• by Aaron Baar , September 22, 2009

Tennis star Serena Williams will begin appearing in advertisements touting Procter & Gamble's Tampax brand in a print advertising campaign.

Williams will be featured in a series of lighthearted print ads and online videos. In keeping with the brand's "Outsmart Mother Nature" positioning, Williams will be depicted defeating Tampax's Mother Nature character with her tennis game. One print ad shows Williams slamming a tennis ball back at the brand's Mother Nature character as she tries to deliver her "monthly gift."

"Serena embodies the energy, independence and strength we celebrate in women, and this exciting partnership is a game-changing moment for the feminine care industry," said Courtney Schuster, associate brand manager for Tampax, in a statement. "In this creative, lighthearted campaign, Serena embodies the playful wit of Tampax as she continues to be a champion and successfully outsmarts Mother Nature."

The online videos -- details of which were not immediately available -- will be housed on Tampax.com and the P&G-sponsored BeingGirl.com Web sites. The print ads will begin appearing in teen publications and national women's, beauty, health and lifestyle magazines in October.

Williams has gained increased notoriety recently after an on-court, explicative-laced tirade unleashed on one of the line judges at the recent U.S. Open. P&G officials were unavailable to comment -- either via phone or e-mail -- about whether Williams' behavior had any impact on their decision to run the campaign.