Princess Chunk is the “nickname” given to a 44 pound American Domestic Shorthair cat found wandering the streets of Voorhees, NJ. Considering that the average American domestic shorthair weighs in the neighborhood of 10-12 pounds, Princess chunk is in a weight class all her own. As a matter of fact, she’s just 2 pounds shy of the Guiness World Record. The category was discontinued in 2001 to avoid encouraging cat owners to over feed their cats in an attempt to “break” the world record.
According to the Thaindian News:
Deborah Wright of Sicklerville, New Jersey, which she picked up from the pound on Saturday said now the cat is on her way to celebrity status. Princess Chunk, a feline fatty is to travel to New York City today for appearances on two national TV shows “The Today Show” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.”
She also said that Princess Chunk is going to appear on “Good Morning America” on Friday, who is currently caring for the cat.
Shelter officials claimed that lots of phone call for inquiries from prospective adoptive families, perplexed veterinarians and national media interested in telling the obese kitty’s story this week.
So what does this have to do with marketing and advertising? Do you have to ask?
Princess Chunk is getting the kind of free PR most business owners are dying to achieve. In addition to traditional media outlets, Web 2.0 is buzzing with articles like “Is the Big Apple Big Enough for Princess Chunk?”
Remember the “new” magic marketing words you need to use to get attention? One of them was “fat” and Princess Chunk is one fat cat. It doesn’t hurt that she looks absolutely regal (what cat doesn’t) in her photo.
Fortunately, Princess Chunk’s predictably brief brush with fame will lead to increased awareness of the plight of animal rescue agencies whose facilities are overflowing with less obese cats and dogs who are in desperate need of a home. The Camden County Animal Shelter is asking for donations to offset the costs not only for caring for Princess Chunk but also the 300 other cats and dogs in the shelter.
In a nutshell, Princess Chunk is the extreme – and extreme stories have always grabbed our attention. However, I think it is important for small business owners to note that the story of Princess Chunk had a beginning. Someone contacted the press and packaged this story for the media. Someone contacted Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kelly and the Today Show. If not for those contacts, Princess Chunk would be just another fat cat in a shelter in New Jersey. Now, she’s got a great shot at a permanent and caring home.
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