Crime Junkie podcast co-host Brit Prawat is hot on the tail of a cat burglar in a new limited run Catch a Cat Burglar twist on true crime shows. “I’ve told many true crime stories throughout my career and Catch a Cat Burglar may be the most unique story yet. It's definitely the furriest," said Prawat. The podcast is in reality a campaign for Temptations cat food, which has created a 16-minute podcast as a way to engage with cat owners and show how podcasts can launch a brand.
The meow-stery – as the brand calls it – tells the story of a delivery truck carrying the new food destined for a store, when it was ambushed, and all the tasty goods were stolen. All that remained was one bag of Temptations cat food, ominously ripped open by what appears to have been a claw. To help solve the crime and uncover the purrrrpetrator – again their word choice – Temptations enlists Prawat to sort through the evidence and suspects. The first episode reveals the story and a collection of clues pointing to six potential suspects. Listeners are invited to try and solve the crime for a chance to win a cat-inspired prize. Through August 30, listeners can submit their guesses to be entered for a chance to win a package of cat goodies and a trip to POP Cats Seattle, a festival of cats and art.
"I'm so excited for cat parents and true crime-obsessed fans alike to tune in to this not-so-true, but extremely irresistible investigation, where together, we will leave no litter box unturned to catch the sneaky kitty,” Prawat said.
Puns and jokes aside, the Temptations campaign is noteworthy since the company opted to use a podcast to launch a new cat food targeted to owners of adult cats.
"We know that cats can't help but cause a little mayhem when left to their own devices," said Jean-Paul Jansen, Senior VP of Marketing at Mars Petcare North America. "It's part of their charm, and the idea that cats are so loved for being these unbothered pot-stirrers was the inspiration behind the 'Catch a Cat Burglar' limited series. It's a playful way for us to engage with cat parents.”
Catch a Cat Burglar will conclude on August 31 with the final episode, where the kitty culprit will be revealed.