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The talk is that gambling and social media ala Facebook and the like are to come together in a big way.
It started with free poker and bingo games, with the odd free slots, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.
What will it all mean for players, big gaming companies, land based casinos, law makers and all the usual suspects? Time will tell but in the meantime the Media Man agency continues it's probe of the always exciting and volatile gaming, igaming and internet industry.
Jim Ryan, co-chief executive of Bwin.party Digital Entertainment, said of the online gambling companies, “As an industry we have missed the ball. Bingo is easy. That is the one and only social game that our industry has gotten right.” He noted that social game companies such as Zynga have amassed huge audiences in the meantime.
“Social gaming is obviously the coming thing and in some sense it has already arrived,” said Simon Burridge, chief executive of Virgin Games, speaking on a panel. “Social gaming meets (real gambling) is the high ground of the future.”
Malcolm Graham, chief executive of online gambling firm PKR, agreed. He said, “We have all missed the opportunity to build tournament-style gambling games (for no real-money betting) on Facebook. But in the next 12 months to 18 months, our gambling industry will move onto Facebook.”
The gambling industry has and realized that soon the social gambling craze is happening without most of them. The smart players have already started making moves into the space, such as IGT's purchase of Double Down Interactive and Caesar's purchase of Playtika. Companies that are further behind are now struggling to catch up. With rumors swirling that Facebook is preparing to roll out gambling in the UK, it seems like only a matter of time before social gambling is a reality.
Massive companies with huge marketing and budgets are coming to into town. The good news is that these are large, slow-moving companies with little knowledge of modern social game mechanics, though the similarities between social games and casino games could shorten the learning curve. The bad news is that the average gambling player is worth about $300 per month, so these guys are packing big guns when it comes to user acquisition and retention. Competing with that kind of a budget is going to be downright hard. And after multiple swooning love letters back and forth, it seems inevitable that Zynga and Wynn will team up to offer real-money gambling in legal jurisdictions. This means social game developers can't count on their industry know-how to protect them, even in the short term.
So what can social game companies do? Operating exclusively in the US will keep you safe for the time being. But, now that The Wire Act has been modified, multiple states are throwing their hats into the ring to offer legalized online gambling, including big markets like Florida, California, New Jersey.
According to the VentureBeat article, Jim Ryan expects that online gambling will be largely legal in the US by 2014. That means that hiding in the US is not a good business plan.
Instead, social game companies should do what they have always done best: adapt. There's a number of avenues this could take:
1. Mobile
Frankly, mobile is likely to befuddle many gambling operators for some time, but the smart gambling companies are already making big moves into the space. It's interesting that most smaller social game companies have already turned their attention away from Facebook.
2. Younger audiences
Social game companies could target their games for a younger audience, which gambling companies are legally obligated to avoid. This doesn't have to mean anything cloak and dagger - just that you make more kid-oriented games or go into a specific, younger vertical like educational games. However, children under 18 only make up 5% of money spent on social games, which is rather limiting.
3. Offer real-money gaming
Social game companies can compete with gambling companies on their own turf: by offering real-money gaming in their social games. In this strategy, social game companies have the advantage. They understand their players and what drives them to purchase or play better than anyone, and they can leverage this knowledge to onboard them into lucrative real-money gaming. However, most social game companies haven't done this already because gambling licenses are tremendously difficult and expensive to acquire.
It's all leading up to a perfect storm but rest assured that social media and gambling are coming together, and you can bet that Media Man is going to be in the thick of the action.
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Welcome to the Media Man Entertainment blog. Media Man Entertainment covers news, reviews, gossip and more from the entertainment industry. Media Man Entertainment is part of the Media Man group of companies, headed up by Media Man International. Media Man was established by Australian based media entrepreneur, Greg Tingle, in 2001.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Report into The Star casino complex to be delayed
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A final report into Sydney's The Star casino will be delivered two weeks later than initially planned.
The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority originally asked Gail Furness SC to deliver her findings on April 30 but has agreed to her request for the deadline to be extended until May 18.
"The extension follows advice provided to the authority by Ms Furness that the additional time is required to enable her to complete her work," the authority said in a statement on Thursday.
It said some matters needed "further investigation" following public hearings in April, where former staff accused The Star's sacked managing director Sid Vaikunta of using cocaine at work and fostering a culture of sexual harassment.
After those hearings, the ABC on April 16 aired further allegations from another employee, Thomas Lin, who said the casino pleased international high rollers by ignoring gambling compliance laws.
The authority says the report deadline has been extended to ensure all parties to the inquiry receive procedural fairness.
However, it promises to have submissions given to the inquiry, following the public hearings in April, published on its website by early May.
