In honor of Cat Appreciation Month this February, the makers of Fresh Step litter have teamed up with cat-loving country star Kellie Pickler to ask cat lovers to flood Facebook with images of them wearing their favorite cat-centric clothing.
Don’t have any kitty couture? No problem. The Fresh Step brand has partnered with Pickler and fashion designer Geren Ford to design a must-have limited-edition cat sweater. The sweater will be available for purchase online at www.aspcaonlinestore.com, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting the ASPCA (The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Cat lovers who aren’t in the market for a new sweater can get in on the fun, too. The Fresh Step Facebook page houses an online application that lets people digitally place the Pickler sweater onto a photo of themselves on Facebook. The Fresh Step litter team will donate $1 to the ASPCA for every photo posted, through March 15, 2012, up to $100,000.
“It’s time for cat lovers to truly display their cat pride,” said Pickler, whose new album “100 Proof” launches this week. “I collaborated with fellow cat lover and designer Geren Ford to create a sweater that we hope any cat parent would wear to show their kitty pride and that all animal lovers can wear in support of the ASPCA.”
The oatmeal heather-colored tunic “Kitty Crooner” sweater with green sequin embellishments celebrates Pickler’s country roots and gives wearers a modern vintage look. The sweater will be available for purchase at www.aspcaonlinestore.com for $35 while supplies last.
Public Displays of Online Cat-fection Ignite “Purrs” Nationwide
In addition to the limited-edition sweater, Fresh Step will offer four digital sweater options for cat lovers to dress up their social media self at www.facebook.com/freshstep. On top of the “Kitty Crooner” design, fashion designer Geren Ford created three other fun digital cat sweaters – a fashion-forward piece, a kitschy sweater and one that’s just plain cute. Facebook visitors can place the sweaters over their uploaded pictures and resize all elements of the sweater to get that catwalk-ready fit. Once done, it is easy to share the photo with friends or to make it a profile picture. Simply “trying on” these digital sweaters will activate the $1 donation to the ASPCA, up to $100,000.
“Cats are pretty much the coolest animals alive. They’re mysterious, finicky and funny,” said David Kargas, a spokesperson for the Fresh Step litter brand and owner of two cats. “Rather than keeping that love behind closed doors or in the anonymity of YouTube channels, we want to bring it out into the open and invite people to show just how much they love cats. And while they do it, they can do some good too, as Fresh Step will support the ASPCA’s programs in their honor.”
Animal lovers will also have the opportunity to win Pickler’s very own “Kitty Crooner” sweater. After launching the sweater during a series of media interviews, Pickler will autograph the sweater, which will then be sold in an auction at www.charitybuzz.com/aspca through Feb. 14. Included in the auction package are two tickets to an upcoming Pickler concert, a meet-and-greet with Pickler at that concert, and an autographed copy of her new CD “100 Proof”. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the ASPCA.
“We cannot think of a better time to show your affection for cats than the month of February, when love is already in the air,” said Elysia Howard, vice president of marketing and licensing for the ASPCA. “But on a more serious note, it’s fun and creative programs like these that help the ASPCA step in and provide assistance to animal welfare groups across the country when they are in need. We are excited to see all of the amazing examples of cat pride roll in during the campaign, and we are thankful for the generous contributions that help us continue our life-saving work.”
The makers of Fresh Step litter are committed to helping cats and, since 2001, have donated more than $2.5 million to the ASPCA.
