There’s been a lot of hype in recent years surrounding our adoration of Pet Influencers and with good reason. According to AdAge, Grumpy Cat (RIP) made an estimated $100 million from her film, media appearances, sponsorship deals and merchandise sales since going viral in 2012.
Jiffpom is currently the most popular pet influencer reaching 30 million followers across the globe. If you want him to sponsor your product on Instagram, be prepared to shell out up to $32,000 plus. Clearly, these are not the kind of numbers you should expect from your average pet with a social media account. Jiffpom’s reel on IMDB reveals that he is a highly trained and talented 4-legged actor with a stunning resume including world-record stunts.
You don’t have to employ a celebrity of Jiffpom’s stature to capitalize on the power of pets. Consider these advantages that come with choosing animals over humans for your next campaign…
Animals have a universal appeal than humans can’t match.
People can be polarizing. Animals not so much. Save for a few athletes and actors, most people have a specific audience with whom they appeal most. Animals offer a more consistent appeal across all demographic and cultural lines.
Animal celebs are safer than their human counterparts.
Think about it. Dog and cats don’t insult people, go on Twitter tirades, get busted, rack up DUIs or land in rehab after promoting your product.
Pet owners are especially obsessed.
According a survey of 2,000 American pet owners, 65% of them post their pets on social media twice per week. 30% of these owners also follow celebrity pets on social media. Given that roughly half of our country owns pets, you can expect the use of cute animals in your advertising to have an extra-special appeal with a large segment of your audience.
Research proves the value of the “cuteness factor”:
There’s a reason many dogs have been bred to have infant-like features such as big eyes and recessed chins. Cute things trigger rapid activity in our brain regions related to emotion and pleasure. According to recent research, cuteness may be one of the strongest forces that shape our behavior.
Many of us prefer pets to kids:
The delightful phrase “fur baby” is more of a reality than ever. People who put off having children into their 30s are spending more and more time and money on pets. And this obsession doesn’t end once they procreate. In a poll of pet owners, 34% of parents said their pet was their favorite child.
The value of cuteness aside, the characteristics of certain animals can give your selling points a memorable boost. If speed is important to your audience, maybe a cheetah is in your future? If power and strength are important, consider a horse or mythical beast such as Pegasus. The animal kingdom beyond homo sapiens is a vast and colorful pallet of creative options ready to be tapped.
