TAYLOR SWIFT BECOMES NEWEST SPOKESMODEL FOR COVER GIRL

Country music phenom Taylor Swift’s new CoverGirl deal puts well down the road to becoming not just a musical artist, but major brand. Get ready for the next music, fashion and film juggernaut.

Although just 20, Swift has already won the highest country music honor; has a movie to her credit opposite Twilight hottie Taylor Lautner.

Now she joins A-List celebs Rihanna, Drew Barrymore and Ellen DeGeneres, who also fronted for CoverGirl.

The deal also puts Swift in the same league as Miley Cyrus, although not quite the same level.

The Hannah Montana star is still far and away the leading teen brand-maker, with music, movies, television and fashion deals.

Swift will rep for the “easy, breezy, beautiful” line’s new luxury collection, a rep for CoverGirl confirmed. No names have been announced for the new line.

“I am so excited to become the next CoverGirl,” Taylor said in a statement.

“I have admired many of the CoverGirls since I was a little girl… great artists and actresses who are confident and still themselves.

“It’s like a dream come true to be a part of the future of CoverGirl,” Swift said.

Ads are expected to roll out in January 2011 along with the new line.

Taylor, meanwhile, is still touring. Her “Fearless” tour is currently cris-crossing the country.

Swift told Teen Vogue last year that she’s the kind of person who believes everything happens for a reason.

This time money may be the biggest. But the deal also cements Swift as a star who transcends country music.

GATORADE PARTS WAYS WITH TIGER...

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Seems Gatorade was less than impressed with Tiger Woods' public apology.

The sports-drink giant has dropped Mr. Woods, who in a televised news conference last week publicly apologized for his transgressions after details of his numerous marital infidelities surfaced following a one-car accident he was involved in on Thanksgiving night. The beverage brand is the third sponsor to walk away from the embattled golfer, who also said he was staying off the links.

APTiger Woods was Gatorade's first golf endorser. -->"We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship," said a Gatorade spokeswoman. "We wish him all the best."

Gatorade first brought on Mr. Woods in 2007. He was the beverage brand's first golf endorser, and the deal was reportedly worth $100 million over five years. "Gatorade has been part of my game plan for years, whether I'm training or competing, so this is an ideal match," Mr. Woods said at the time.

Late last year, Gatorade decided to discontinue the Tiger Focus line of beverages, a decision it said was made before the scandal erupted in December. The company said at the time that it had ditched the line to make room for "our planned series of innovative products in 2010."
The Tiger line had not been performing well, with volume down 34% in the first 10 months of 2009, according to Beverage Digest figures.

The Gatorade spokeswoman said the brand's partnership with the Tiger Woods Foundation will continue.

Accenture and AT&T have also dropped Mr. Woods. With Gatorade now out of the picture, Procter & Gamble's Gillette brand is one of a handful of major corporate sponsors still standing by their man, even though the brand has scaled back on advertising that utilized Mr. Woods. On his personal website, tigerwoods.com, Mr. Woods lists his official sponsors as Nike, EA Sports, Gillette Champions, Tag Heuer, Golf Digest, NetJets, Upper Deck and TLC Laser Eye Centers.