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A final report into Sydney's The Star casino will be delivered two weeks later than initially planned.
The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority originally asked Gail Furness SC to deliver her findings on April 30 but has agreed to her request for the deadline to be extended until May 18.
"The extension follows advice provided to the authority by Ms Furness that the additional time is required to enable her to complete her work," the authority said in a statement on Thursday.
It said some matters needed "further investigation" following public hearings in April, where former staff accused The Star's sacked managing director Sid Vaikunta of using cocaine at work and fostering a culture of sexual harassment.
After those hearings, the ABC on April 16 aired further allegations from another employee, Thomas Lin, who said the casino pleased international high rollers by ignoring gambling compliance laws.
The authority says the report deadline has been extended to ensure all parties to the inquiry receive procedural fairness.
However, it promises to have submissions given to the inquiry, following the public hearings in April, published on its website by early May.
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Madame Tussauds New York Unveil Their Marvel Superheroes Exhibit
Madame Tussauds New York Unveil Their Marvel Superheroes Exhibit...
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Madame Tussauds New York Unveil Their Marvel Superheroes Exhibit...
Madame Tussauds New York, USA, has revealed a first look at their new interactive Marvel Super Heroes exhibit, set to open on Thursday, April 26th, just before many of the heroes appear on the big screen in the May 4th release of Marvel's 'The Avengers'.
The new, multi-level experience will feature wax likenesses of The Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and two new wax figures of Captain America and Thor, as well as the Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience – a new, short film with amazing special effects.
Captain America, as portrayed by Chris Evans in the 2011 blockbuster film, Captain America: The First Avenger, will stand in his patriotic red, white and blue costume, holding his circular shield. Thor, as portrayed by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in the hit 2011 film, Thor, will wield his mighty hammer, Mjolnir.
“We’re bringing the Marvel Super Heroes that so many of us grew up with to life,” said Bret Pidgeon, General Manager of Madame Tussauds New York. “Marvel fans young and old alike will now have the opportunity to see, interact with and stand alongside their favorite characters.”
The exhibit will lead visitors through a long hallway and downstairs into the secret command center to unlock their powers alongside their favorite heroes. Captain America and Iron Man stand at the ready while Spider-Man crouches, about to spring into action and a 15-foot-tall likeness of The Hulk emerges through a wall into the Gamma Radiation Lab.
Expo visitors will stand at the “Contamination Station” to see if they’ve been exposed to the gamma rays that turned Dr. Bruce Banner into his green alter ego. They will also have the opportunity to wield the hammer Mjoilnir alongside of Thor as he emerges through a portal from Asgard prepared for battle.
“From the pages of our comic books to the big screen and now live in wax – it’s a great thing to see some of our best-loved Marvel characters come to life in this fun and interactive way,” said Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment. "For more than 70 years, Marvel has captured the imagination of fans around the world and we’re excited to be working with Madame Tussauds New York to open this amazing experience for everyone to enjoy.”
The never-before-seen Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience places visitors in the middle of a Stark Industries press conference. Viewers can not only watch as Peter Parker asks Tony Stark questions, but feel the commotion once the press conference is interrupted by the evil Loki and Dr. Doom. Viewers will feel as though they are joining Marvel’s greatest Super Heroes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, and Spider-Man to battle their nemeses. Excelsior!
News...
Madame Tussauds recently opened their Sydney, Australia branch, and we understand that there's a superhero wax double of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).
Marvel Entertainment: Wolverine Clawing Up Hollywood Comic Book Movies; Thanks Australian Government; Marvel Comic Book Fans And Australian Film Industry: Excelsior!...
Australia's favorite son, Hugh Jackman, is returning back down under to Australia to make The Wolverine, his sixth showing as the Marvel Comic book adapted character, thanks to a whopping $12.8 million federal government subsidy.
And while referred to as "one-off", the local film industry is hopeful that the near-doubling of the standard assistance for a big-budget foreign production is a sign of things to come in next month’s budget.
The Wolverine is set in Japan but will be shot at Fox Studios in Sydney between July and December. Hugh Jackman will star and produce.
“It’s so great to bring these big movies down there, to keep people working,” Jackman told the Today program from London, where he is doing Les Miserables for Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech). “I just have to say thanks to Prime Minister Gillard, she was instrumental with this.”
Ms Gillard and Arts Minister Simon Crean jointly announced on Friday "a one-off payment" that provides Marvel Entertainment, the Hollywood producers of The Wolverine, a 30 per cent rebate through the tax system on production expenditure in Australia. "Without this … the producers of The Wolverine would not have chosen Australia as the location," their statement disclosed.
They claimed the subsidy would generate "over $80 million of investment in Australia and create more than 2000 jobs".
