Jennifer Aniston’s Clydeo: An Innovative Celebrity Pet Project with Heart, Humor, and Purpose

NEW YORK, NY – September 27, 2024 – Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and People’s Choice award-winning actress, producer, and entrepreneur, Jennifer Aniston, whose fame was launched by her role as Rachel in the long-running TV sitcom Friends, is bringing her love for dogs to the world through an innovative multi-media project. Partnering with animation studio Invisible Universe, Aniston created Clydeo, a character inspired by her real-life rescue pet. First introduced on social media, Clydeo is about to fetch more attention from young hearts and minds as the lead character in Aniston’s new children’s book, Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life, debuting on October 1, 2024.

Even as Aniston continued her prolific career as a producer and star of the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show, for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award, she made time to work on creating Clydeo. The project began on social media in December 2021 and has quickly evolved into a multi-faceted initiative combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy. Aniston has leveraged her star power and passion for animal welfare to create a character who captures hearts and supports a cause.

Clydeo, inspired by Aniston’s grey schnauzer mix named Clyde, has already amassed more than 330,000 followers and 50 million views across his @callmeclydeo social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. But the adorable, clumsy, loveable rescue pup’s journey is just beginning. With a four-book deal from HarperCollins Publishers and the launch of The Clydeo Fund with the Entertainment Industry Foundation to support animal rescue organizations, Aniston’s literal pet project is poised to impact the entertainment world and animal welfare community.

“When I decided to partner with Invisible Universe to bring Clydeo to life on social media, I could have never imagined how much joy he would bring to his fans and followers,” Aniston shared in a recent statement. “Obviously I’ll make it about something that I fully love and adore, which is my rescue animals,” she added, highlighting the personal significance of the project.

Jeniffer Aniston introduces Clydeo on YouTube

Barking Up the Bestseller List

Building on Clydeo’s internet success, HarperCollins Publishers announced a four-book publishing deal with Aniston and Invisible Universe. The first book, “Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life,” is set to hit shelves on October 1, 2024. Written by Aniston herself and illustrated by Bruno Jacob, the picture book, targeting 4- to 8-year-old readers, tells Clydeo’s heartwarming origin story.

The story follows Clydeo as he struggles to find his “thing” among a family of talented dogs. Through a series of misadventures and culinary experiments, Clydeo discovers that cooking is what makes him shine. It’s a tale of self-discovery and self-confidence that resonates with children and adults.

A sample of pages from ‘Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life’ by Jennifer Aniston. – Photo Credit: HarperCollins

Nancy Inteli, VP and Publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books, expressed her excitement about the project: “We are incredibly proud to partner with the one and only Jennifer Aniston and Invisible Universe to bring Clydeo’s silliness, kindness, and warmth to life in books. Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life is a story about an adorable dog’s adventures that also celebrates the joy everyone finds in discovering their true passions.”

The publishing program doesn’t stop with this debut. Future titles will include a cookbook co-authored by Aniston and Clydeo, and two “I Can Read!” early-level volumes, expanding Clydeo’s world and reaching young readers at various stages of their reading journey.

Fetching the Future: Invisible Universe Unleashes a New Breed of Storytelling

At the heart of Clydeo’s creation is Invisible Universe, an internet-first, AI-powered digital animation studio redefining how animated characters are developed and introduced to audiences. The studio specializes in creating and nurturing animated intellectual property on social media platforms before expanding into other media, representing a new frontier in entertainment and storytelling.

Tricia Biggio, Co-Founder and CEO of Invisible Universe, described their approach: “We launch our characters on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube and develop alongside our highly engaged fans. We take an egoless approach to storytelling and build with our communities and fans.”

This innovative method allows for rapid iteration and audience feedback, creating a dynamic and engaging experience that builds stronger affinity and larger audiences faster than traditional models. Invisible Universe applies this formula for other characters beyond Clydeo, including Qai Qai (in partnership with Serena Williams) and Squeaky & Roy (with Charli & Dixie D’Amelio).

Speaking about Clydeo’s success, Biggio enthusiastically shared, “Clydeo has captured the imaginations of millions of fans across social media with his quick wit, cooking mishaps, and loyalty to his friends, especially his best friend, Jennifer Aniston. Now, we’re diving deeper into his backstory with his first-ever children’s book!” She adds, “Getting to partner with Jennifer Aniston to bring this character and story to life has been a career high. As a mom of two young boys, I know how important relatable themes are in the stories we read our kids.”

Clydeo and his best friend, Jen Aniston. Photo Credit: @callmeclydeo/Facebook

Invisible Universe’s innovation doesn’t stop at social media. For Clydeo, they’ve taken interactive experiences to a new level with their cutting-edge website, thestoryland.ai. This AI-powered platform allows fans to conceive and create Clydeo adventures, bringing the character to life in ways limited only by imagination.

