Old Navy begins a series of casting calls this week to find a new spokesdog for its holiday 2006 advertising.
The Canine Casting Call tour lets dog owners nominate their pets at events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York City, and online at OldNavy.com. Casting call staffers will take pet photos, while owners nominate their dogs via computer kiosk.
Owners entering online submit a photo and personality profile. Old Navy chooses 12 semi-finalists, and then a slate of celeb judges (Katherine Heigl, Alfre Woodard, Malcolm David Kelley, Kristin Chenoweth and Betty White) and dog trainer Andrea Arden will winnow the list down to six finalists.
Photos of those dogs will appear in 950 Old Navy stores nationally, sending shoppers online to vote for their fave between June 23 and July 7. Each vote triggers an instant-win game piece for a chance at a $10 Old Navy gift card. A total 1,665 cards will be awarded.
The contest’s grand prize includes a trip for two people and the dog to Los Angeles for a photo shoot, and $7,000 spending money. The winner replaces Magic, the mixed-breed pooch that appeared in 60 campy TV commercials alongside Morgan Fairchild, George Hamilton, Carrie Donovan and others.
“Magic was an important part of the Old Navy family and of our brand’s history,” said Jenny Ming, president of Old Navy. “We think every dog has a little bit of magic, so we’re excited to involve our customers in the search for our new mascot.”
Casting Call events run May 5 through May 25, with a pet photo booth, dog treats, custom dog-tag station and pet adoptions. (Old Navy makes donations to local animal charities as part of the tour.) Online entry runs through May 29. EPrize, Pleasant Ridge, MI, handles.
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