Red Bull La Formula Una

What: Launched in 2005 by Austrian energy drink maker Red Bull, the contest picks 10 girls for each Grand Prix (GP). The 'winner' of each goes on to attend the season finale in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where she will vie with the top girls of the other Grand Prix races for the title of the ultimate 'La Formula Una'.

How to join: The closing date for the Malaysian GP is tomorrow, but another selection round will open in July for Singapore's first night race in September.

If you're a female aged 18 and above and an ardent F1 fan who is equally glamorous in sneakers or stilettos, log on to www.redbullf1.com/formulauna for information and application forms.

Prizes: A once-in-a-lifetime experience to rub shoulders with famous F1 racers, attend exclusive F1 parties, try out exciting sports and don glamorous sponsored outfits.

my paper Executive Look

What: Launched last month, it aims to uncover smart, stylish executives.

How to join: Entries have now closed. Twenty finalists are undergoing training in make-up, styling, business and office etiquette. The finals will be held on April 4 at Raffles City, where finalists will be judged on their style, disposition, emotional quotient and a so-called office intelligence quotient.

Prizes: $10,000 cash for the winner. The first and second runners-up will win $5,000 and $3,000 respectively.

The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty

What: Launched in 2005, the ongoing campaign celebrates the spirit and confidence of real women who feel good about themselves.

How to join: Feel good about your body and have good connections. The Dove team picked six women through friends or references whom they knew had an inspiring story to tell about themselves. The video clips can be viewed online at http://202.87.41.148/digital/Dove/Singapore/mavens.html.

In 2006, Dove also held a Firming Moisture Bodywash launch to select five girls to star in the ad campaign. An open call led to 1,000 entries. The only criterion? Girls who believe in Dove's philosophy that there is more than one definition of beauty.

Prizes: Priceless publicity and a healthy body image.

Female 50 Gorgeous People

What: Started by the women's magazine in 1997, the contest looks for beauty beyond physical attributes - brains and a great personality score too.

How to join: The Female team sets out on street hunts as early as August. Candidates can also sign up at the street hunt booths. Hundreds of entries are whittled down to 50 - 25 women and 25 men who are featured in the magazine's November issue.

Readers vote for their favourite Gorgeous Woman and Man, and the top five women and men go on to the Grand Finals in December, where they are judged by a panel comprising Female's editor and a host of top sponsors.

Prizes: Anything from a wardrobe of designer clothes, shoes and bags to luxe vacations and spa services to the latest tech products.

This story was first published in Urban, The Straits Times on Feb 28, 2008.