Kleenex online vote for favorite Hispanic designs.

Kleenex facial tissue is asking consumers to help it celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in 2009 by voting online for three original designs they feel best capture the pride of being Latino. The invitation follows the brand’s call last December for culturally relevant designs, themes and motifs, in any type of media – part of a unique, national art contest titled, “Con Kleenex, Expresa tu Hispanidad,” (With Kleenex, Express Your Hispanic Culture).

Over the past three months, a total of 620 aspiring artists from throughout the country entered the contest, hoping to earn one of three $5,000 grand prizes, which also comes with a chance to have their work featured on upright boxes of Kleenex facial tissue. Recently, experts from the Kleenex brand, meeting in Miami, narrowed the field to 12 finalists. Now, consumers are being asked to help pick the winning designs, which may appear in stores nationwide in time for Hispanic Heritage Month, in September.

Voting, which ends March 22, is easy. Consumers need only visit www.ConKleenexExpresaTuHispanidad.com http://www.expresatuhispanidad.com/> , and pick their favorite three designs. Participants may cast multiple votes, as long as they do not exceed one per day. The grand prize winners will be announced in early June.

“This is your heritage – our heritage – so vote now,” urged renowned Hispanic radio psychologist Dr. Isabel Gómez-Bassols, spokesperson of the Expresa tu Hispanidad art contest. “Join with me in feeling the pride of knowing you may help put Latino culture on cartons of Kleenex facial tissue.”