The image of a feline crooning those memorable lyrics ("Meow, meow, meow, meow") is so silly it's genius—a refreshing alternative to the whinings of rival Morris. Curiously, the absurdly cheap $3,000 spot was an accident: While shooting a more straightforward ad, the furry star choked. It looked funny, so the ad guys looped the footage and added music. Assures Jerry Della Femina, "I gave the cat a Heimlich maneuver."