A Phenomenal Benefit
Newton-John Album Raises Money For Breast Cancer
Retail By Margo Whitmire
Inspired by the words of Maya Angelou, breast cancer survivor Olivia Newton-John is spotlighting the disease with a version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s poem “Phenomenal Woman.”
The song is the lead single to Newton-John’s upcoming 10-song collection, “Stronger Than Before.” The album will be available exclusively in Hallmark’s Gold Crown stores Aug. 29-Oct. 31.
Newton-John recorded the song with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Diahann Carroll, Patti LaBelle, Amy Holland, Delta Goodrem and Mindy Smith. All involved have had cancer affect their lives in some way.
“I really think [“Phenomenal Woman”] has the potential to be an anthem for women and the breast cancer cause,” says Newton-John’s manager, Mark Hartley of the Fitzgerald-Hartley Co
The project is timed with Breast Cancer Awareness month in October and marks the singer’s second collaboration with Hallmark, In 2000, she and country artist Vince Gill teamed with the London Symphony Orchestra for a Christmas album.
“Their CD together did very well for us, so we knew we’d had success with her in the past,” Hallmark manager of integrated marketing Ann Herrick says.
That, in addition to Newton-John’s public campaign against the disease, made the artist the logical choice for the project, she adds.
Produced by Amy Sky, all the songs on the album are by songwriters who have had cancer affect them in some way. For example, “Can I Trust Your Arms” was written by Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi. Newton-John and Nielsen Chapman wrote the title track together.
For each purchase of the $9.95 CD in the United States, Hallmark will make a $2 donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This marks the seventh year that Hallmark and the foundation have formed a partnership related to breast cancer. The two previously created a line of cards that remind friends and family to make an appointment for a mammogram.
“This was an opportunity for the Susan G. Komen Foundation to get a sizable donation from Hallmark,” Hartley says, “and for Olivia to be able to write and sing songs about her experience.”
Herrick says the company expects “Stronger Than Before” to ship gold, pointing to previous successful Hallmark releases. Among them are James Taylor’s “James Taylor: A Christmas Album,” which hit platinum within just 21 days of its November 2004 arrival, and gold shipments of Martina McBride’s Valentine’s Day compilation, “Martina McBride: My Heart,” within nine days of its January release.
Like the Taylor and McBride sets, the full album was serviced to AC, adult top 40 and adult R&B radio, along with a radio edit of “Phenomenal Woman.”
Newton-John will perform the song on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Sept. 1 and the network’s “The View” the following day. Segments highlighting the project aired in June and July on “Entertainment Tonight.”
A line of products including night shirts and a set of toasting glasses are available for purchase along with “Stronger Than Before,” a portion of which will also benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“We really wanted this CD to be focused on breast cancer awareness,” Herrick says. “We wanted it to be really pure and tied into a donation.”
Radio spots and print ads in periodicals like Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine are also planned.
As with past Hallmark deals, no returns will be accepted on the product.
In other Hallmark music news, Michael McDonald will ring in the holidays at the company this year with an exclusive 10-track album available Nov, 1-Dec. 25. The artist has already recorded the as-yet-untitled project. Herrick says the company will also reveal collaborations with three additional artists in the coming weeks.