Procter & Gamble sponsors Olympians

NEW YORK ­­­-As stylists tease and spray the hair of ice dancer Tanith Belbin, it's easy to forget that the 2006 Olympic silver medalist spends most days training with her partner Ben Agosto and performing intricate dance moves on the ice.

That is, until the camera stops and the 24-year-old squeezes next to her agent, offers a giddy smile and grins for a camera phone self-portrait.

"Some people think that modeling is just sitting in front of the camera," Belbin said. "But I have complete respect for what they do."

She should know. Throughout the second half of a two-day photo shoot for U.S. Olympic Committee sponsor Procter & Gamble, Belbin modeled seven outfits, endured at least three pairs of high heels and flashed her pearly whites for four consecutive hours.

Even though the Olympian sacrificed her weekend for the shoot, Belbin said the change of pace is refreshing. "You can only hope that you're this busy during an Olympic year," she said.

It's certainly fortunate that Belbin is so busy. Procter & Gamble announced its sponsorship with the USOC in August, and in a time when the economic recession has taken its toll, athletes such as Belbin are thrilled to be involved in sponsor-related events.

And since there is no government funding for the U.S. Olympic Team, which relies on private donations and corporate sponsorships to send a team to the Games, opportunities like these are important for helping athletes maintain their rigorous training schedules. 

Beginning this winter, Procter & Gamble will splash the five rings-and sometimes, Belbin's smiling face-across 17 of its brands, everything from Tide to Pringles.

Belbin, in addition to bobsledder Vonetta Flowers, speedskater Allison Baver and alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, will be the main athletic faces for Procter & Gamble's beauty brands, including Cover Girl, Olay, Olay Quench, Pantene, Secret and Venus. To view photos of the athletes, including behind the scenes shots from the Procter & Gamble photoshoot, click HERE.

Apolo Anton Ohno, a five time Olympic medalist in speedskating, and Lindsey Jacobellis, an Olympic silver medalist in snowboarding, will promote Vicks products.

"What's important to celebrate is that not only are they athletes, they are women," said Shawn Farrell, creative director at ARC Worldwide, which conceptualized the photo shoot. "All women want their spotlight moment, and that's what we're giving them."

Procter & Gamble's carefully crafted spotlight moment started October 2, when Baver, Belbin and Flowers met at Chelsea Piers in New York City for the first set of photos. They quickly forged an easygoing, collaborative relationship, Belbin said.

"It's rare that I get to meet other Olympians," she said. "When we get together, the first thing we talk about are our sports. So much of competing is mental, and the mental part remains the same no matter what you do.  To get to pick someone like Vonetta's brain, well, what better brain to pick than one of a champion?"

Flowers' road to the Olympic Games was a winding one. After unsuccessfully trying out for the Olympic Games in 1996 and 2000 in track and field, Flowers made history at the  Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games, becoming the first African-American to earn a Winter Olympic gold medal.

Now a busy mother of three, Flowers, who considers herself a "jeans, T-shirt and flip-flops girl," treats a weekend photo shoot as a glamorous getaway. "I was pampered," she said. "Getting our makeup done, our hair done, and getting to dress up in clothes I don't normally wear."

Beyond the luxury factor, working closely with other Olympians ups the ante at the Winter Games.

"When I'm cheering now, there's more pressure," Flowers said. "I know these women, I'm not just cheering for Team USA anymore."

But for two days, the three focused on the clothes.

Baver, a U.S. national champion in short track speedskating, swooned over the racks of gold dresses and piles of jewelry, but particularly fell for a short, gold Roberto Rodriguez dress with pearls. "It was very elegant," she said. "All of the dresses were amazing. It was crazy!"

Crew members labeled the second-day wardrobe "casual-glam," but Belbin's fourth costume change hardly resembled everyday apparel.

She emerged from the dressing room in a backless, gold-sequined, floor-length Marc Bouwer gown-her favorite of the seven ensembles. "I wear backless dresses a lot on the ice, but they usually have that nude mesh netting to maintain the construction," she said. "This one is so old Hollywood glamour."

As stylists rearranged the dress, rubbed lotion on Belbin's legs and touched up her makeup, it became obvious that the athlete didn't leave the perfectionism that drove her to the 2002 Games on the rink.

"I'm very critical of myself," Belbin said. "I haven't been trained at taking photographs. My success is based on the photographers, the makeup artists and the stylist.  I don't feel like I contribute that much to it."

Still, the skater has quite an established modeling resume. Design powerhouses DeBeers and Polo-Ralph Lauren also tapped Belbin for 2010 marketing. And for ice dancers, competitions demand glitzy costumes and heavy makeup.

Still, Belbin insists, transitioning from on-ice glamour to glossy photographs is daunting.

"When I'm dancing, it's very theatrical," Belbin said. "I'm always in the part of a character. For me, it's more intimidating to be just me. They want my personality to shine through, but all of the time I'm working on how to portray a character. I don't think about how to exude my personality on camera."

The tirelessly upbeat athlete rarely takes a bad photograph, even when she's goofing off and snapping an image to share with friends on TwitPic, an online photo sharing service.

As for personality, Belbin's actions speak as loudly as her images. Throughout the two days, she hustled around the set and pitched in to help the crew, the photographers, even the caterers.

"I'm not a big fan of hurry up and wait," Belbin said. "I like to work. I like to be busy... I don't know what else to do!"

By the end of the shoot, a T-shirt-and-jeans-clad Belbin laughs as the photographer shouts instructions. She swings one arm over her head, monkey-style, and grins for the last shot. Is she tired? "No," she says. "This was a short day."

Now the real work comes. She has to return to the ice for her day job.

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Molly Fergus is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.

Tags: Allison Baver, Apolo Anton Ohno, Lindsey Jacobellis, Lindsey Vonn, Molly Fergus, Procter & Gamble, Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Tanith Belbin, U.S. Ski and Snowboard, US Figure Skating, USBSF, Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Vicks, Vonetta Flowers