Media Release For Immediate Release Tiger Beer Kicks Off Three-Year Partnership Deal With FC Barcelona SINGAPORE, 11 July 2006 Tiger beer (Tiger) announced today that it will present football fans in Asia more exclusive world-class soccer experiences as it inked a contract with internationally-renowned Futbol Club Barcelona (FC Barcelona). The three-year deal establishes Tiger as the official partner of FC Barcelona, the reigning Champion of the UEFA Champions League 2006, in Southeast Asia namely Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Today, Mr Javier Muñoa, International Marketing Director of FC Barcelona, has specially flown in from Spain to seal the partnership with Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd s (APB) Commercial Director, Dr Les Buckley, in a contract-signing ceremony. This landmark partnership with FC Barcelona is in tandem with Tiger s long-term goal to create football passion and enhance the soccer scene for fans in the region. It also reinforces the brand s current efforts behind the English Premier League broadcast and its sponsorship of Arsenal Football Club (Arsenal FC) in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, to bring the best of football to Asia. Dr Les Buckley, Director, Group Commercial, APB said: For more than a decade, Tiger has been committed to supporting football at the national, regional and international Page 1 of 5
levels. As such, Tiger has been instrumental in developing the stature of football and the enjoyment of the sport in Asia. We are proud to be continuing Tiger s long history of football patronage with this landmark partnership with FC Barcelona. Increasingly, as world soccer garners a higher level of interest among fans in the region, it is only befitting that Tiger keeps its paws on the pulse of its target consumers and gravitates towards offering new football experiences and excitement to fans here with more world-class soccer action. Dr Buckley added: FC Barcelona is one of the best football teams in the world and Tiger s partnership with the club demonstrates our desire to be one of the largest and long-term supporters of the sport in Asia. While Tiger continues to be the official beer for Arsenal FC in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, our new partnership with FC Barcelona reinforces our commitment to bring only the best soccer experiences to Asia. In turn, we hope to inspire football fans and players to enhance their passion for the sport and raise the level of the game in the region. In the months ahead, Tiger consumers and soccer fans can look forward to the new partnership bringing forth a myriad of money can t buy soccer experiences. These include tickets and paid trips to catch FC Barcelona play live in the famous Camp Nou Stadium or at important domestic and European matches throughout the football season, the possibility to get close to the players; and the chance to win exclusive memorabilia like autographed soccer balls and match-fresh jerseys of renowned FC Barcelona team members. Enthusiastic about the inaugural partnership with Singapore s iconic beer brand, Mr Javier Muñoa, International Marketing Director, FC Barcelona, said: FC Barcelona is very happy to commence this partnership with Asia Pacific Breweries for Southeast Asia. Both Tiger and FC Barcelona are leaders in their fields and our partnership will continue to help us distinguish our brands. Together with Tiger which has an established connection with football fans in Southeast Asia, FC Barcelona aims, too, to reach out to them and build a stronger and richer relationship with fans here. We want to offer fans the chance to get to know the rich and successful history of FC Barcelona. It is an exciting time for us at FC Barcelona and we look forward to sharing some of the excitement with fans in Southeast Asia, thanks to Tiger. Page 2 of 5
Tiger and football have always been a winning combination. Tiger has been a patron of football since the early 1990s when the brand sponsored events like the Malaysia Cup and in the mid-1990s, the S-League, Singapore s professional football league and the country s national team, The Singapore Lions, as well as regional platforms like the Tiger Cup and the ASEAN Football Championship. To establish a community of football lovers, Tiger FC, a football fan club, has also been set up in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. Tiger FC offers its members exclusive privileges as well as novel and exciting ways of experiencing football, such as catching live football matches on big screens with friends and of course, Tiger. - End - About Tiger Beer A European-style lager with a golden colour and medium body, Tiger is brewed using only the finest natural ingredients like malted barley from Australia and Europe, hops from Germany and a unique strain of yeast specially cultured in Holland. Containing 5% alcohol, this smooth, medium bitter beer, coupled with a well balanced sweetness of malt, has seen beer drinkers globally acclaim Tiger as one of the finest in the world. Having made many inroads into the markets around the world, Tiger is now brewed in seven countries in Asia. Not only has Tiger become one of the leading beer brands in Southeast Asia, it is also available in more than 60 countries including the United Kingdom, Europe, United States of America, the Russian Federation and Australia, where it enjoys the status of being a premium Asian lager. Recognized for its high quality and distinctive taste, Tiger has won over 30 accolades, awards and distinctions. Some of the more notable awards include a Gold medal at the Brewing Industry International Awards 1998 (UK), the Gold Monde International Quality Trophy for winning the Gold Monde Award for five consecutive years, and the more recent being a Gold medal in the highly contested European-Style Pilsner category at the World Page 3 of 5
Beer Cup 2004, which has been dubbed the Olympics of Beer Competitions by the beer industry. In fact, Tiger has become a much sought-after import premium beer in UK that it was named UK Cool Brand Leader in 2004 and 2005 - a recognition given to the coolest brands in UK. About FC Barcelona As the social, cultural and sporting dimensions of the club continue to grow, FC Barcelona is considered to be one of the most important multi-sport clubs in the world. The football team has won 16 Catalan Leagues, the Latin Cup twice, the Fairs Cup three times, the European Cup Winners' Cup four times, the European Cup twice, the European Super Cup twice, the Spanish Cup 24 times, the Spanish League 18 times and the Spanish Super Cup on five occasions. Barca is the only club on the continent to have been ever-present in European competition since it began in 1955. The club is also the king of the European Cup Winners' Cup with four victories and has won the Spanish Cup the most times with 24 wins. The other sections of the club (basketball, handball, roller hockey, athletics, field hockey, ice hockey, figure skating, futsal, rugby, baseball, volleyball, cycling and women's football) have all achieved success both at the domestic and international level. As of 2004, these sections of the club have won an amazing 829 titles between them. They all play with the full support of 144,000 club members and more than 1600 fan clubs around the world. Media enquiries: Tiger and Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd Shirley Poo Manager, Group Corporate Communications Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd DID: (65) 6277 5027 Email: shirley.poo@apb.com.sg Angela Lim Asst. Manager, Group Corporate Communications Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd DID: (65) 6277 5024 Email: angela.lim@apb.com.sg Page 4 of 5
Foreword Communications Pte Ltd (PR agency) Shannen Fong/Esmond Yan Foreword Communications Pte Ltd Tel: (65) 6338 5918 Email: shannen@foreword.com.sg / esmond@foreword.com.sg FC Barcelona Francesc Orenes Corporate Communications FC Barcelona Tel: (34) 934963760 Email : francesc.orenes@fcbarcelona.cat Page 5 of 5