Beauty giant launches online music talent search

The US cosmetics and perfume company Avon has launched a global online singing talent search for women and a songwriting competition for men and women in celebration of its 125th anniversary.

As of December 1, the program's official website - AvonVoices.com - is live, and open for registration. Women are invited to participate in the online Singing Talent Search by choosing a song from the website and uploading a submission video through February 13, 2011 via the site. Both women and men can enter the songwriting competition by writing an original song and submitting a digital file and lyric sheet via the site between May 20 and July 1, 2011. 

Up to two winners of the Avon Voices Singing Talent Search will receive the opportunity to record a professionally produced album. Up to ten finalists will be flown to the US for individual vocal coaching, styling sessions, Avon makeovers, rehearsals, and in-studio recording. Up to 25 semi-finalists will be flown to Hollywood, California for professional vocal coaching, Avon makeovers, and performance video shoots, and up to 197 Round One contenders will be flown to one of four international destinations (Nashville, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, or Hong Kong) for performance video shoots and Avon makeovers.

Up to ten winners of the Avon Voices Songwriting Competition will be offered a music publishing contract,  have their song appear on a professionally produced album, or have their song performed by one of the finalists in the Avon Voices Singing Talent Search.

The online community is encouraged to vote for favorite Avon Voices contenders via the website to help decide the outcome of the competition. From April through October, the search will be narrowed down four times by a combination of online public voting and judges' scores. The judging panel is comprised of international music industry professionals including the six-time Grammy award winner Fergie, the songwriter Diane Waren, and the Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, among others.

Avon is just one among various companies that sponsor contests in order to garner buzz around their brands. Last month, MAC Cosmetics launched an online contest to select six official new faces for its Fall 2011 collection. The winners of "MAC Me Over!" will be flown to New York City where they will be made over by a professional makeup artist and star in a worldwide campaign for the beauty brand. And this past spring, the United Colors of Benetton launched the global competition "It's My Time" in order to select 20 new faces for its A/W 2010 campaign.

Enter the Avon contest here:

http://www.avonvoices.com/