LONDON, May 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Cardiff Graduate Appointed UK's First Meerkat Ambassador

Josh Mitchell, a 22 year old International Hospitality graduate from UWIC University, Cardiff has today been unveiled as the UK's first official meerkat ambassador, beating five other shortlisted candidates and earning himself GBP40,000* for the six month role. The ambassadorial role generated over 1,500 applications around the country and was the brainchild of comparethemeerkat.com (http://meerkat.comparethemarket.com/home) founder and best-selling author Aleksandr Orlov.

Josh's new role will include running social media campaigns and representing the meerkats at the nation's top sporting and cultural events this summer.

As part of the process, the six shortlisted candidates were tasked with persuading the general public that they had the talent necessary to take on the unique and unusual role. Josh's winning campaign saw him take to social media sites Facebook and Twitter to drive votes.

Josh also created a campaign website, posted homemade videos on YouTube, contacted student unions and the local media and even took to the streets, canvassing at local supermarkets to raise his profile and attract votes.

Over 7,500 votes were cast for the six shortlisted candidates, which included a University of Cambridge graduate, a former Royal Navy officer from Chesterfield, a supermarket supervisor from Leeds and a Cornish surfer.

Commenting from his Meerkovo (http://meerkovo.comparethemarket.com/) mansion, Aleksandr Orlov said, "I am look forward to Josh's first day, where his proven skills in the social media will be essential for help unclog comparethemeerkat.com and lift dark cloud that is hang over Meerkovo. I am also look forward to lunchtime. (I hear he make tasty scorpion sandwich)."

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comparethemeerkat.com has over 1400 different shaped and sized meerkats to compare. If we can't find meerkat right for you, I will eat my cravat.

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SOURCE comparethemarket.com