Friskies Launches Cat-lectibles Hobby Shop With Custom Trading Cards, Blind Boxes and More
Friskies is getting into collectibles with the launch of Cat-lectibles, a convention-exclusive hobby shop built around custom trading cards, blind boxes and other cat-themed collectibles.
The activation will debut at Anime NYC on August 20 before heading to Rose City Comic Con in Portland, Oregon, on September 11 and FanX in Salt Lake City, Utah, on September 24. Friskies says the concept is an extension of its Certified Frisky campaign and turns real-life cats into collectible characters inspired by anime, kaiju, bounty hunters and other pop culture themes.
At the Cat-lectibles Trading Card Station, convention attendees will be able to upload a photo of their cat and have it turned into a free custom trading card. Each cat is given its own character treatment and origin story from what Friskies calls “Friskies World,” creating a personalized collectible based on the owner’s pet.
Visitors will also leave with a collectible blind box containing Friskies samples, adding another familiar hobby element to the promotion. The activation is leaning heavily into the language and format of modern collectibles, combining trading cards, blind boxes and character-driven designs with a convention-exclusive experience.
Friskies is also offering one fan a much larger custom collection centered around their cat. The winner will receive a personalized Cat-lectibles package that includes a 3D-printed figurine, a hand-illustrated poster and a retro tin lunchbox featuring their pet.
The Cat-lectibles hobby shop will launch alongside cat-focused creators Nathan Kehn, known online as @nathanthecatlady, and Gasper D’Anna and his ragdoll cat Gus of @gasperandgus.
Cat-lectibles is another example of a major consumer brand borrowing directly from hobby culture to create an experiential promotion. Trading cards, blind-box collectibles, custom figures and convention exclusives have all become familiar parts of the collecting world, and Friskies is bringing those formats together for a promotion aimed specifically at cat fans.