LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The finalists'
videos ranged from simple stories of cats' playtime antics to
complex stories about cats' creative imaginations, but in the end,
"The Friskies" $15,000 Grand Prize
for "Best Video" went to a story about a very happy blind cat, who
enthusiastically uses his senses of hearing and touch to play like
every cat.
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The winners were announced and the Catuettes and prizes were
awarded at a one-of-a-kind awards show in Hollywood yesterday by Friskies® to celebrate
the art form of Internet cat videos and the best new cat videos of
2012. After months of searching and thousands of votes and
views, Friskies named "Oskar's First Toys" starring Oskar of
Omaha, Neb., the first-ever winner
of "The Friskies." The Grand Prize winnings include an official
Friskies Catuette, a $15,000 cash
prize, and a year's supply of Friskies® brand cat food.
"Oskar is completely blind, but he doesn't let that slow him
down one bit," said video director Mick
Szydlowski. "He's healthy, he's happy, he does
everything a regular cat would do."
The four category winners won $2,500 each and a one-year supply of Friskies cat
food:
- Catness: "Black Cat Stick 'em Up" starring Cole; Tampa, Fla.
- Catcom: "Cat Alarm Clock" starring Boo; Elkhart, Ind.
- Catventure: "Cardboard Dreams" starring Milo, Otis, Barrett and
Bates; Plano, Texas
- Catchall: "Kitty Plays Fetch" starring Nylah; Cherry Hill, N.J.
The first-ever "The Friskies" awards show was like the Oscars®
for cat videos. The show was streamed live from Los Angeles on TheFriskies.com and The Pet
Collective. While major awards and gold-plated trophies were
presented and accepted, the similarities to major film, TV and
music award shows ended there. Guests donned their "Friskies
formal" wear, sampled cat-themed cupcakes, received gift bags for
their cats, and enjoyed an amazing array of cat-themed
entertainment during the show.
YouTube show host Michael Buckley acted as master of ceremonies
and presented the awards, including a special Lifetime Achievement
award to Will Braden, creator of
Henri, Le Chat Noir, for his enduring contributions to the art
form. Other highlights included a meow-ing a cappella singing group
performing familiar favorites, and a dance tribute to popular
Internet meme Nyan cat. Other special guests included TV
personality and musician John Fulton and YouTube personality Cara
Hartmann; contest judges Wayne White and Karen Nichols; and
representatives from two of the participating 25 cat charity
organizations that will receive donations of Friskies cat food as
part of the Contest.
"This was an historic moment honoring the cats and people behind
one of America's most loved art forms," said Shaun Belongie, Friskies® brand manager. "'The
Friskies' awards show was memorable, quirky and fun, just like the
finalists' videos themselves."
In addition to voting for their favorites to win "The Friskies,"
online viewers made it possible for Friskies to donate a grand
total of 250,000 cans of cat food to cat rescue organizations
nationwide. Based on numbers of entries, views and votes, 25 cat
charity organizations will each receive 10,000 cans of Friskies cat
food this year.
Visit www.TheFriskies.com to view the winning videos, and learn
more about the judges and the 25 cat rescue organizations involved
in "The Friskies."
About Friskies
The Friskies® brand offers a complete line of great-tasting cat
foods, including more than 60 wet, dry and treat varieties.
Friskies is manufactured by Nestle Purina PetCare, a global leader
in the pet care industry. Nestle Purina PetCare promotes
responsible pet care, humane education, community involvement and
the positive bond between people and their pets. The North American
headquarters for Nestle Purina PetCare is located at Checkerboard
Square in St. Louis; Mo. Nestle
Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestle S.A. – the world's
largest food company. All trademarks are owned by Societe des
Produits Nestle S.A. or used with permission.
About The Pet Collective
The Pet Collective (www.youtube.com/ThePetCollective) is the
leading pet channel on YouTube, with more than 60,000 subscribers
and nearly 15 million video views since it debuted in May.
The Pet Collective presents original series and content created to
encourage pet owners and pet lovers to have fun and do
good. The Pet Collective is produced by FremantleMedia, the
global entertainment company behind such hits as American
Idol and The X Factor. The Pet Collective can be
found only on YouTube, and pet lovers can learn more about it by
following The Pet Collective on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
OSCARS® is a trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences. All other trademarks are owned by Societe des
Produits Nestle S.A. or used with permission.
SOURCE Nestle Purina PetCare Company