Published: March 08, 2010

Isn't That Raquel Welch Behind Those Foster Grants?

Share This Story

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - FGX International (NASDAQ: FGXI), a leading eyewear designer and marketer, announced today that it is launching television commercials for its Foster Grant brand, once again including Hollywood icon Raquel Welch. Ms. Welch was one of Foster Grant's spokespeople in the 1960s, appearing in several print ads for Foster Grant sunglasses, and also in commercials for Foster Grant sunglasses and reading glasses in 2009. The commercials feature the well-known "Who's that behind those Foster Grants?" tagline, which was named by Advertising Age as one of the Top 100 Advertising Campaigns of all time.

FGX International collaborated with Ms. Welch for a national television advertising campaign for both the Foster Grant reading glasses and Foster Grant sunglasses collections. Foster Grant invested over $12 million in consumer advertising for its collection of sunglasses over the past three years, and plans to invest approximately $4 million in 2010. FGXI will launch the television campaign on April 12^th, 2010.

Ms. Welch's new book, Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage, about her life and the aging process, will be in bookstores April 1. An international sex symbol of the 1960s and 1970s, she starred in over 45 films, including Fantastic Voyage, Bandolero!, Bedazzled and One Million Years B.C., and in 1974 she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a Musical or Comedy for The Three Musketeers. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and earlier this year was named by GQ as one of the Top 25 Sexiest Film Stars of all time.

"Signing Raquel Welch for Foster Grant proved to be very successful for the Foster Grant brand," said Richard Kornhauser, FGXI Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "It was an obvious choice to work with her again in 2010. Raquel continues to combine her tremendous star power and natural beauty to appeal to all age ranges, gender and demographics, making her a perfect fit for Foster Grant."

About FGX International

FGX International is a leading designer and marketer of non-prescription reading glasses and sunglasses with a portfolio of established, highly recognized eyewear brands including Foster Grant, MagnivisionÂ®, Angel , Gargoyles, AnarchyÂ®, Corinne McCormack, SolarShield and PolarEyesÂ®. FGXI also holds licenses for brands such as Ironman, Levi Strauss, Body Glove and C9 by Champion. Based in Smithfield, Rhode Island, FGXI has approximately 350 full time employees. Additional offices are located in New York City, San Luis Obispo, CA; Toronto, Canada; Stoke-on-Trent, England; Mexico City, Mexico; and Shenzhen, China.

For additional information contact: Sal Siano, ssiano@fgxi.com

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6205982&lang=en