1.3. 2010
Bata Singapore Support the NUTC Back-to-school Fair
Back-to-School is one of the most important commercial events for Bata Singapore. In that period, all parents buy school uniforms, text books, school shoes, school bags & other school related items for their children. But Bata Singapore also cares for the society and strives to do what it can to give those less fortunate children a better future.
Every year, the Singapore National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) have a partnership with selected retailers to cooperate in helping needy families. They distribute vouchers to the families and they organize a Back-to-School Fair for the families to utilize those vouchers.
Last year, the total number of children who benefited from the fair reached almost 53,000. The whole budget for the programme was S$5.5 million. The children received NTUC vouchers to purchase school shoes, bags, uniforms, and other items at the fair. During the fair, the assigned retailers had to provide value for money products to the recipients.
Since 2005, Bata Singapore has been the only shoe retailer selected to participate in this NTUC Back-to-School fair. Last year, the 2-day fair took place in December in three strategic locations in Singapore. On the first day of the fair, NTUC Alignment Director, Mr. Zainudin Nordin, was invited to launch the fair by giving a opening speech. He said, “Children are the future of tomorrow, as well as the future of Singapore’s working population. Providing them with a level opportunity in education is important, and this is why we have concentrated part of our funds in this Back-to-School area.” Recipients of the Back-to-School vouchers went on an enthusiastic buying spree of essential school items offered at special prices at the Back-to-School Fair from participating vendors. Not only could the vouchers be used during the fair but they can also be used up to the end of February 2010.
With the success of this Back-to-School event for Bata Singapore, the local TV media (MediaCorp) came out with a Back-to-School news report in December 2009. Mr. Paolo Grassi was interviewed by the reporter and the interview was broadcast on-air. The interview discussed the Bata promotion for the NTUC Back-to-School event, the parents' spending preferences, the market response and sales expectation for this event.