But local industry figures are hopeful the "one-off" caveat could soon be lifted.
"It’s a positive step for us, it shows the government’s willingness to look at the proposed increase to the location offset," said Debra Richards, chief of Ausfilm, who is responsible for atracting big-spending foreign productions to Australia.
Ausfilm and others have been lobbying the government for an increase in the foreign location offset for the past three years as the strong Australian dollar and competing incentive schemes offered by more than 40 states within the US and countries such as the UK, Canada and even Malaysia combine to make Australia too expensive for big-budget foreign productions.
The offset was introduced in 2001, at 12.5 per cent. At the time, the Australian dollar was worth about 50 cents. In 2007 it was increased to 15 per cent as a number of other territories copied, and often bettered, Australia’s incentives. Last year it was increased to 16.5 per cent.
The industry is seeking an increase to 30 per cent, and is understood to have backing from both sides of politics because big-budget foreign productions are seen as important in training and retaining technical personnel.
Crucial to the case it has taken to government is the argument that the cost to government will be relatively low as Australia is unlikely to be inundated with big productions. “It won’t be opening the floodgates,” said Ms Richards. “There’s a natural capacity here in terms of personnel and facilities.”
Sources suggest that capacity might be one large production per annum in each of Queensland (Warner studios), NSW (Fox) and Victoria (Melbourne Docklands Studios).
Docklands boss Rod Allan welcomed the news with both cautious optimism and regret.
"I think it’s terrific the federal government is willing to look at a one-off production offset and I hope that’s an indication of its willingness to look at the offset generally,” he said.
“I’d have preferred Wolverine to have come here, but now the Sydney studios are tied up for the rest of the year we’re in a great position to compete for other projects."
Asked if the decision foreshadowed an announcement on the offset scheme in the budget, Simon Crean’s office replied "the issues facing the screen industry are important to the government and will remain on our agenda over the coming years".
The budget will be handed down on May 8.
In the meantime Australian movie fans, especially those of the superhero genre, are hopefully that the likes of Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics will produce more upcoming movies on Australian soil.
A Media Man agency rep said "Something tells us that not only are fans, Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics watching these exciting developments closely, so are the likes of Frank Miller Inc and others. Australian actors, technical staff, make-up and wardrobe talent, honey wagon operators, the hotel industry, gaming developers and a range of other services companies are delighted with the Wolverine production news, and are hopeful that the Australian government will continue to find initiatives to give the Australian movie business more shots in the arm that it needs".
Stay tuned as we witness the Australian movie sector continuing to claw, kick and scratch its way back to its former glory. As Marvel Entertainment comic icon Stay Lee would say, Excelsior!
The Wolverine comic profile...
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant who possesses animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing factor that allows him to recover from virtually any wound, disease or toxin at an accelerated rate. The healing factor also slows down his aging process, enabling him to live beyond a normal human lifespan. His powerful healing factor enabled the supersoldier program Weapon X to bond the near-indestructible metal alloy adamantium to his skeleton and claws without killing him. He is most often depicted as a member of the X-Men, Alpha Flight, or later the Avengers.
The character first appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk #180 (his first full appearance is in issue #181, November 1974) and was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr., who designed the character, and was first drawn for publication by Herb Trimpe. Wolverine later joined the X-Men's "All New, All Different" roster in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975). X-Men writer Chris Claremont played a significant role in the character's subsequent development, along with artist/writer John Byrne, who insisted on making the character older than the other X-Men. Artist Frank Miller collaborated with Claremont and helped to revise the character with a four-part eponymous limited series from September to December 1982 in which Wolverine's catchphrase, "I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best isn't very nice," debuted.
Wolverine was typical of the many tough, anti-authority, antiheroes that emerged in American popular culture after the Vietnam War; his willingness to use deadly force and his brooding nature became standard characteristics for comic book anti-heroes by the end of the 1980s. As a result, the character became the clear favorite for fans of the increasingly popular X-Men franchise. Wolverine has been featured in his own solo comic since 1988 and has been a central character in most X-Men adaptations, including animated television series, video games, and the live-action 20th Century Fox X-Men film series, in which he is portrayed by Hugh Jackman. In May 2008, Wolverine was ranked #1 out of Wizard magazine's Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time and was ranked as the 4th Greatest Comic Book Character by Empire magazine in July 2008. On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked Wolverine at #21. In May 2011, Wolverine was ranked 4th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes (Credit: Wikipedia)
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Madame Tussauds New York Unveil Their Marvel Superheroes Exhibit...
Madame Tussauds New York, USA, has revealed a first look at their new interactive Marvel Super Heroes exhibit, set to open on Thursday, April 26th, just before many of the heroes appear on the big screen in the May 4th release of Marvel's 'The Avengers'.
