Girl on film

Avril’s snappy ending

Avril Lavigne appears in a major campaign as the new face of Canon Canada. The singer promotes Canon’s Rebel series of digital SLR cameras and ELPH line of compact point-and-shoot cameras. Lavigne is also due to promote the full range of products from Canon’s consumer imaging line in the coming months.

“Working with Canon Canada is truly exciting for me, as I’m a huge photography fan,” says Lavigne regarding the new deal.

Lavigne appears in two TV commercials for Cannon (created by Brainstorm Group), which are sound tracked by two singles from her album, the international smash hit ‘Girlfriend’ and ‘The Best Damn Thing’. “Avril’s energy and spirit is the perfect complement to the Canon brand,” says Ian Macfarlane, VP and GM of the Consumer Imaging Group at Canon Canada Inc., “She exemplifies the style and energy that our products offer”.

A dedicated Canon microsite enables fans to upload their own photos and personalise them with images and accessories such as tiaras or feather boas (as featured in the commercials). There is also an opportunity to win both of the featured camera products online.

So what?: If anyone can Avril can. The diminutive princess of punk pop is a torchbearer for the 360º model, capitalising on her assets outside of direct music sales. She promoted Kohl’s back-to-school clothing campaign back in July (which featured her own branded clothing line Abbey Dawn), has applied for multiple patents for perfume, shampoo and bath soaps, played free concerts at Best Buy, and appeared on Stardoll (the paper doll dress-up community site). ‘Girlfriend’ itself was recorded in seven languages to increase global traction with four versions used in the Burnout videogame.

Lavigne is a massive multi-platinum selling artist, however there is still a need to expand beyond straight music sales. Avril is a sort of rebel realist; whereas punk fought against institutions this rebel very much has a cause – and that is to leverage herself as a brand beyond music’s traditional boundaries. Here is an artist positioned as a global brand, saying “see you later boi” to the somewhat tired notion of ‘selling out’.

“Hey, hey, you, you, should try pulling a 360 like Avril. Straddling the line between Teen and Tween audiences (as the punky alternative to Hannah Montana and Taylor Swift) this is an artist positioned very much as a brand – and she’s all the better for it”
Giles Fitzgerald, Editor, Five Eight

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