The competition launches today to find the official models for the Amazon Pets Store and the new pet stars of the internet

Animal lovers can post pictures of their beloved cats, dogs, horses, fish & amphibians, small furry animals, reptiles and birds on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to enter

Winning pets will feature in a series of ‘Petwalk’ videos

London, 11th May 2016: Amazon.co.uk is calling for all creatures great and small to enter its first ever social media competition to find the Face of Amazon Pets. The seven winning animals from across the pet spectrum will become models for the Amazon Pets Store and will feature in a series of 'Petwalk' videos, strutting their stuff and 'modelling' the latest must-have pet products available on Amazon.co.uk.

Owners of cats, dogs, horses, fish and amphibians, small furry animals, reptiles and birds are invited to post pictures of their beloved pets on Twitter, Instagram, and on Amazon.co.uk’s Facebook page using the hashtag #AmazonPets. The competition is open until 5th June and the winning Face of Amazon Pets will be revealed soon after, scooping £1,000 worth of Amazon Gift Cards, plus prizes for the runners up.

Amazon.co.uk has partnered with some of the UK’s most influential social media stars of the pet world Rachel Oates, Pet Photographer and the owner of Instagram account Winny the Corgi, and Jason Ashley, the owner of influential pet Instagram account, Blue Staffy, who will sit on the judging panel to select the winning pet faces. Full details of the competition can be found at www.amazon.co.uk/faceofamazonpets.

"Hashtags like #catsofinstagram and #dogsofinstagram demonstrate the craze for sharing pet pictures online as animals become the latest internet sensations, giving many celebrities a run for their money,” said Melis Del Rey, Amazon Pets Store Manager and Face of Amazon Pets judge. “It’s this trend that is inspiring our customers to spoil their beloved animals with gifts like bow ties and bandanas as they get in on the act and primp their pets for internet stardom. We know our customers are hugely proud of their pets and how much they love to pamper them so we cannot wait to see the entries for our first ever Face of Amazon Pets contest." 

As pet owners fight shiny tooth and manicured nail to keep up with the latest internet craze, Amazon.co.uk has shared some of its most popular pet accessories and treats purchased since January 2015 - doggy hair clippers, bow ties, tartan coats and bandanas, in addition to heated devices to keep animal beds and hutches warm and toasty, cognitive interactive toys, roller circuits toys for cats,  dog cologne, and wheat, gluten and dairy free dog food

Sales on Amazon.co.uk show that animal lovers in Scotland pamper their pets the most, with Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh appearing in the top five cities who purchase the most pet pampering products per capita, in the UK.

The full top 10 pet pampering cities based on sales of pet products per capita are:

  • Glasgow
  • Aberdeen
  • Manchester
  • Bristol
  • Edinburgh
  • Swansea
  • Southampton
  • Nottingham
  • Norwich
  • Liverpool

Amazon.co.uk offers an unparalleled selection of products for dogs, cats, birds, fish & aquatic pets, horses, reptiles & amphibians, small animals, farm animals and more. From pet food, supplements, treats and health supplies, to toys, accessories, grooming products and the latest in pet technology, there are hundreds of thousands of products available in the Amazon Pets Store, along with expert guides on how to keep your pets happy and healthy. A huge range of pet products are available with unlimited one-day delivery for Amazon Prime members.

Here are some fun facts about what we sell in the Amazon Pets Store:

  • 28,655 dog bandanas
  • 4,509 bird cages
  • 3,926 dog dresses
  • 2,314 horse brushes
  • 1,596 items of cat clothing
  • 1,493 fish aquariums
  • 768 dog raincoats
  • 287 dog sunglasses
  • 261 types of turtle food
  • 167 types of ferret food

For more information on the Face of Amazon Pets competition visit www.amazon.co.uk/faceofamazonpets
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For further information, interviews, or product imagery please contact:
Letitia Thomas
T: 020 7845 7800 | 07970 907 633
E: letitia@thisismission.com | amazon2016@thisismission.com

About Amazon.co.uk
For further information, please contact:
Amazon UK Press Office
Email: pressoffice@amazon.co.uk
Tel: 020 3680 0888

Notes to Editors
To enter, pet owners should submit images of their dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, small furry animals, horses and fish & aquatic animals to Twitter, Instagram and on Amazon.co.uk’s Facebook page using the hashtag #AmazonPets.

The competition opens on 10th May 2016 and entries must be received by 5th June 2016.

Nominated animals across seven categories that have the most likes and shares on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram during the competition period will be shortlisted. Their entry pictures will be uploaded to www.amazon.co.uk/faceofamazonpets for one week, allowing the public to vote for their favourites. 

Once the public has cast their votes, the judges will pick the final winners, with one animal crowned the Face of Amazon Pets, and receiving the top prize of £1,000 worth of Amazon Gift Cards. The six Face of Amazon Pets runners-up will be awarded £100 each.

The winning animal and six runners-up will be invited to a photo and video shoot, with images featuring on Amazon.co.uk's Pet Store this summer.

Product data is based on month-on-month unit sales of pet products on Amazon.co.uk from 1st January 2015 to date.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.