The new, multi-level experience will feature wax likenesses of The Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man, and two new wax figures of Captain America and Thor, as well as the Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience – a new, short film with amazing special effects.
Captain America, as portrayed by Chris Evans in the 2011 blockbuster film, Captain America: The First Avenger, will stand in his patriotic red, white and blue costume, holding his circular shield. Thor, as portrayed by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth in the hit 2011 film, Thor, will wield his mighty hammer, Mjolnir.
“We’re bringing the Marvel Super Heroes that so many of us grew up with to life,” said Bret Pidgeon, General Manager of Madame Tussauds New York. “Marvel fans young and old alike will now have the opportunity to see, interact with and stand alongside their favorite characters.”
The exhibit will lead visitors through a long hallway and downstairs into the secret command center to unlock their powers alongside their favorite heroes. Captain America and Iron Man stand at the ready while Spider-Man crouches, about to spring into action and a 15-foot-tall likeness of The Hulk emerges through a wall into the Gamma Radiation Lab.
Expo visitors will stand at the “Contamination Station” to see if they’ve been exposed to the gamma rays that turned Dr. Bruce Banner into his green alter ego. They will also have the opportunity to wield the hammer Mjoilnir alongside of Thor as he emerges through a portal from Asgard prepared for battle.
“From the pages of our comic books to the big screen and now live in wax – it’s a great thing to see some of our best-loved Marvel characters come to life in this fun and interactive way,” said Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment. "For more than 70 years, Marvel has captured the imagination of fans around the world and we’re excited to be working with Madame Tussauds New York to open this amazing experience for everyone to enjoy.”
The never-before-seen Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience places visitors in the middle of a Stark Industries press conference. Viewers can not only watch as Peter Parker asks Tony Stark questions, but feel the commotion once the press conference is interrupted by the evil Loki and Dr. Doom. Viewers will feel as though they are joining Marvel’s greatest Super Heroes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, and Spider-Man to battle their nemeses. Excelsior!
News...
Madame Tussauds recently opened their Sydney, Australia branch, and we understand that there's a superhero wax double of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).
Marvel Entertainment: Wolverine Clawing Up Hollywood Comic Book Movies; Thanks Australian Government; Marvel Comic Book Fans And Australian Film Industry: Excelsior!...
Australia's favorite son, Hugh Jackman, is returning back down under to Australia to make The Wolverine, his sixth showing as the Marvel Comic book adapted character, thanks to a whopping $12.8 million federal government subsidy.
And while referred to as "one-off", the local film industry is hopeful that the near-doubling of the standard assistance for a big-budget foreign production is a sign of things to come in next month’s budget.
The Wolverine is set in Japan but will be shot at Fox Studios in Sydney between July and December. Hugh Jackman will star and produce.
“It’s so great to bring these big movies down there, to keep people working,” Jackman told the Today program from London, where he is doing Les Miserables for Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech). “I just have to say thanks to Prime Minister Gillard, she was instrumental with this.”
Ms Gillard and Arts Minister Simon Crean jointly announced on Friday "a one-off payment" that provides Marvel Entertainment, the Hollywood producers of The Wolverine, a 30 per cent rebate through the tax system on production expenditure in Australia. "Without this … the producers of The Wolverine would not have chosen Australia as the location," their statement disclosed.
They claimed the subsidy would generate "over $80 million of investment in Australia and create more than 2000 jobs".
But local industry figures are hopeful the "one-off" caveat could soon be lifted.
"It’s a positive step for us, it shows the government’s willingness to look at the proposed increase to the location offset," said Debra Richards, chief of Ausfilm, who is responsible for atracting big-spending foreign productions to Australia.
Ausfilm and others have been lobbying the government for an increase in the foreign location offset for the past three years as the strong Australian dollar and competing incentive schemes offered by more than 40 states within the US and countries such as the UK, Canada and even Malaysia combine to make Australia too expensive for big-budget foreign productions.
The offset was introduced in 2001, at 12.5 per cent. At the time, the Australian dollar was worth about 50 cents. In 2007 it was increased to 15 per cent as a number of other territories copied, and often bettered, Australia’s incentives. Last year it was increased to 16.5 per cent.
The industry is seeking an increase to 30 per cent, and is understood to have backing from both sides of politics because big-budget foreign productions are seen as important in training and retaining technical personnel.
Crucial to the case it has taken to government is the argument that the cost to government will be relatively low as Australia is unlikely to be inundated with big productions. “It won’t be opening the floodgates,” said Ms Richards. “There’s a natural capacity here in terms of personnel and facilities.”
