Atria Senior Living announced on Tuesday that tennis star and social justice icon Billie Jean King will serve as a spokesperson for the Louisville, Ky.-based senior living provider and will be the company’s first Active Aging Ambassador.
King’s role includes being an advocate for maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. As ambassador, she will have regular interaction with residents, families, and staff and will also contribute to the provider’s blog. Additionally, Atria will profile King’s advocacy work for active aging in its marketing materials.
The famed athlete is also well-known for her social justice efforts. She will have a hand in Atria’s planning and promotion of its programing that is designed to help seniors make healthy and active lifestyle choices as they age.
“Billie Jean is extremely inspirational—she has spent her life breaking down barriers and succeeding without compromise, and she is now committed to helping us realize that we can improve the way we age,” said John Moore, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Atria Senior Living, in a statement. “We know that her wisdom, life experience and drive to improve opportunities for all people will be an asset to our residents, families, staff and professional partners, and will help shape and define how all of us view aging.”
King has been involved with Atria since 2011, when her partner’s mother moved into an Atria community on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, according to the company. Her personal experience with Atria led to her involvement with the company’s initiatives that promote active aging.
“Choosing the right environment for an older loved one is a big undertaking, and we were lucky to find a supportive and warm community that met our needs,” said King in the statement. “I’ve come to know and trust the Atria brand, and I am looking forward to connecting with more Atria residents and families, and helping them understand that, at any age, we can all make positive strides in how we approach the idea of active and healthy aging.”
The announcement by Atria comes on the heels of branding and marketing initiatives implemented by two other major senior living providers, Brookdale (NYSE:BKD) and Capital Senior Living Corporation (NYSE:CSU).
During Brookdale’s first quarter earnings call, CEO Andrew Smith announced a “game changing” branding campaigns that includes commercials on CNN, the Hallmark Channel, and the Food Network, along with print ads in publications such as Better Homes & Gardens and More.
A few weeks later in late May, Capital Senior Living announced a branding overhaul of its online platform that simplifies the senior living search process and unites the company’s communities under a single corporate identity.
A Place for Mom, the nation’s largest senior living referral source, named former Good Morning America news anchor Joan Lunden as its spokesperson and senior advocate in March 2012.
Written by Alyssa Gerace
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