Fridae

Fridae is pleased to announce that Subaru, represented by MotorImage Enterprises Pte Ltd, is a major sponsor of Nation.03. The event, which will be held in Singapore on August 8, 2003, is an all-inclusive dance party to celebrate Singapore's National Day.

This marks the first time Subaru, a brand known to support the gay and lesbian community in the United States, is supporting such an event in Asia.

"As a brand, we see the individual as he or she is, and we are proud to stand with all the other forward-looking brands in recognising the need to eliminate discrimination in whatever form it takes," says Glenn Tan, the spokesperson for MotorImage Enterprises Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tan Chong International Limited, a group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Subaru has also come out showing strong support for Singapore government lifting a ban on hiring of gays within the civil service. Mr Tan continued: "We recognise that there is an increasing need for Singapore to be a more open and tolerant society as we progress. We were very glad to hear of the Government's latest move to extend equal job opportunities in the civil service to gays and lesbians."

Subaru's involvement in Nation.03 compliments the carmaker's support of the gay and lesbian community in the United States. The carmaker is the first automaker in the US to market its cars specifically to gay and lesbian consumers with gay-specific campaigns since the mid 1990s. In 2000, Subaru of America appointed tennis star and out lesbian Martina Navratilova as a spokesperson for the brand; as a result, the Subaru Outback and the Subaru Forrester have consistently been voted the favourite lesbian cars in polls.

In addition to advertising, the carmaker has also fostered a relationship with its consumers through sponsoring numerous athletic and community events including the Rainbow Endowment program that raises funds for health and civil rights causes, Team EcoSubaru, the first gay & lesbian team to compete in the 2002 Eco-Challenge adventure race.

Fridae.com's co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Dr Stuart Koe is honoured to have Subaru as a major sponsor of Nation.03 and looks forward to their continued support of the community.

"In America, Subaru has made a tremendous impact on the gay and lesbian community by being a strong and vocal supporter for many years which has resulted in Subaru consistently being voted one of the top car brands amongst American gays and lesbians, and many other automobile brands struggling to catch up in its wake.

"To have Subaru being the first car brand to support Nation.03 is both immensely gratifying and exciting. The gay and lesbian community in Asia has largely been ignored, and Subaru's vision is both pioneering and courageous."

Other major sponsors include Anchor Beer, Dolce and Gabbana Parfum, Qantas Airways and Smirnoff.