According to Brandweek, both 50 Cent & LL Cool J want to get in on the nutritional supplements and men’s fragrance booms. LL is also talking with Chapstick.
For 50, it’s a continuation of his work with Glaceau Vitaminwater who developed grape-flavored Formula 50 a couple of years back. 50 Cent is an investor in the company and he will also be appearing in upcoming Vitaminwater ads and will help promote an energy drink.
LL Cool J is following up on the release of his workout book and also wants to endorse a supplement line.
Neither have officially found supplement lines with which to align though 50 Cent is said to have narrowed it down:
Ultimately, the line will target males 14-28 who now go into a GNC or The Vitamin Shoppe and find "there’s no one speaking directly to them," said Chris Lightly, CEO at Violator Management.
The article includes some interesting comments from Gerald Celente, "director at Trends Research Institute, Rhinebeck, N.Y." who says the supplement idea is a winner:
The market is wide open. It’s a sizeable and uninformed . . . Their audience believes in them.
However, Celente doesn’t seem so up on supplement trends:
Vitamins are [a] smarter play than fashion. Fashion changes, vitamins don’t.
As a longtime supplement consumer, I can assure you that supplements are in constant flux but it is true that the fads and fashions of the supplement industry aren’t nearly as unforgiving as those of the fashion world. I’m just looking forward to seeing containers of G-Unit Muscle Explosion Powder across the way from the Ladies Love ChapStick promotion.
Uncle L would have a hard time pushing Chap Stick when he’s licking his lips all the time. It would be counterproductive for his own established gimmick.
Now that I’ve read this and had time to think about it, the supplements are a wide open market for cats trying to get their weight up. Could be a good sell.
“Trying to get their weight up.” Hahaha … I like the pun and double entendre of that one.