Wyclef unveils charity push, branding deals

By Evan Jones and Kelsey Payne

Wyclef Jean unveiled a new charitable partnership with clothing and footwear company Timberland during a Thursday Advertising Week Q&A session conducted by Billboard editorial director Bill Werde at the Times Center in New York.
  For every pair of Timberland boots sold, $2 will be donated to Jean's Yele Haiti Foundation, which will help aid reforestation in that country. "I really think that we're going to sell a whole lot of boots and I really think we're going to plant a whole lot of trees in Haiti," Jean said during the afternoon session.
  Jean touched on a number of other topics during the Q&A, including his next planned releases, upcoming deals with other mega-brands and the work he's doing to help Haitian students through his foundation.

  A day earlier, the artist attended the Clinton Global Initiative in New York—spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton—to discuss college scholarships for Haitian students in need. Additionally, Jean will be the new face of Western Union for the next 16 months. The partnership launches Nov. 2 at an event in Times Square. Today, he will join Avril Lavigne and Brad Paisley for a commercial shoot for upcoming T-Mobile television spots. "A deal like T-Mobile brings the brand of Wyclef Jean and makes it relevant," Jean said.
  Despite his busy schedule with branding opportunities and charity work, Jean is releasing a mix tape on Nov. 12, and he premiered two tracks at the panel. One of the tracks, "Suicide Love," features Eve, who joined Jean onstage at Billboard's Amp'D Up Advertising Week kickoff event on Monday at the Nokia Theater, which Jean headlined. Jean will release a self-titled album in March.

September 25, 2009 in Celebs | Permalink