Martini Royale Casting: Unknown athlete lands megabucks role as after global model search

PUBLISHED: 11:53 EST, 17 October 2012 | UPDATED: 12:20 EST, 17 October 2012

Previous Martini girls have include Charlize Theron, Thandie Newton and Monica Bellucci, but this year the glamorous drinks brand decided it needed somebody a bit more real to front the brand.

They launched a global modelling contest on Facebook in May to find a woman that embodied the drink's 'ethos' that 'luck is an attitude', and today Spanish athlete Brbara Gonzlez, 27, from Pamplona, was crowned the winner.

As well as starring in the new Martini advertising campaign lucky brunette Gonzlez receives 150,000, 12 pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes and 12 designer outfits from my-wardrobe.com.

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Barbara Gonzalez: The new Martini girl

Barbara Gonzalez, 27, from Pamplona, Spain has been announced as the winner of the MARTINI Royale Casting

More than 3,500 women applied to the Martini Royale Casting competition and were whittled down to 28 semi-finalists who competed in a series of 'challenging' tasks on the beaches of Ibiza in August which were filmed as part of an entertainment series shown on facebook.com/MARTINI .

The 28 semi-finalists then battled it out to gain the most votes and earn their place in the final stage of the search in Milan this week.

According to judges Christian Louboutin, my-wardrobe.com founder Sarah Curran, an! d MARTINI Global Category Director, Arnaud Meysselle it was her charismatic and stylish attitude that shone through.

'Brbara has an amazing sense of humour and love of life. She was always laughing and having fun. She seemed to radiate a playful energy that was infectious within the group and with those around her,' said Sarah Curran, founder of my-wardrobe.com.

The finallists of the MARTINI Royale Casting competition pose in Pessione, Italy

Brbara Gonzlez from Spain is the new Martini girl following a global search

Barbara Gonzalez: The new Martini girl

The competition was a global search to find the woman who best personified the philosophy of the iconic brand: Luck is an Attitude

Christian Louboutin commented, 'I was looking for someone who is happy to show her true character and Brbara surprised me with her sense of fun and smart attitude.'

Following the announcement, Gonzlez said 'Im very happy and this is a dream for me. I will work very hard to make everyone that has made this possible very proud of me.' and she is now determined to use this opportunity ti

The athlete (Gonzalez competed for Spain at the Sydney and Beijing Olympic Games as a rhythmic gymnast) is now determined to use this opportunity to become an actress.

Thandie Newton for Martini