand, and the Avon Representative — and we are incredibly excited to have someone of Reese’s talent and stature add her voice to Avon’s message to help bring it to the world.”

The Avon Foundation and Ms. Witherspoon will partner in raising awareness for the Foundation’s programs in the areas of breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief. The Avon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1955 with the mission of championing the health and well being of women globally through its philanthropic efforts.

“I am very excited to be partnering with Avon. Avon is more than an iconic world class beauty leader — it is a company that is known the world over as a crusader for women’s causes,” said Ms. Witherspoon. “I am truly impressed by how Avon has been able to effect real change in the communities in which it does business, and by how committed the company is to providing economic and personal fulfillment to women all over the world. I feel a great responsibility in my own life to give back to society. Now, as the Honorary Chairman of the Avon Foundation, I am proud to be joining in the great philanthropic work that is already underway.”

Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon is a style icon, a mom, a comedienne, a producer and an Academy Award winning actress. One of Hollywood’s most sought after and respected talents, she is also beloved for her down to earth approachability and warmth.

Witherspoon grew up in Tennessee, and returned to her roots to play June Carter Cash in the musical bio-pic, WALK THE LINE. Her extraordinary performance earned her the 2005 Academy Award for Best Actress, the BAFTA, the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild Award, the New York Film Critics Award and many other honors.

Her wide-ranging body of work is marked by unforgettable characters, and she received Golden Globe nominations for her work in both the critically acclaimed Alexander Payne satire, ELECTION, and the box office hit, LEGALLY BLONDE.

Witherspoon has a production company, TYPE A FILMS, through which she produced LEGALLY BLONDE II, and the upcoming original fable, PENELOPE, starring Christina Ricci.

Her other films include THE MAN IN THE MOON, FREEWAY, FEAR, PLEASANTVILLE, SWEET HOME ALABAMA, VANITY FAIR, and JUST LIKE HEAVEN.

Witherspoon has been active with Save The Children and serves on the board of the Children’s Defense Fund.

About Avon

Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with almost $9 billion in annual revenue. As the world’s largest direct seller, Avon markets to women in well over 100 countries through over five million independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon’s product line includes beauty products, fashion jewelry and apparel, and features such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, Anew, Skin-So-Soft, Avon Solutions, Advance Techniques, Avon Naturals, Mark, and Avon Wellness. Learn more about Avon and its products at http://www.avoncompany.com

About the Avon Foundation

The Avon Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 with a mission to improve the lives of women and their families. Today that mission is realized primarily through its Breast Cancer Crusade, which funds access to care and research and is the leading corporate program supporting the breast cancer cause, as well as its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence initiative that seeks to end the cycle of family violence through education, direct services, and prevention programs. More information about the Avon Foundation can be found at http://avonfoundation.org.

– Media.AvonCompany.com