Brand Ambassador IZ Reloaded! (News Release plus FAQ)

I've mentioned about my blog sponsorship in a post last week but couldn't provide you with more information then but now it's official, so here's the news release:

SAN STREET APPOINTS POPULAR LOCAL BLOGGER IZ RELOADED AS BRAND AMBASSADOR

IZ Reloaded blog used to launch labels Extreme and Action Ladfigure Inc in Singapore



Singapore, 23 May 2007 – San Street, a company specializing in streetwear apparel and accessories, with signature labels Extreme and Action Ladfigure Inc (ALI), today announces the signing of popular blogger IZ Reloaded as its brand ambassador.

As part of the agreement, the company also becomes the main sponsor of the IZ Reloaded blog. San Street's main sponsorship of IZ Reloaded will include the integration of the San Street and its clothing brands’ logos with the IZ Reloaded masthead, as well as various ad units placed throughout the IZ Reloaded blog.

On shunning traditional marketing avenues for blogs as a launch platform, Sandy Low, Operations Manager for San Street, said, “By embracing the relatively new blogosphere as part of our marketing mix, we reflect San Street’s brand position of being creative and bold. Blog readership is growing at a rapid rate, with blogs fast becoming a powerful marketing platform for niche brands like us, where word of mouth among the right audience is key. This sponsorship and endorsement deal with IZ Reloaded allows us to reach out and communicate to a highly valuable consumer base. We are therefore very pleased to be associated with one of the most popular and best blogs in Singapore to help us in our strategy.”

Low adds that choosing the right blog to be associated with is important. “While there are many popular blogs in Singapore, many of them either run like personal journals and can sometimes carry rather controversial content, or are special-interest blogs about food and other hobbies. We are delighted that IZ Reloaded offers a great mix of news, current affairs and pop culture, but written in a way that is fun and clearly connects with the audience – that is the kind of brand image we want.”



Blogger IZ Reloaded said that bagging the San Street deal is not only a satisfying personal coup for him, but it is a big boost to the local blogging community as a whole. “Commercial endorsement deals have always been the domain of television, movie and sports celebrities, so it is encouraging to know that a company like San Street – with several cool fashion brands under it – has the confidence and foresight to appoint a blogger as its brand ambassador.”

San Street intends to use the deal to promote the Extreme and ALI brands, as well as an upcoming higher end streetwear brand called Zero Hour in June.

About San Street:

San Street, a company that specializes in streetwear apparels and accessories, was founded in 2007. It is the sole distributor for Extreme and Action Ladfigure Inc (ALI) in Singapore. Its first outlet known as the Extreme Shop is located in the new My.PlayGround at Suntec City Mall, Level 3.

About IZ Reloaded:

IZ Reloaded covers current news, pop culture, blogs, websites, gadgets, the fascinating and the weird from a Singapore/Asia perspective. The blog is a runner up in both the 2006 Weblog Awards (Best Asia Blog) and the 2004 Asia Blog Awards (Best Singapore Blog) and it is also the first Singapore blog to be syndicated by US company Newstex. His photoblog Katoomba Syndrome is a finalist in 2005, 2006 and 2007 Photobloggies (Best Southeast Asia photoblog) and runner up in the 2004 Asia Blog Awards (Best Asia photoblog).

-ENDS-

I will post a FAQ later today. Thanks to some of my readers who were involved in the FAQ process over the past few days. Will mention names later. Ha!

Update: The FAQ, finally. Thanks to readers GeekGod, Shy, Myra Leong and Mr Big for the questions. Will beg, borrow and steal a t-shirt from my sponsors for you.

Q: How did you get this deal?
A: I happened to date the girl who owns the company. LOL. Ok no. That's not it. Seriously. They were actually looking at several blogs and I was just lucky to be chosen.

Q: So now you are really selling out huh?
A: Technically I've sold out several months ago when I decided to include the Google Adwords in my blog. So selling out a bit more will not do any harm aye, only bring in some more money so that I can go out and party more.

Q: How come I've never heard of San Street and their brands before?
A: Well now you have. San Street is in fact a new company. Before it brought the brands Extreme and Action Ladfigure Inc into Singapore only this year, these two brands have been selling well in a neighbouring country. And soon I'm sure they will sell well here too.

Q: So tell us how much are you paid?
A: Well Xiaxue was paid 2 peanuts everytime she wears her sponsor's t-shirts so I would like to think that I'm paid more than 2 peanuts. Ok - 4 peanuts!

Q: You are not the first blogger in Singapore to get this type of endorsement deal?
A: That honour has got to go to Xiaxue. I think she's the first in Asia not just in Singapore. So I guess I'm the second. But mine is better really cause I get to represent 2 brands of clothing line plus another one that is coming soon. Not only T-shirts, but bags, jeans, pants, sweat shirts, caps. I even have a damn nice ladies line too but don't expect me to model them for you people aye.

Q: So do you get to keep their clothes?
A: Ha but of course. As a Brand Ambassador I get to keep my wardrobe full of Extreme and ALI clothes. I even wear them to bed.

Q: Are you really out to take over the world?
A: Shhhsh.