Jessica Simpson lines up to promote 'healthy' beer

The marketing campaign features Simpson telling the world: "Yes, I work out and take care of myself, but I also like a cold beer once in a while."

Stampede Light is the idea of Lawrence Schwartz, who has previously worked in marketing at Anheuser-Busch, the brewer behind brands such as Bud Light. The Dallas Morning News reported that Simpson will take a 15% stake in the company in return for her endorsement.

While the idea of a healthy beer might seem anomalous, it does tie in with one of the fastest growing food trends, with well-known brands bringing out healthy lifestyle products. Functional food brands such as Flora pro.activ and Benecol both help lower cholesterol levels while Diet Coke Plus and the new US soft drink Vitaminwater have added vitamins.

Schwartz said: "We believe that people who choose to look after themselves, those who do the things to make their lives better, should have the opportunity to do this in all aspects of their lives. Why not the beer they drink?"

Simpson was famous as a teenage popstar but joined a higher celebrity league when she appeared with her now-ex husband Nick Lachey in MTV's fly-on-the-wall series 'Newlyweds'.

The show brought her endorsement opportunities for the tuna brand Chicken Of The Sea after she was filmed questioning the meaning of the name; and promoting a buffalo wing pizza for Pizza Hut, after it emerged that she did not know that buffalo wings were not made from buffalo.

She has since played Daisy Duke in a film version of 'The Dukes of Hazzard'.