Sources suggest that capacity might be one large production per annum in each of Queensland (Warner studios), NSW (Fox) and Victoria (Melbourne Docklands Studios).
Docklands boss Rod Allan welcomed the news with both cautious optimism and regret.
"I think it’s terrific the federal government is willing to look at a one-off production offset and I hope that’s an indication of its willingness to look at the offset generally,” he said.
“I’d have preferred Wolverine to have come here, but now the Sydney studios are tied up for the rest of the year we’re in a great position to compete for other projects."
Asked if the decision foreshadowed an announcement on the offset scheme in the budget, Simon Crean’s office replied "the issues facing the screen industry are important to the government and will remain on our agenda over the coming years".
The budget will be handed down on May 8.
In the meantime Australian movie fans, especially those of the superhero genre, are hopefully that the likes of Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics will produce more upcoming movies on Australian soil.
A Media Man agency rep said "Something tells us that not only are fans, Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics watching these exciting developments closely, so are the likes of Frank Miller Inc and others. Australian actors, technical staff, make-up and wardrobe talent, honey wagon operators, the hotel industry, gaming developers and a range of other services companies are delighted with the Wolverine production news, and are hopeful that the Australian government will continue to find initiatives to give the Australian movie business more shots in the arm that it needs".
Stay tuned as we witness the Australian movie sector continuing to claw, kick and scratch its way back to its former glory. As Marvel Entertainment comic icon Stay Lee would say, Excelsior!
The Wolverine comic profile...
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant who possesses animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing factor that allows him to recover from virtually any wound, disease or toxin at an accelerated rate. The healing factor also slows down his aging process, enabling him to live beyond a normal human lifespan. His powerful healing factor enabled the supersoldier program Weapon X to bond the near-indestructible metal alloy adamantium to his skeleton and claws without killing him. He is most often depicted as a member of the X-Men, Alpha Flight, or later the Avengers.
The character first appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk #180 (his first full appearance is in issue #181, November 1974) and was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita, Sr., who designed the character, and was first drawn for publication by Herb Trimpe. Wolverine later joined the X-Men's "All New, All Different" roster in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (May 1975). X-Men writer Chris Claremont played a significant role in the character's subsequent development, along with artist/writer John Byrne, who insisted on making the character older than the other X-Men. Artist Frank Miller collaborated with Claremont and helped to revise the character with a four-part eponymous limited series from September to December 1982 in which Wolverine's catchphrase, "I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best isn't very nice," debuted.
Wolverine was typical of the many tough, anti-authority, antiheroes that emerged in American popular culture after the Vietnam War; his willingness to use deadly force and his brooding nature became standard characteristics for comic book anti-heroes by the end of the 1980s. As a result, the character became the clear favorite for fans of the increasingly popular X-Men franchise. Wolverine has been featured in his own solo comic since 1988 and has been a central character in most X-Men adaptations, including animated television series, video games, and the live-action 20th Century Fox X-Men film series, in which he is portrayed by Hugh Jackman. In May 2008, Wolverine was ranked #1 out of Wizard magazine's Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time and was ranked as the 4th Greatest Comic Book Character by Empire magazine in July 2008. On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked Wolverine at #21. In May 2011, Wolverine was ranked 4th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes (Credit: Wikipedia)
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Beyonce named world's most beautiful woman - 26th April 2012
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Grammy-winning performer and new mother Beyonce has been named the world's most beautiful woman by People magazine.
The 30-year-old topped the magazine's annual list just months after she and rapper husband Jay-Z welcomed their first child - a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, who was born in New York in January.
"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth," she said.
"I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth."
Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez have all held the title before. (Reuters)
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Grammy-winning performer and new mother Beyonce has been named the world's most beautiful woman by People magazine.
The 30-year-old topped the magazine's annual list just months after she and rapper husband Jay-Z welcomed their first child - a daughter named Blue Ivy Carter, who was born in New York in January.
"I feel more beautiful than I've ever felt because I've given birth," she said.
"I have never felt so connected, never felt like I had such a purpose on this earth."
Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez have all held the title before. (Reuters)
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Supermodels turn super-mogul
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What happens when you combine supermodel success with business brain?
You get what's known as a super-mogul - and more and more of the world's most famous fashion figures are leaping off the catwalks and newsstands and into the ranks of this elite club.
Last year Brazilian beauty Gisele Bundchen was tipped by Forbes as likely to become the world's first billionaire supermodel.
According to Forbes, which has estimated her annual income is $US45 million (NZ$54m), she could be a billionaire by the time she turns 32 this year.
She also has a few hefty income sources aside from lucrative Versace and Dior contracts and her real estate holdings: there are also her successful jewellery and footwear lines and she recently launched her own lingerie company in a joint venture with a Brazilian retailer.
