NICKELODEON ANNOUNCES WINNERS FOR FIRST-EVER SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GLOBAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION, SPONGEBOB SQUARESHORTS: ORIGINAL FAN TRIBUTES

Nickelodeon announced today the winners in two categories (under 18 years of age, and 18 and over) for the first-ever global SpongeBob SquarePants-themed short film competition, SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes. Receiving more than 1,000 submissions from more than 70 countries, winners were chosen by fans via social media and online voting at www.spongebobsquareshorts.com, as well as a panel of judges comprised of Nickelodeon executives from all corners of the globe.

The winners for the inaugural SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes competition are:

Winner in the "under 18 years of age" category

"The Krabby Commercial" by David (United States)

Mr. Krabs assigns SpongeBob and Patrick the task of making a commercial to advertise the Krabby Patty. When SpongeBob's initial attempt falls flat, Patrick picks up the slack and teaches everyone a lesson about optimism.

Winner in the "18 and over" category

"Finally Home" by Nicole (South Africa)

A short film that follows a dedicated SpongeBob fan and her quest to find her ultimate dream home.

Winners from each category will be awarded a $2,500 cash prize and a trip for four people to a screening of the winning films at the first-ever SpongeBob Fan Shellabration, held Sept. 7-8 at Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles, Calif.

SpongeBob SquareShorts: Original Fan Tributes is a global short film competition that encourages SpongeBob fans to celebrate the positivity and optimism of SpongeBob. Short film submissions featured original storylines and highlighted SpongeBob's endearing attributes: humor, overflowing happiness and persistent positivity.

SpongeBob SquarePants is a world-renowned and beloved character-driven cartoon that chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob, an incurably optimistic and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends. The series is seen in more than 170 countries and territories and in more than 35+ languages. The series consistently ranks as the #1 program in its time slot vs. all other kids' channels in Brazil, Canada, Spain, Hungary, Mexico, and the Netherland, and is a top 10 program on Nickelodeon in markets including the UK, Russia, Australia, Germany and Italy. It is the most widely distributed property in Viacom Media Networks history.