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Dog food promotes 'Hotel for Dogs'
Jan. 19, 2009 – Paramount’s family film Hotel for Dogs premiered in the #2 spot this weekend, and its successful launch included help from a tie-in with Pedigree dog food. In the film, cans of Pedigree get brief but noticeable full screen exposure when loaded in an amusing mechanical device that automatically puts dog food into bowls for four-legged residents of Hotel for Dogs.
According to the press release below, Pedigree -- which is owned by food/candy giant Mars – promoted the movie on its website and will donate up to $250,000 to dog shelters (in the movie, the city’s animal control and its staff are really bad guys!). The press release doesn’t mention it, but presumably Pedigree placed point-of-purchase signage as tie-ins with the movie in supermarkets where it is sold.
PRESS RELEASE – Jan. 16, 2009
The PEDIGREE(R) Brand Partners with DreamWorks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies' 'Hotel for Dogs' to Raise Awareness for Homeless Dogs
PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs is rolling out the yellow carpet today to announce its partnership with the upcoming film "Hotel for Dogs," from DreamWorks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies scheduled to be released today by Paramount Pictures. With the film's release, the brand is encouraging everyone to: "See the movie. Help a dog."
The movie, based on the Lois Duncan book of the same name, is a family comedy adventure centered on two resourceful kids who transform an abandoned hotel into a magical dog-paradise for the dog they're asked to give up -- and eventually for all of his stray canine companions.
Because of the PEDIGREE® Brand's outstanding advocacy for homeless dogs through its annual Pedigree Adoption Drive, a
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national awareness and fundraising campaign that began in 2005, and their shared belief that all dogs deserve a loving home, DreamWorks Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount Pictures partnered with the brand to help shine a spotlight on the cause of dog adoption.
"We are thrilled to have the support of PEDIGREE® in promoting this wonderful film," commented LeeAnne Stables, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing Partnerships, Paramount Pictures. "This is a truly perfect partnership given their longstanding commitment to shelter dogs."
Through no fault of their own, more than four million dogs end up in shelters and breed rescues each year and nearly half of those canines never find a place to call home, a trend that the PEDIGREE® Brand and "Hotel for Dogs" together hope to help reverse by rallying dog lovers nationwide.
Further, in the spirit of the PEDIGREE® Adoption Drive, the movie will act as a fundraising effort for homeless animals and as a result yields the motto: "See the movie. Help a dog." For every ticket purchased to "Hotel for Dogs," the PEDIGREE® brand will make a donation to help shelter dogs, up to $250,000.
"As the brand that loves dogs, we're proud to partner with 'Hotel for Dogs' and are excited to maximize our efforts to help our four-legged friends in need," said John Anton, Marketing Director of The PEDIGREE® Brand, Mars Petcare US, the makers of PEDIGREE® Food for Dogs. "We share the film's belief that all dogs deserve a loving home and encourage dog lovers worldwide to see the movie, help a dog."
Donations from the PEDIGREE® Brand will go to The PEDIGREE Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding to 501(c)(3) status animal shelters and breed rescues. Created by the brand in late 2007, by the end of 2008 the foundation will have distributed more than one million dollars to more than 500 shelters and breed rescue organizations nationwide.
Beyond the movie, the "See the movie. Help a dog." motto will be showcased everywhere from customized television ads to online to stores where PEDIGREE® products are sold, and even on popcorn bags in participating theaters.
Hitting theaters on Jan. 16, 2009, "Hotel for Dogs," stars Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and Don Cheadle in a smart, funny comedy adventure that shows how far love and imagination can take you.
For more information, visit the official Hotel for Dogs Web site, http://www.hotelfordogsmovie.com/ or dogsrule.com.
About Paramount Pictures Corp.
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA - News, VIA.B - News), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group, and Worldwide Television Distribution.
About PEDIGREE® Brand
PEDIGREE® Brand is the number one brand of dog food in the world, offering a wide variety of products for different dog life stages. As an innovative market leader, PEDIGREE® Brand is at the forefront of pet nutrition and understands pet owner needs by providing a range of innovative products and resources.
About Mars Petcare US
Mars Petcare U.S. is the U.S. pet care operations of Mars, Incorporated, one of the world's leading food manufacturers. Headquartered in Franklin, TN, Mars Petcare U.S. employs more than 3,000 associates in the United States, with 29 facilities nationwide and owns some of the world's favorite pet care brands, including PEDIGREE® Brand Food for Dogs, CESAR® Canine Cuisine, WHISKAS® Brand Food for Cats, SHEBA® Brand Food for Cats and THE GOODLIFE RECIPE® Brand. In addition, Mars, Incorporated owns the portfolio of brands produced by ROYAL CANIN USA Inc., NUTRO Products, Inc. and GREENIES®.
®/(TM) Trademarks © Mars, Incorporated 2008