Unlike most celebrities who license their name to the company, though, she created her own brand, Gisele Bundchen Brazilian Intimates. In an unusual move, she will also own a stake in the company.
According to Forbes, the top three earning models on the planet these days are Gisele Bündchen, followed by German supermodel and host and executive producer of Project Runway Heidi Klum, with the waifish former Calvin Klein model turned Topshop retail franchise collaborator Kate Moss coming in third place.
Veteran super-mogul Elle Macpherson, who set up set up Macpherson Inc way back in 1988, also earns more than she did as a model thanks to global intimates and lingerie ranges, a new line of skincare and other projects. Her business empire estimated to be worth around $US120m (NZ$144m) and she has been listed as one of Australia's top ten richest celebrities in recent years.
According to Forbes, the economic climate is once again blowing in the favour of the supermogul. With consumers cautiously spending on luxury goods once more, the 10 top-earning female models made a combined $US112m (NZ$134m) in the 12 months to May 2011, a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.
Former 1980s Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kathy Ireland certainly qualifies as a high-ranking member of the model-turned-mogul club alongside Elizabeth Hurley, Cindy Crawford, Iman, Josie Maran, Marisa Miller and Erin Wasson.
All of these women sell their own product lines and these usually span clothes, shoes, fragrances, skin care and jewellery. What sets Kathy Ireland apart, however, is that hers is not the usual glamour product range.
Over the past two decades, Ireland has quietly built a $US300m (NZ$360m) brand that is attached to a diverse range of home furnishings including ceiling fans, flooring, mattresses, desks and even windows.
Moreover, these are designed and priced to suit busy mothers (think stain resistance and rounded corners).
The 48 year-old, who reportedly now has three kids and four dogs or her own, recently told Forbes Magazine it was for this reason that she no longer did grand store openings, as they tended to attract the wrong type of people.
"What happens is the store gets cluttered with guys who are there with 500-year-old copies of Sports Illustrated. How does that help a busy mum? These people are just in her way," she said.
Though Ireland has said she had entrepreneurial tendencies even as a child, her business success was sparked back in 1993 after she released a humble line of socks with her name on it. They started out in a few sporting goods stores, then a mass retailer started to carry them and they proved to be a hit.
From there, Kathy Ireland Worldwide expanded into other clothing lines and then, in 1998, moved into home furnishings, followed by other busy-mum-centric offshoots like kitchenware and outdoor products.
The business, according to Ireland, is about solutions, initially for families (especially busy mums) and is expanding into solutions for business people (think workstations) and people in love (think wedding gowns).
But don't extreme good looks dent your business credibility? Yes, according to Ireland. "There were times when I knew my ideas would have been taken more seriously if I was just looked at as the CEO but there's always the modeling thing," she told Forbes.
If her fortunes, and those of many other supermodels are any indication, though, this isn't presenting too much of an obstacle.
These days, according to Forbes, the California-based 42-person business sells $US2 billion a year at retail, which translated into $US850 million in wholesale sales last year. From that, Ireland would have got a royalty payment of roughly 6 per cent equating to around $US50 million in revenue.
She doesn't just endorse her products though, she helps to design and promote them - but others make and sell them, so most of that revenue is pure profit for Ireland, who is the 100 per cent owner, according to Forbes.
On this basis, it has estimated that based on the likely cash flow of $35 million, Kathy Ireland Worldwide is worth somewhere around $300 million. (Fairfax Media)
Models Fashion
What happens when you combine supermodel success with business brain?
You get what's known as a super-mogul - and more and more of the world's most famous fashion figures are leaping off the catwalks and newsstands and into the ranks of this elite club.
Last year Brazilian beauty Gisele Bundchen was tipped by Forbes as likely to become the world's first billionaire supermodel.
According to Forbes, which has estimated her annual income is $US45 million (NZ$54m), she could be a billionaire by the time she turns 32 this year.
She also has a few hefty income sources aside from lucrative Versace and Dior contracts and her real estate holdings: there are also her successful jewellery and footwear lines and she recently launched her own lingerie company in a joint venture with a Brazilian retailer.
Unlike most celebrities who license their name to the company, though, she created her own brand, Gisele Bundchen Brazilian Intimates. In an unusual move, she will also own a stake in the company.
According to Forbes, the top three earning models on the planet these days are Gisele Bündchen, followed by German supermodel and host and executive producer of Project Runway Heidi Klum, with the waifish former Calvin Klein model turned Topshop retail franchise collaborator Kate Moss coming in third place.
