NAZA KIA MALAYSIA ANNOUNCES NAME OF KID TO WALK THE PITCH AT WORLD CUP 2014

Press Release

“Fuleco Friend Search’ culminates in a battle among parents at Mutiara Damansara

Naza Kia Malaysia’s talk-of-the-town “Fuleco Friend Search” climaxed in a battle among parents at e-Curve today as hundreds of parents sweated it out to hold the “Fuleco” pose the longest. The heated competition was held as the last leg of the “Fuleco Friend Search” campaign for a parent to win an experience of a lifetime for their child. Usha Rani (mother) won her child, Deshshiv Darshaan (10 years old - pictured below) the priceless opportunity to walk hand-in-hand with Fuleco, the FIFA World Cup Mascot onto the pitch during the Semi Final game in Brazil.

Datuk Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, Chief Operating Officer of Naza Kia Malaysia who officiated the competition said the company sees the global partnership with FIFA World Cup as a great opportunity to deliver the excitement of the brand to football-mad fellow Malaysians.

“Deshshiv Darshaan and his mother Usha will not only experience, but be a part of FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil. This is an exciting moment not just for the child but for all Malaysians, to see one of us, live, at one of the greatest sporting events in the world! Through a campaign like “Fuleco Friend Search”, we hope to inspire children to get into football as a sport with passion and to dream, hope as well as aspire towards what may have seemed impossible,” said Datuk Hafiz.

This opportunity of a lifetime was open only for a Malaysian child aged between 8-12 years and an accompanying parent through online pre-registration which started early April ending with a contest at Piazza e-Curve, Mutiara Damansara.

There were over 180 registered participants many of whom turned up to strike the “Fuleco” pose the longest as part of the competition which saw three rounds of elimination before the winner was announced. This contest is the first-of-its-kind in Malaysia where a child gets to walk onto the pitch and be part of the FIFA World Cup. Only two countries in the whole of Southeast Asia will be sending a child each to Brazil for this initiative, the other country being Philippines.

Only one winning child and parent were announced as the Grand Prize winner at the contest today and nine other pairs received consolation prizes of RM200 each and exclusive Kia merchandise.

The winners will get an all-expense paid trip to Sao Paolo Brazil on 9 July which will include flight tickets, accommodation, a city tour and tickets to the World Cup Semi Finals match, and RM5,000 cash. More excitingly, the child will get unprecedented bragging rights on escorting Fuleco onto the pitch at the biggest sporting event of 2014!

Living up to Kia’s tagline “The Power to Surprise”, Naza Kia Malaysia has created extraordinary opportunities at the World Cup in Brazil through Kia Motor’s global partnership as the official partner of 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Earlier this year, Naza Kia Malaysia launched an umbrella campaign called World Cup Rocks with Kia. Fuleco Friend Search is part of the campaign, along with Champs to Rio, a futsal tournament where the winning team will get to play against international futsal teams in Brazil, Cheer with Kia, a World Cup Viewing party and 2014 World Cup Roadshow, a carnival-like roadshow which features more opportunities to win a trip to experience the World Cup in Brazil.

Those interested in getting more information on this and other exciting FIFA World Cup initiatives by Naza Kia Malaysia can log on to www.kia.com or www.facebook.com/kiamalaysia.