• by Aaron Baar , April 23, 2009

People express their style in all kinds of ways. Their clothes. Their hair color. Even their cars. LG Electronics is looking to get people to add the cellular phone to the list of fashion accessories that say something about a person via a marketing promotion with Heidi Klum.

The promotion is tied to LG's Rumor2 handset, for which users can design personalized back plates. The company has enlisted Klum as its "Ambassador of Style" and is making available five back plates that she designed for the phone.

"We see the Rumor2 as an outlet for self-expression," company representative Demetra Kavadeles tells Marketing Daily. "The back plates allow consumers to design their handset however they please. Better yet, consumers have the option to switch out their back plates to reflect their style, mood or even their outfit."

To highlight Klum's designs -- and consumers' ability to create their own designs -- LG has created a print advertising campaign that depicts Klum painted in butterflies, just like one of her back plate designs. The ad will appear in weekly magazines as well as fashion monthlies. The company has also created an online banner ad of the same image.

In addition, the company will create a series of online webisodes hosted by Klum in which aspiring fashionistas work to land on Heidi's Style Council and design a back plate that will be featured alongside Klum's designs in an exclusive collection. The first video features Klum introducing the phone, her butterfly design and the contest. "I'm looking for fashion-forward people who live and breathe style," Klum says in the video. The contest then asks people to submit a 15- to-30-second video to express their own style.

"Heidi Klum truly embodies style and fashion," Kavadeles says. "Enlisting Heidi Klum reinforces LG's message of self-expression through your handset."

LG has been deeply involved in entertainment promotions recently. Earlier this month, the company announced a marketing partnership with Paramount to cross-promote the movie "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen." LG phones are also featured in the new MTV series "The Phone." In the reality series, contestants use the phone to get tasks (via a mysterious "Operator," send text messages and access the Internet as they compete in a contest seemingly cut from a Hollywood adventure film.

"LG does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach," Kavadeles says. "Each handset speaks to a different audience, and in order to reach them, you need to tailor the message accordingly. By partnering with a full spectrum of properties, LG is able to reach consumers through their passions."