• NY Times, Tuesday, December 27, 2005 12:45 PM

Being viewed as a "goody two-shoes" apparently has its advantages. At least that seems to be the case for figure skater Michelle Kwan, who has never won an Olympics gold medal but nonetheless has secured a number of lucrative endorsement deals usually reserved for athletes who bring home the gold. In an age when many contracts for celebrity endorsers contain "behavioral clauses" stipulating that if the athlete does anything to damage the brand, the company has the right to terminate the contract, Ms. Kwan enjoys a sterling reputation that makes her attractive to marketers. "I never have to worry about her making a bad decision that would embarrass us," said Dominic Ng, the chairman, president and chief executive of East West Bank, just one of the many companies who have signed deals with Kwan. Other major advertisers on the list include Coca-Cola and Visa, all of whom are hoping she will enhance her reputation even more in her performance at the upcoming Winter Olympic in Turin, Italy.

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