Singapore Children As Player Escorts!
For the first time, Singapore children will be player escorts at the World Cup, thanks to McDonald’s exclusive promotional rights to the McDonald’s Player Escort Programme. As a worldwide sponsor for the 2006 FIFA World CupTM McDonald’s is the only brand to have this exclusivity. From today through March 26, 2006, all children aged between six and ten can vie for the “once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to be a McDonald’s Player Escort, and to experience the thrills of escorting world-class soccer players onto the pitch at the June 9 opening match (Germany vs Costa Rica) kicking off the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM! In Singapore, McDonald’s is giving every Singaporean or Permanent Resident child aged 6 to 10 the chance to vie for one of three Player Escort places reserved for Singapore. To be accompanied by a parent or guardian, who must also be Singaporean or Permanent Resident, the McDonald’s Player Escorts from Singapore will join more than 200 lucky children from 42 participating countries all over the world. Sports is a crucial part of leading balanced, active lifestyles and the 2006 FIFA World Cup Player Escort Programme underscores McDonald’s commitment to children and their well-being, and forms a part of McDonald’s ongoing initiatives globally to encourage interest in sporting activities. “This is the first time we are bringing our children from Singapore to the FIFA World CupTM as player escorts, demonstrating again McDonald’s commitment to our children and balanced, active lifestyles. We hope this exposure to the World Cup will encourage children to take up sports to stay physically active and mentally fit," said Kenneth Chan, Managing Director, McDonald’s Singapore. He added, ““We are lovin’ the fact that McDonald’s is the only one who can offer children a “once in a lifetime" opportunity to walk hand-in-hand onto the pitch with football heroes at the opening match for the 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM. We can imagine that the excitement will be palpable as millions of fans around the world and in Singapore will also be seeing them on the live telecasts," Registration forms for the McDonald’s Player Escort Programme are available from McDonald’s website (www.mcdonalds.com.sg) as well as in The Straits Times advertisement on March 9, 11 and 15. To participate, the parent/legal guardian of the child needs to submit the duly-completed registration form together with a 4R-sized photograph of the child and parent/legal guardian (whomever will be accompanying the child should they be winners) in the “football mad look" and a short note stating why they should be chosen. Closing date is March 22, 2006. 10 entries will be short-listed and featured on Starhub Cable channels as well as The Straits Times in April. The three winning pairs will be announced by May 6, 2006. The public will decide who gets to go through an SMS voting mechanism built into the judging process. Singapore Press Holdings/The Straits Times and Starhub Cable are helping publicise the McDonald’s Player Escort Programme so that as many children can enter and members of the public can vote which of the three from the 10 short-listed child/parent pairs will be the winners. In addition to the “once in a lifetime" experience, free flights, accommodation, sightseeing and meals, each McDonald’s Player Escort will receive a rehearsal kit, an official McDonald’s Player Escort uniform, match souvenir gifts and a certificate to show what a great job they did as a Player Escort. The seven short-listed finalists will receive McDonald’s 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM memorabilia. The McDonald’s Player Escort Programme began at the 2002 FIFA World CupTM in Japan and Korea with 1408 Player Escorts walking onto the pitch with their football heroes. Most recently, during Europe’s largest and most exciting football event in 2004, the UEFA EURO 2004, the McDonald’s Player Escort Programme saw 682 lucky children with their idols. About McDonald’s and Sports |
