Alpo Looks for New Face via Video Contest
Nestle Purina PetCare Co. is on the hunt for a new mug to put on its packages of Alpo dog food. And it’s asking pet owners to send in video clips of their pooch for a chance at stardom on millions of Alpo cans.
People can upload videos to alporealmeatmoments.com or send them by mail showing unscripted, humorous and entertaining moments when their dogs transform into “meat maniacs” when dinner is served. Dog owners can view, rate and pass along their favorite videos on the site. Entries will be selected through July 27.
And pet lovers can help select the five semi-finalists in the contest from Aug. 10 through Aug. 24. Videos will be judged on originality, appropriateness to the contest theme and the dog’s star potential. Joy Behar, dog lover and co-host of “The View,” will help select the winning dog. Behar, the celebrity spokesperson for the program, will also spread the word through PR efforts.
The winning dog’s image will be featured on more than 2.5 million cans of Alpo and in a national print ad. Alpo will unveil the new face the week of Sept. 15.
In addition, the dog and its owner will fly to Hollywood to spend a day with an animal trainer, have a meet-and-greet with canine celebrities from TV and film, tour L.A. animal film landmarks and be treated to spa treatments. The winner also gets a hometown celebration, courtesy of Alpo, $10,000 cash and a year’s worth of Alpo. Four runners-up will receive Alpo products for a year, while 20 semifinalists will earn a six-month supply.
Nestle Purina is dropping two FSIs, one on June 22 with contest entry details and another Aug. 10 for the national call for consumer voting, print ads in Dog Fancy, Dog & Kennel, Animal Fair and Tails Inc. magazines and online media via banner ads on sites including dogster.com, gorillanation.com and myspace.com. The firm is also offering in-store coupons with Catalina and sending e-mails to the Petcentric database, an online community for pet lovers developed and sponsored by Purina.
CheckMark Nestle Purina PetCare Co.’s internal marketing services agency, handles the Creative design of the FSIs, print and banner ads and PR management, Cone Inc. oversees PR and the microsite design and management and Spark is in charge of the online media buy.
