Meow Mix® And Kellie Pickler Bring The 'Meow'-sic To NYC With Mobile Sound Booth

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Meow Mix^® cat food has teamed up with country music superstar Kellie Pickler to present "It's Meow Time," a campaign to celebrate cat parents' special mealtime connection with their cats and encourage them to express their one-of-a-kind love. From August 13-16, Meow Mix will be bringing its mobile sound booth across New York City to give cat parents and fans the chance to reciprocate their appreciation for their feline friends by stepping into the recording studio to remix the iconic 30+ year-old jingle for their cats – all to benefit Food Bank For New York City – the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty through the five boroughs.

"Being a cat lover and previous cat parent myself, I am really looking forward to my turn of remixing the iconic Meow Mix jingle in the sound booth," said Pickler. "And, I hope we have a lot of other cat lovers and parents join us in this campaign because the more recordings, the more meals Meow Mix will donate to the Food Bank For New York City."

Equipped with professional microphones, cameras and a DJ, the Meow Mix mobile sound booth will be paws-ing at New York City's Columbus Circle hotspot from noon until 6:00 pm on August 13, allowing cat lovers to step inside the booth solo, with friends or – for a lucky few – alongside Kellie Pickler. Fans are encouraged to arrive early for the best opportunity to join Kellie in remixing their personalized Meow Mix jingle.

For every cat lover who records their own purrfect jingle, Meow Mix will donate 100 meals* to Food Bank For New York City, with an overall goal of 100,000 meal donation. A giant meal counter will show fans how many meals have been donated during the course of the campaign.

"Today, nearly one in three New Yorkers struggles to afford food. That certainly means there is nothing left over to feed beloved pets, often forcing families to abandon them," said Margarette Purvis, President and CEO of Food Bank For New York City.  "We are very grateful to Meow Mix for their camaraderie and generosity so that we may provide an added layer of support to New Yorkers in need and keep these families together."

"The Meow Mix brand has made mealtime special for cats and cat parents for almost half a century, and is the only brand that cats ask for by name," said Carrie Schliemann, Marketing Director of Meow Mix cat food. "We're honored to work alongside Kellie Pickler to provide fans with a new, fun way to show their appreciation for their cats, and also support the Food Bank For New York City and their efforts to help less fortunate New York families provide much-needed meals to their feline family members."

Meow Mix fans will have their shot at 15 minutes of fame with the option of sharing their spin on the Meow Mix jingle and love for their cats via social media, with the opportunity to appear on Meow Mix's own social channels, including Facebook and Twitter.

In addition to the New York City locations, Meow Mix is taking the campaign nationwide to give cat parents across the country the chance to show their love to their cat:

• "It's Meow Time^SM" Sweepstakes: Even if they don't live in New York City, all cat lovers will have a reason to sing the jingle. Because singing with your cat is how cat lovers can enter the "It's Meow Time^SM" sweepstakes, where one lucky person (and their feline friend) will win a trip to Hollywood to make a Meow Mix music video. Learn more at www.ItsMeowTime.com.
• Artist Inspiration: For cat parents looking for some feline-minded inspiration, Meow Mix has enlisted a variety of talented artists who will be releasing their own renditions of the jingle exclusively online to showcase the unique personalities found in cat and cat parents across the country. These cat-centric music videos will feature different musical genres including electronic dance music, country/adult contemporary, modern classical and more. The videos will be viewable on www.ItsMeowTime.com starting August 13.
• "It's Meow Time^SM" Instant Win: Only one cat lover will head to Hollywood, but there will be many more winners, thanks to the "It's Meow Time^SM" singing cards in specially-marked packages of Meow Mix. Meow Mix fans who find a Meow Mix jingle-singing card can win up to $100.

The Meow Mix mobile sound booth will be open to all cat lovers at Columbus Circle from noon to 6:00 p.m. on August 13 and is free to participate. The sound booth will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. August 14-16, at the following locations: Washington Park/NYU (August 14), Penn Station/Macy's (August 15) and Union Square (August 16). Kellie Pickler will be on-site for public appearances on Wednesday, August 13. For more information on "It's Meow Time" or the Meow Mix brand, visit www.ItsMeowTime.com.

Meow Mix partnered with its agency FCB/RED on the integrated "It's Meow Time" campaign and its experiential agency FCB/X for the New York City activation.

About Big Heart Pet Brands

Big Heart Pet Brands is the largest U.S. standalone producer, distributor and marketer of premium quality, branded pet food and pet snacks. The Company's purpose is to nurture the bond between pets and the people who love them – making every day special. Its portfolio of brands, with a foundation in dog and cat food and treats, strives to cater to every pet life stage and every family's budget through the availability and accessibility of its products.

The Company's brands include Meow Mix^®, Milk-Bone^®, Kibbles 'n Bits^®, 9Lives^®, Natural Balance^®, Pup-Peroni^®, Gravy Train^®, Nature's Recipe^®, Canine Carry Outs^®, Milo's Kitchen^® and other brand names.

For more information, visit the Big Heart Pet Brands website at www.bigheartpet.com. 

SOURCE Big Heart Pet Brands