40 Pictures Of Animals Who Woke Up And Chose Nonsense

If you feel closer to animals you meet online than some of the people you follow, don't worry. A new study by Strathclyde marketing academic Dr. Laura Lavertu and her team suggests that petfluencers may have a surprising edge over their human counterparts when it comes to trustworthiness.

The paper, published in The Journal of Advertising Research, explores how animals' endorsements of brands can affect consumer responses. Researchers compared petfluencers and human endorsers in fictional ads for products like wine and peanut butter, and the results were clear: petfluencers outperformed humans, especially when their message appealed to a consumer's focus on immediate pleasure and satisfaction.

The study also outlines that as the number of sponsored posts by social media influencers (SMIs) rises, their perceived sincerity is declining, partly due to "influencer fatigue." This is why petfluencers represent a viable alternative for more authentic endorsements.

Lead researcher Dr. Laura Lavertu, a lecturer in marketing at Strathclyde Business School whose research focuses on the impact of digital technologies (including social media and virtual reality) on consumer–brand interactions, said, “Petfluencers offer distinct advantages compared to human SMIs. While the persuasiveness of human influencers often stems from their relatability or aspirational appeal, petfluencers are seen as more genuine and sincere.”

“Because they are pets, they have no hidden agenda. They don’t come with the baggage or scandals that sometimes follow human influencers, which makes them seem more trustworthy.”