Brinkley, who is 51, had originally promoted the brand until the mid-90s, when an 'amiable separation' occurred. But with maturer women becoming an increasingly important target for cosmetics companies, Brinkley's well-preserved looks were seen as the ideal face to give the brand a boost and rekindle a contract that first started back in 1976.
She will be promoting CoverGirl's new Advanced Radiance Foundation - which is part of a new product segmentation that the company wants to focus on.
CoverGirl described Brinkley's all-American looks as being the embodiment of its strong heritage in both cosmetics and skin care. The new product line is the first to combine P&G's Olay brand formulations with current skin care technologies to develop a product that meets current requirements for anti-aging cosmetics.
The company says that the Advanced Radiance line will be expanded to include additional face cosmetics and skin care products.
The Advanced Radiance Compact Foundation combines P&G's VitaNiacin complex anti-aging technology. VitaNiacin has already been included in Olay formulations. It was developed over a five year period using Niacinamide, Pro-Vitamin B5 and Tocopheryl Acetate to give exfoliating and moisturizing qualities.
The compact will be available in 15 shades and will go on sale in the US in September with a retail value of $9.99. Brinkley's contract is expected to run for another ten years and will see her face promoting the CoverGirl brand in a number of print and television campaigns starting this September.
Star sponsorship of make-up brands invariably employs younger media figures to promote products, giving Brinkley's contract particular resonance within the industry. However, the positive reception to Unilver's current Dove advertising campaign, featuring women of varying stature, weight and age, suggests that a more varied profile could be what consumers will be seeing more of in the future.