What Fergie, Black Eyed Peas Front Femme, Can Teach Us About the Art of the Deal

Fergie, that petite sassy foil for three male band mates in the Black Eyed Peas, is becoming an Avon lady. But don't expect her to come ringing your doorbell. Fergie, a.k.a. Stacy Ferguson, is the latest in a long line of pop stars set to supplement her musical income by peddling perfume.

Partnering with Avon (AVP), the hip-hop songstress will introduce Outspoken --a fragrance the company says is not for the faint of heart -- in September. The name is apt, because despite the fact that Peas front man Will.i.Am. is usually in the spotlight for masterminding the group's meteoric rise, it's Fergie who's boldly leveraged her talent and commercial appeal (think 'lady lumps') into some savvy business moves.

Pick the Right Partner

Take this latest deal, in which Fergie chose to collaborate with Avon -- as opposed to Coty, the billion dollar beauty brand which recently launched signature fragrances from Celine Dion and Beyonce. Though she's a multi-platinum artist in her own right (the track "Fergalicious" made digital download history with sales just south of 300,000 in one week) an Avon partnership makes more sense for Fergie.

Stay in the Spotlight

Rather than get lost in Coty's celebrity stable, Fergie joins a (very) short list of Avon's stars including Salma Hayek, Courtney Cox, and Reese Witherspoon -â€" actors all. As a singer, she's sure to stand out in the company's advertising, which Avon has made an investment priority. Avon managed to post $10.4 billion in revenue during a challenging 2009 thanks in part to a good showing in the beauty unit. The unit, which includes fragrance, saw a four percent increase over 2008.

Be Fearless

But Fergie's already shown she's more than capable of holding her own with accomplished actresses the likes of Sophia Lauren and Judi Dench. She took a star turn alongside the grand dames in the film version of the musical Nine, belting out a searing rendition of "Be Italian." Though overall reviews of Nine were tepid, Fergie managed to charm the critics.

Face Your Critics

Furthermore, a flounced and flossy Fergie will grace the cover of Elle Magazine this month. And rather than stop at a full-frontal glamour shot, Fergie's been given the full editorial treatment -- a profile that promises to be a tell-all feature which hits her gossip-mongers head on. Looks like the girl who's been famously called 'fugly' is going to have the last laugh, all the way to the bank.

Photo via Elle.com