Grumpy Cat is two-and-a-half years old,
cost her owners nothing - and yet earns
more in a year than Cristiano Ronaldo.
Real name “Tardar Cat” – but now
answering to “Grumpy” – the distinctively
peeved pet has earned 28-year-old Tabatha
Bundesen and her Arizona family a
reported $100 million (£64 million).
It is now generally accepted that a photo
posted to Reddit, Twitter or Facebook can
launch an internet sensation. What is
more remarkable, though, is the way
Grumpy has been carefully transformed
into a miserable-looking money-making
machine.
Her earnings from merchandise,
advertising and other revenues beat the
estimated £27.1 million earned this year
by Ronaldo. Forbes put Gwyneth Paltrow’s
income for 2013 at just over £12 million.
Grumpy’s owner told the Express: “What
she’s achieved in such a short time is
unimaginable and absolutely mind-
blowing.
“I was able to quit my job as a waitress
within days of her first appearance on
social media and the phone simply hasn’t
stopped ringing since.”
The business of making Grumpy a
millionaire is complex, and as such she has
an agent. Ben Lashes, a self-proclaimed
“meme manager”, has translated the
public's thirst for videos of animals doing
daft things into cold hard cash. His clients
also include Keyboard Cat and Nyan Cat,
as well as non-felines from Doge to
Ridiculously Photogenic Guy.
Grumpy Cat valentine's card
Grumpy Cat on a Valentines day card
posted on her official Facebook page
One year after her YouTube debut – which
has received more than 16 million views
since it was posted in September 2012 –
Grumpy won her first traditional
endorsement deal, being named the official
“spokescat” for a Friskies brand of cat
food.
Nestle Purina PetCare has not disclosed the
terms of the deal, but her first duties
included appearing to receive a “lifetime
achievement award” at a high-profile
event in New York.
A two-book deal followed. Grumpy Cat: A
Grumpy Book made it onto the New York
Times bestseller list and still retails at
$9.30 in hardcover. A second book, The
Grumpy Guide to Life, is also ranking well
among Amazon’s bestsellers.
Meanwhile, the Grumpy Cat merchandise
store is an extraordinarily comprehensive
online outlet. Featuring almost 140
products, it is split up into departments
including “electronics”, “clothing” and
“home & pets”.
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