(From L to R) Xu Gehui, Ma Yanli, and Hou Honglan at an Amway press conference in Beijing on Saturday, December 6, 2008. [Photo: CRIENGLISH]

Amway China, a subsidiary of the U.S.-based direct selling giant, launched a new marketing campaign on Saturday in Beijing, in which Chinese celebrities will promote its dietary supplements and cosmetics.

China's Olympic-medal-winning gymnastic team will star in Amway's campaign for its Nutrilite brand as part of the company's "Lighting up 2009" brand strategy.

The company also has selected television hostess Xu Gehui, former model and fashion designer Ma Yanli, and ballerina Hou Honglan as the faces of its cosmetics brand Artistry. The stars, representing intellectuality, fashion and art, respectively, will appear in commercials for the cosmetic brand's first luxury face cream to be introduced next year.

Eva Cheng, Executive Vice President of Amway China, said at the news conference on Saturday that the company is confident that the celebrity product endorsements will help boost its sales next year, despite reductions in consumer spending on account of the global economy crisis. Amway China expects to see a 25 percent increase in sales this year, she said.

Because Amway is a family-owned business, the impact of the global economic crisis on it has been "minor and manageable," said Doug DeVos, President of Amway's parent company, Alticor Inc., at the news conference.

"We always manage the business very conservatively and make sure that we have the financial and human resources necessary to continually invest in the business, to make the business better in good economic times, and especially, in difficult economic times," he said.

Executive Vice President of Amway China, Eva Cheng (L), gives a gift to Chinese gymnasts at a press conference in Beijing on Saturday, December 6, 2008. [Photo: CRIENGLISH]