To mark the relaunch, The Straits Times Editor Han Fook Kwang handed out free breakfast sets to readers who presented a copy of paper at Chevron House in Raffles Place.

Some 1,000 breakfast sets consisting of a muffin, donut, cereal and hot coffee were given away on Friday morning.

Another 4,000 breakfast sets were distributed at the Buzz Pods at Tampines Mall and Sun Plaza, as well as the 62 Shell 7-Eleven outlets island-wide.

Business was brisk for newspaper vendor Tan Mong Teo, 59 who has a stall outside Raffles Place MRT. He sold some 600 copies of the paper within two hours.

Reader Michael Lew, 66, picked up a copy of the redesigned paper while on his morning walk with his wife.

'The headings are very striking. It is easy for us to look for the different sections,' said Mr Lew.

Reader Freddy Gan, 62, a supplier of toilet cleaning products, liked the summaries box on Page 1.

' I can zero in on the important news,' said Mr Gan.

Administrative officer Dave Yong, 57 found the new masthead more bold and distinctive.

'The sports pages are more colourful and lively,' added Mr Yong.

A host of treats awaits readers who buy a copy of The Straits Times this month, as part of the relaunch.

From Aug 11 to 22, readers will get a free Cathay Cineplex movie ticket when they send in five coupons found on the Monday to Friday covers of the paper.

The coupons can be found on newspapers sold at the following places: Cheers and 7-Eleven outlets, Cold Storage, Giant, NTUC and Shop & Savesupermarkets, Guardian Pharmacies, Caltex, Esso-Mobil, Shell and SPC stations and Borders and Books Kinokuniya outlets.

From Aug 8 to 14, readers who buy any three copies of The Straits Times from Buzz Pods can redeem a free admission ticket to the Asian Civilisation Museum.

New subscribers will get gifts worth over $200. They can choose from either a Motorola mobile phone, a Shinco portable DVD player or a return trip for two to Kuala Lumpur on Transtar Premium Z Club coach with one night's accommodation.

Readers who want to subscribe to revamped paper can visit the road show at Chevron House on Thursday.

There will also be roadshows at Tampines Mall, Sun Plaza and Northpoint Shopping Centre from Thursday to Sunday.