Jamba Juice nabs Venus Williams as spokesperson and franchisee

I'm a fan of the Williams sisters - Venus and Serena that is --  for a number of reasons that pretty much center on on the same reasons that most people like celebrities:  they seem like people who have a good mix of raw talent and exceptionally hard work, people who really love what they do.

So I was interested to see that Silicon Valley-based Jamba Juice signed Venus Williams as celebrity spokesperson and as  a Jamba Juice franchise store owner and has plans to open five stores in the Washington D.C. Metro Area over the next two years.

It's a very high-profile endorsement for the chain. 

Williams was in Bethesda, Maryland on July 6 to celebrate the opening of her first Venus Williams-Jamba Juice store,  in the Westfield Montgomery mall. She expects to open a second store in the Washington D.C./Maryland market before the close of 2011.

“We are thrilled to have attracted such a high caliber healthy lifestyle advocate, sports professional and entrepreneur as Venus Williams to support our brand,” stated James D. White, chairman, president and CEO, Jamba Juice Company. “We share her passion when it comes to helping our nation’s youth lead healthier lives. She will be an outstanding champion for Jamba Juice and we are very excited to be partnering with her.”

In her role as Company spokesperson,  Williams will represent Jamba Juice, one of her favorite health and wellness brands, in key advertising and marketing campaigns, through personal appearances and in digital and social media activities.