To test the platform’s capabilities (and have a little fun), our Pawzhub Newsroom team sent Clydeo on a whirlwind tour. With a few simple prompts, we transformed Clydeo into a Dodger fan, a Times Square tourist, and even had him sniff out Aniston’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Clydeo custom adventure images created on Invisible Universe’s thestoryland.ai site. – Photo Credit: Pawzhub/Invisible Universe thestoryland.ai 

This AI platform showcases Invisible Universe’s technological prowess while deepening fan engagement with Clydeo. It allows each user to become a co-creator in Clydeo’s world, fostering a personal connection with the character beyond passive consumption.

While fans eagerly await the release of Clydeo’s book, they can create their Clydeo adventures at thestoryland.ai. Users can adjust their prompts to perfect their Clydeo images, save them to Clydeo’s scrapbook, and then share them on social media – further expanding the character’s reach and impact.

By blending social media presence, AI-generated content, and traditional publishing, Invisible Universe pushes the boundaries of character development and audience engagement. This innovative model may well be the future of IP creation in the entertainment industry, allowing for direct audience connection, rapid iteration based on feedback, and simultaneous brand-building across multiple platforms.

Puppy Love to Lifelong Passion

The story of Clydeo is intrinsically tied to Aniston’s journey with rescue dogs. Her love for canine companions began on the Friends set when she met Norman, who would become her first pet.

“Norman was my first. And it was just a fluke. He was in a scene with Joey and Chandler on Friends when they left baby Ben on the bus,” Aniston recently told People. “They were running through the streets and ran into a dog walker that had all these dogs. Norman was one of them, and I just fell in love.”

The dog trainers working the show told Aniston, “‘Well, he’s not getting hired because he doesn’t really hit his mark,'” she says. “So I jokingly said, ‘I’ll take him.’ And they said, ‘Absolutely.’ And then I kind of had that moment of, ‘Oh God, am I really?’ And then that was it. I got the addiction to dogs and what they bring to you. Cut to now wanting to rescue all shelter puppies in the world.”

This passion has grown over the years, leading her to adopt more rescue dogs, including Clyde, who grabbed Aniston’s heart and became the muse for a character touching the lives of millions.

For Aniston, Clydeo is more than just a fun character – he reflects her deep love for dogs, particularly rescue animals. Her journey with dogs began with Norman, who died in 2011, and then Dolly who died in 2019. They remain meaningful to her still. “You mention them, and I get a lump in my throat,” she says.

While Norman and Dolly hold a special place in her heart, Aniston’s love for rescue animals continues to grow with her current furry family. Aniston now parents a crew of three dogs: Clydeo’s inspiration, Clyde, the terrier mix; a white pit bull named Sophie; and a rescued white shepherd mix named Lord Chesterfield.

Jennifer Aniston’s three dogs (left to right), Sophie, Clyde, and Lord Chesterfield. – Photo Credit: Jennifer Aniston/Instagram 

Aniston frequently shares her passion for animal welfare with over 45 million Instagram followers. She persistently posts messages inspiring her fans to support animal welfare causes, provide foster care, or permanently adopt animals needing loving homes.

This passion has now come full circle, influencing her personal life, professional endeavors, and philanthropic efforts. Through Clydeo, Aniston shares her love for dogs with a global audience while looking to make a tangible difference in the lives of rescue animals.

The Clydeo Fund: A New Initiative for Animal Rescue

Jennifer Aniston and Clyde. – Photo Credit: Jennifer Aniston/Instagram

Aniston’s commitment to animal welfare expands as she unveils The Clydeo Fund concurrently with the publication release of Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life. The Clydeo Fund is a charitable initiative aimed at supporting animal rescue organizations around the globe.

“We can help these animals, and we can get awareness out, and help the shelters that are in desperate need,” Aniston explained. The fund’s mission is multifaceted: to rescue, rehabilitate, and find forever homes for animals in need. It also aims to improve conditions within shelters and educate communities about the importance of animal welfare.

The Clydeo Fund hopes to inspire people to contribute, even in small amounts. “We want to create a fund where we can donate to these animals all over the world and inspire people to just throw in a dollar. It all adds up,” Aniston emphasized. Donations can be made at: The Clydeo Fund

Looking Ahead

As Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life prepares to hit bookshelves and The Clydeo Fund begins its mission, the future looks bright for this multifaceted project. Whether it’s inspiring children to find their passions, entertaining millions on social media, or helping rescue animals find their forever homes, Clydeo seems poised to make a lasting impact.

Jennifer Aniston with Clydeo showing off their new book: ‘Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life’ – Photo Credit: Jennifer Aniston/Instagram

Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life is available for pre-order from HarperCollins, bookstores, and online retailers for shipment beginning October 1, 2024. Those looking to support The Clydeo Fund can visit the Fund’s Entertainment Industry Foundation website for more information. To learn more about Invisible Universe and its innovative brand-building through character creation and a social-first strategy, visit: invisibleuniverse.com.

Beyond her acting and producing, Aniston is a busy entrepreneur. She built a business empire that includes her LolaVie haircare line and other ventures and investments. Even with her busy life, Aniston found time to devote to this new chapter of her career – as an author and animated character creator in support of her animal welfare advocacy – making one thing clear: with Clydeo by her side, Jen is ready to take yet another big bite out of life and inspire others to do the same.