Football star Wayne Rooney has made his debut appearance for Asda, fronting a press campaign for the supermarket's lowest-ever priced clothing range, Must Have, on St George's Day.
However, the full-page ad, which dominated the national newspapers last weekend, was a one-off, said an Asda spokesman, with Rooney only to be used for football-related campaigns in the future.
The young footballer will front Asda's Kids' World Cup campaign, which is aimed at finding the best junior talent in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the run-up to the summer tournament.
Asda hopes to get every child in the UK kicking at least one football ahead of the World Cup by holding talent heats, open to boys and girls, at its 302 stores across the country.
Qualifiers will then enter Asda's Festival of Football heats, with Football Association coaches and other football celebrities choosing a team to send to the Asda World Cup Final, which will be held after the real Cup final in late summer.
Asda marketing director Richard Hodgson said: "Wayne is undoubtedly one of the world's best players. As such he is an inspiration to any sporting youngster and was the obvious choice to front the Asda Kids' World Cup."
Asda also this week announced an initiative that would give each of its 150,000 store and depot staff the chance to take two weeks' unpaid leave during the World Cup this summer. The 'German jolly' initiative is open to staff between June 9 and July 9.
However, Asda said it would be handled on a 'first come, first served' basis, depending on operational needs.
However, the full-page ad, which dominated the national newspapers last weekend, was a one-off, said an Asda spokesman, with Rooney only to be used for football-related campaigns in the future.
The young footballer will front Asda's Kids' World Cup campaign, which is aimed at finding the best junior talent in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the run-up to the summer tournament.
Asda hopes to get every child in the UK kicking at least one football ahead of the World Cup by holding talent heats, open to boys and girls, at its 302 stores across the country.
Qualifiers will then enter Asda's Festival of Football heats, with Football Association coaches and other football celebrities choosing a team to send to the Asda World Cup Final, which will be held after the real Cup final in late summer.
Asda marketing director Richard Hodgson said: "Wayne is undoubtedly one of the world's best players. As such he is an inspiration to any sporting youngster and was the obvious choice to front the Asda Kids' World Cup."
Asda also this week announced an initiative that would give each of its 150,000 store and depot staff the chance to take two weeks' unpaid leave during the World Cup this summer. The 'German jolly' initiative is open to staff between June 9 and July 9.
However, Asda said it would be handled on a 'first come, first served' basis, depending on operational needs.
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