• by Karl Greenberg , October 11, 2007

French spirits company Cointreau, has signed Dita Von Teese to a two-year contract as worldwide brand ambassador. Von Teese is a burlesque dancer who uses film stars of the 1930s and 1940s as character models. She will embody Cointreau's "Be Cointreauversial" brand signature.

Paradoxically, Von Teese was born Heather Sweet in Rochester, Mich., not in, say, Berlin. She became a regular pin-up model in Playboy, and then became something of a fixture in fetish mags. She got much broader attention when she began performing with the L.A.-based new-burlesque Pussycat Dolls troupe at the Roxy, which became a magnet for movie stars and singers who wanted to walk the boards in pasties. She went on to do events for the likes of Louis Vuitton, the Osbournes, and probably got a lot of limelight from being arm candy for the optically asymmetrical rocker Marilyn Manson.

The global program includes launch events in major cities worldwide, such as London and New York, that feature Von Teese doing a Cointreau-branded performance in a Cointreau-inspired costume. She will also do appearances worldwide. The effort launches in New York on Nov. 7.

Says Von Teese, in a release: "For me, Cointreau is a quintessentially French brand; a product which transcends fashions and trends. It is only natural that we would come together around a cocktail glass." Oui.

Roberto Cruz, senior brand manager, Remy Cointreau USA, says the company has not, until now, engaged personalities or celebrities on a global level.

"She is an international personality, and we feel it is a natural fit to have her involved in our worldwide marketing and promotional programs. We selected Dita specifically because she is a fascinating personality, a true beauty, and someone who can connect deeply with the Cointreau drinker," he says. "Dita's burlesque performances--particularly her famous 'Martini Glass' routine--are a reflection of the sexy and feminine French heritage that Cointreau is known for worldwide."

He added that, while she will not appear in advertising, parties and events, special performances and a Dita-inspired Cointreau cocktail are all in the works.