Veteran super-mogul Elle Macpherson, who set up set up Macpherson Inc way back in 1988, also earns more than she did as a model thanks to global intimates and lingerie ranges, a new line of skincare and other projects. Her business empire estimated to be worth around $US120m (NZ$144m) and she has been listed as one of Australia's top ten richest celebrities in recent years.
According to Forbes, the economic climate is once again blowing in the favour of the supermogul. With consumers cautiously spending on luxury goods once more, the 10 top-earning female models made a combined $US112m (NZ$134m) in the 12 months to May 2011, a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.
Former 1980s Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Kathy Ireland certainly qualifies as a high-ranking member of the model-turned-mogul club alongside Elizabeth Hurley, Cindy Crawford, Iman, Josie Maran, Marisa Miller and Erin Wasson.
All of these women sell their own product lines and these usually span clothes, shoes, fragrances, skin care and jewellery. What sets Kathy Ireland apart, however, is that hers is not the usual glamour product range.
Over the past two decades, Ireland has quietly built a $US300m (NZ$360m) brand that is attached to a diverse range of home furnishings including ceiling fans, flooring, mattresses, desks and even windows.
Moreover, these are designed and priced to suit busy mothers (think stain resistance and rounded corners).
The 48 year-old, who reportedly now has three kids and four dogs or her own, recently told Forbes Magazine it was for this reason that she no longer did grand store openings, as they tended to attract the wrong type of people.
"What happens is the store gets cluttered with guys who are there with 500-year-old copies of Sports Illustrated. How does that help a busy mum? These people are just in her way," she said.
Though Ireland has said she had entrepreneurial tendencies even as a child, her business success was sparked back in 1993 after she released a humble line of socks with her name on it. They started out in a few sporting goods stores, then a mass retailer started to carry them and they proved to be a hit.
From there, Kathy Ireland Worldwide expanded into other clothing lines and then, in 1998, moved into home furnishings, followed by other busy-mum-centric offshoots like kitchenware and outdoor products.
The business, according to Ireland, is about solutions, initially for families (especially busy mums) and is expanding into solutions for business people (think workstations) and people in love (think wedding gowns).
But don't extreme good looks dent your business credibility? Yes, according to Ireland. "There were times when I knew my ideas would have been taken more seriously if I was just looked at as the CEO but there's always the modeling thing," she told Forbes.
If her fortunes, and those of many other supermodels are any indication, though, this isn't presenting too much of an obstacle.
These days, according to Forbes, the California-based 42-person business sells $US2 billion a year at retail, which translated into $US850 million in wholesale sales last year. From that, Ireland would have got a royalty payment of roughly 6 per cent equating to around $US50 million in revenue.
She doesn't just endorse her products though, she helps to design and promote them - but others make and sell them, so most of that revenue is pure profit for Ireland, who is the 100 per cent owner, according to Forbes.
On this basis, it has estimated that based on the likely cash flow of $35 million, Kathy Ireland Worldwide is worth somewhere around $300 million. (Fairfax Media)
Five facts about The Avengers - 25th April 2012
Profiles
The Avengers Marvel Entertainment Marvel Comics Movies Hollywood
It's the hottest new action film to showcase Marvel Comics' heroes and it's burning up Australian screens right now, but if you think you already know everything there is to know about The Avengers, you're wrong.
Here's five facts from behind the scenes of The Avengers:
THEM'S FIGHTING WORDS
Tom Hiddleston, who plays the Norse god Loki, had to learn the most fight sequences of any cast member for his battles with The Avengers. He did training in Wushu, a Chinese martial art, as well as boxing, stick and staff work, knife work and hand-to-hand combat.
He wasn't the only one put through the wringer though.
Mark Ruffalo lost 21 pounds to play Hulk, while shooting had to be rescheduled when Jeremy Renner tore a muscle from his back to his shoulder filming stunts for Hawkeye.
Scarlett Johansson also trained extensively in Wushu and weapons handling alongside fight choreographer Jonathan Eusebio and her stunt double, Heidi Moneymaker.
IT AIN'T EASY BEING GREEN
Mark Ruffalo, who replaced Edward Norton as The Hulk, says it's not a role he would usually take on, but Robert Downey Jnr and the Iron Man movies were what convinced him.
He says unlike previous incarnations of The Hulk, he doesn't change size in The Avengers and is always "about eight and a half feet tall" regardless of how angry he is.
The Avengers is the first time, in film, TV and in the comics, that Bruce Banner and The Hulk have had physical similarities. Instead of just CGI, director Joss Whedon used motion capture technology (used to create characters like Gollum from Lord of the Rings) so you can see Ruffalo's facial characteristics in The Hulk.
THE SCARLET LETTER
The usually blonde Scarlett Johansson was not Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau's first choice to play Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, who in the comics is a tall Russian redhead. But when he met with her, she had dyed her hair red so he would know she was serious about the part.
