We've all been caught with a bit of candy on our face this time of year, but one New Westminster resident may be walking around soon, quite literally, with his face on candy.
Rady Panov, an 18-year-old Capilano University student, has been named a top-10 finalist out of 3,000 contestants in the Make Your Face a Maynards contest.
If selected as the winner, Panov's likeness will appear on Maynards candy products including Swedish Berries, Sour Cherry Blasters and Wine Gums. In addition to being immortalized in candy form, Panov will also receive a year's supply of Maynards candy, $5,000 cash and a trip for two to Toronto for a photo shoot and tour of the Maynards factory.
Panov said he had no expectations when he submitted a photo online for the contest, but he had some encouragement along the way.
"It feels pretty good. I wasn't expecting anything. I just kept seeing all the ads at bus stops and I went on Facebook and submitted a picture. I wasn't really expecting to be in the top 10. It's pretty cool," he said. "Friends influenced me and I'm an actor too so I like do that kind of stuff in my spare time."
The look in his contest photo, which can probably be described as the middle point between elation and agony, impressed the judges.
"Rady... made sure his silly face and crazy eyebrows popped," stated a press release from the judges.
Panov said it took "at least 27 muscles to smile like that."
Asked how the fame of being on a popular candy would affect him, Panov wasn't sure.
"What do you guys think about me being a Maynard's candy?" he asked a group of friends surrounding him.
"It's so funny," one girl calls out.
"I'd definitely buy more cherry blasters," says another.
The contest winner will be chosen at random.
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