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Lisa Marie Presley Goes Glam For MAC Aids Charity

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

NEW YORK, September 6, 2006 -- Lisa Marie Presley, Debbie Harry, Eve and Dita Von Teese are the newest crop of unlikely makeup models in MAC Cosmetics' Viva Glam ad campaign.

It's not just the spokesmodels who are unusual, it's also the product they promote: 100 percent of the sales of Viva Glam lipsticks and lip glosses are donated to HIV and AIDS programs, including treatment, education and daily necessities.

Presley said she agreed to participate in the campaign because of its fundraising efforts.

"MAC is actually, honestly, really true blue about its charity," the 38-year-old singer and daughter of Elvis Presley told The Associated Press in a recent phone interview.

"You can see it making headway. They've raised $70 million that's been used incredibly well. It's not a campaign full of fluff, and I'm not a fluff person."

Presley said she's known Harry for several years and has crossed paths with Von Teese, but hadn't met Eve until the photo shoot a few weeks ago.

Even though she doesn't consider herself to be either a beauty expert or a model, she tried to put her best face on for the campaign, Presley said, because of the cause and the interesting and admirable group of women she was working with.

"I think we're all reaching out in a different direction - whoever can reach a certain segment of the audience," she said.

So, who's her audience? "That's a complex question. Based on my fan base, it's 80 percent gay, young girls, bikers, women my age and then some occasional Elvis fans. It's an eclectic potpourri," she said with a laugh. "If I go to a signing or show, it's a rainbow."

Previous spokesmodels for the ad campaign, which debuted 12 years ago, include Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, Pamela Anderson and Boy George.

John Demsey, global president of MAC and chairman of the MAC AIDS Fund, said this year's models were chosen for their personal commitment to the fight against AIDS.

"We want to rattle some cages. We want to grab people's attention and not let them turn away. And most importantly, we want to reach even more people. Our Viva Glam VI spokespeople cut through the clutter. They are all incredibly talented and have strong and distinct points of view and unique perspectives on this crisis," he said in a statement.

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