The Avengers director Whedon made it clear from the beginning that a strong female character was absolutely essential and an all-male Avengers team was unacceptable.
SAMUEL "LEAKY" JACKSON
The Avengers is the first time Samuel L Jackson's SHIELD agent Nick Fury has stepped into a main role, instead of just cameos. But during filming, his printer was hacked and the movie script for The Avengers leaked online. Marvel sent a team of investigators to Canada to track down the person that put it up for sale online.
Nick Fury's own spin-off movie is now in the works, with Jackson predicting fellow agent Black Widow (Johansson) will also be in it.
SPYING THE SPIES DURING THE SHOOT
Advertisement: Story continues below
The first day of the 92-day shoot was on April 24, 2011, and involved a scene where Nick Fury confronts Steve Rogers in an old boxing gym with a new mission.
It wasn't until day 11 that the entire lead cast of The Avengers assembled for the first time, for a scene where they find out why Nick has rounded them up.
Movies aren't generally shot chronologically, but the last scene of the movie was also shot on the last day of production, with the film wrapping on September 5, 2011.
It was shot in Central Park in New York with the entire lead cast, but because it was a long weekend in the US, thousands of onlookers gathered to see the Avengers in costume, including Thor and Loki decked out in their Asgardian gear. (AAP)
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The Avengers official website
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Media Man Int
Media Man
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Media Man Entertainment
The Avengers Marvel Entertainment Marvel Comics Movies Hollywood
It's the hottest new action film to showcase Marvel Comics' heroes and it's burning up Australian screens right now, but if you think you already know everything there is to know about The Avengers, you're wrong.
Here's five facts from behind the scenes of The Avengers:
THEM'S FIGHTING WORDS
Tom Hiddleston, who plays the Norse god Loki, had to learn the most fight sequences of any cast member for his battles with The Avengers. He did training in Wushu, a Chinese martial art, as well as boxing, stick and staff work, knife work and hand-to-hand combat.
He wasn't the only one put through the wringer though.
Mark Ruffalo lost 21 pounds to play Hulk, while shooting had to be rescheduled when Jeremy Renner tore a muscle from his back to his shoulder filming stunts for Hawkeye.
Scarlett Johansson also trained extensively in Wushu and weapons handling alongside fight choreographer Jonathan Eusebio and her stunt double, Heidi Moneymaker.
IT AIN'T EASY BEING GREEN
Mark Ruffalo, who replaced Edward Norton as The Hulk, says it's not a role he would usually take on, but Robert Downey Jnr and the Iron Man movies were what convinced him.
He says unlike previous incarnations of The Hulk, he doesn't change size in The Avengers and is always "about eight and a half feet tall" regardless of how angry he is.
The Avengers is the first time, in film, TV and in the comics, that Bruce Banner and The Hulk have had physical similarities. Instead of just CGI, director Joss Whedon used motion capture technology (used to create characters like Gollum from Lord of the Rings) so you can see Ruffalo's facial characteristics in The Hulk.
THE SCARLET LETTER
The usually blonde Scarlett Johansson was not Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau's first choice to play Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, who in the comics is a tall Russian redhead. But when he met with her, she had dyed her hair red so he would know she was serious about the part.
The Avengers director Whedon made it clear from the beginning that a strong female character was absolutely essential and an all-male Avengers team was unacceptable.
SAMUEL "LEAKY" JACKSON
The Avengers is the first time Samuel L Jackson's SHIELD agent Nick Fury has stepped into a main role, instead of just cameos. But during filming, his printer was hacked and the movie script for The Avengers leaked online. Marvel sent a team of investigators to Canada to track down the person that put it up for sale online.
Nick Fury's own spin-off movie is now in the works, with Jackson predicting fellow agent Black Widow (Johansson) will also be in it.
SPYING THE SPIES DURING THE SHOOT
Advertisement: Story continues below
The first day of the 92-day shoot was on April 24, 2011, and involved a scene where Nick Fury confronts Steve Rogers in an old boxing gym with a new mission.
It wasn't until day 11 that the entire lead cast of The Avengers assembled for the first time, for a scene where they find out why Nick has rounded them up.
Movies aren't generally shot chronologically, but the last scene of the movie was also shot on the last day of production, with the film wrapping on September 5, 2011.
It was shot in Central Park in New York with the entire lead cast, but because it was a long weekend in the US, thousands of onlookers gathered to see the Avengers in costume, including Thor and Loki decked out in their Asgardian gear. (AAP)
Website
The Avengers official website
Website Network
Media Man Int
Media Man
Media Man News
Media Man Entertainment
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