National Song Contest Gives Families a Chance to Win $200,000 for a Home Makeover

National Song Contest Gives Families a Chance to Win $200,000 for a Home Makeover

TV Mom and Family Music Maven, Florence Henderson, to Announce 'Cottonelle(R) Tales of Best Friends & Family' Contest

NEENAH, Wis., July 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Americans' love affair with their dogs is much more than simple puppy love. A new survey by the Cottonelle(R) Brand, that features the well-loved yellow Labrador Retriever puppy as its ambassador, finds that the majority of American dog owners (85%) consider their dog to be a member of the family. To honor Americans' close-knit relationships with their dogs, Cottonelle today launched a national family song contest -- called "Cottonelle Tales of Best Friends & Family" contest -- to celebrate families' special relationship with their best friend -- the family pooch -- in a song. The family with the winning tune will win $200,000 for a home makeover and a chance to appear in a Cottonelle ad in People magazine.

Starting now until August 27th, Americans can submit their original song and lyrics in writing, and then perform it with their dog at one of six live auditions around the country or by submitting a video entry. And soon after, Americans will have a chance to cast a vote for their favorite performance at http://www.cottonelle.com/ .

Florence Henderson, actress and Broadway songstress will announce the winner of the "Cottonelle Tales of Best Friends & Family" contest. "I am excited about watching and listening to families creatively relate through music their heartfelt stories about their families and dogs," said Henderson. "My own pets bring me such joy and what better way to express a family's sentiments than through song."

Respondents to the survey commissioned by Cottonelle identified many ways the family dog adds to their lives. Eighty-seven percent said a dog gives unconditional love to its family, 79 percent said it makes family life more fun and exciting, and 64 percent said fido teaches family responsibility.

"Just as the Cottonelle Puppy represents caring for the family, we recognize the family dog is an integral part of the American family," said Angela Fisher, Cottonelle Brand Manager. "This contest lets families tell us creatively what a unique role their dog plays in their daily lives. Tell us about the special place your dog has in your family."

Any Family Can Shine

Contestants don't need to possess great musical talent or be brilliant songwriters. The "Cottonelle Tales of Best Friends & Family" contest judges are looking for families to perform caring and fun songs that best express how their dog is an important family member. And, Cottonelle is making it easy to enter by providing a variety of fun, family tools. On http://www.cottonelle.com/ , you'll find:

-- Music Maker -- Create your own music tune from a variety of beats and instruments. -- Make Your Own Instrument -- Instructions on how to build an instrument from everyday household items. -- Blank Music Sheets -- Download blank music composition sheets for composing music. -- View & Vote on Videos -- September 19-30 check out the finalists and vote for your favorite. -- Send to a Friend -- Give friends and family the chance to participate by clicking on a link that directly links them to the Cottonelle Web site.

Local market auditions will offer canine contestants the star "treatment," which includes a host of animal-friendly amenities, such as:

-- Doggie deli trays and fresh bowls of water, of course! -- Cottonelle "Best Friend" ID tags so they can be identified easily on premise. -- A special families green room, the Cottonelle Family Room, where they and their dogs can relax in comfort -- Outdoor "facilities" for our canine visitors when a bathroom, walk or bark break is needed

To help make the dogs and their owners as comfortable as possible, Cottonelle has consulted with The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to provide tips on managing dogs in public and introducing them to new experiences. These tips can be found on http://www.cottonelle.com/ .

Everyone Is A Winner

In early September finalists will be identified. Eleven families will receive a $2,500 cash prize, Cottonelle products and travel and accommodations to a special red-carpet announcement event where the winner will receive the $200,000 grand prize for a home makeover. Finalists also will appear in a national print advertisement in Parenting, and the winning family will appear in a national print advertisement in People.

How to Enter: Participants have two ways to enter the contest:

-- On August 26-27, families and their dogs can perform their original song live at auditions in Atlanta, Denver, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. -- For those who cannot attend one of the live auditions, video and DVD submissions are also permitted via U.S. mail, postmarked on or before Aug. 27, 2005.

For a local market schedule of auditions and contest rules and regulations go to http://www.cottonelle.com/ .

About Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - - nearly a quarter of the world's population -- trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well being. With brands such as Kleenex(R), SCOTT(R), Huggies(R), Pull-Ups(R), Kotex(R) and Depend(R), Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 132-year history of innovation, visit http://www.kimberly-clark.com/ .

Source: Kimberly-Clark

CONTACT: Kristen Knobloch, +1-312-228-6871, Kristen.knobloch@ketchum.com , or Tessa McCann, +1-312-228-6876, Tessa.mccann@ketchum.com , both for Kimberly-Clark

Web site: http://www.kimberly-clark.com/ http://www.cottonelle.com/

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