Nerd Alert: Why Animals Work in Ads

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Marketing Architects – Episode: Nerd Alert: Why Animals Work in Ads

Release Date: June 26, 2025

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Introduction

In the latest episode of The Marketing Architects, hosts Elena Jasper and Rob Demar delve into the intriguing role animals play in advertising. Titled "Nerd Alert: Why Animals Work in Ads," the episode explores the scientific underpinnings that make animal-inclusive advertisements not only appealing but also effective in building brand affinity and trust.

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Study Overview: "Effectiveness of Animal Images and Advertising"

Elena introduces the episode by discussing a pivotal study titled "Effectiveness of Animal Images and Advertising" conducted by Barbara Keller and Herbert Girl. This research serves as the foundation for their exploration into why animals are prevalent and successful in marketing campaigns.

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Why Animals Work in Ads

1. Beyond Cuteness: The Multifaceted Appeal of Animals

While it’s commonly believed that animals enhance advertisements merely because of their cuteness, the study reveals a deeper, more complex mechanism at play. Elena states:

“The research proves that it goes beyond animals just being cute, which is obviously true. But the researchers ran five different studies to understand why animals show up so often in advertising.” (02:07)

Rob concurs, highlighting the ubiquity of animal mascots in successful ad campaigns:

“TikTok's got like literally 500 billion views of cat videos, right? ... Tony the tiger, the Geico gecko, Budweiser uses like every animal on the planet.” (01:42)

2. Biophilia: Our Innate Connection to Nature

One of the study's primary findings centers on biophilia, an innate human affinity for nature and living organisms. Elena explains:

“People who identify more with nature, who like animals, enjoy being outside, maybe you grew up with pets, you're way more receptive to ads with animals in them.” (02:44)

This connection enhances the effectiveness of advertisements featuring animals, making them more engaging and credible to audiences who value nature and pets.

3. The Power of Pet Lovers

The study highlights that pet lovers—those who have strong positive attitudes towards their pets and treat them akin to family members—are particularly responsive to animal-centric ads. Elena shares an insightful observation:

“In one study they used facial expression tracking and found that those pet lovers literally smiled more when they watched the ads featuring animals. That's a real-time emotional response, not just self-reported surveys.” (03:06)

4. Cuteness and Infantile Features

Elena further discusses how infantile animals elicit strong positive reactions:

“Baby puppies, kittens, baby polar bears, they elicited the strongest emotional reaction. So there's something hardwired in us as humans that responds to baby-like features.” (04:07)

Rob adds his perspective, emphasizing the universal appeal of baby animals:

“They’re like companions, kind of like babies. Everybody loves babies.” (03:46)

5. Trustworthiness and the Halo Effect

Another significant insight from the study is the trustworthiness projected by animals, especially pets. Elena articulates:

“They found that we see pets as trustworthy because they're loyal, predictable, and incapable of deception. ... when you show a trustworthy animal in an ad, people project that trust onto the brand.” (05:02)

Rob humorously reflects on this trust dynamic:

“Would you trust a brand more if a golden retriever told you to buy it? That's what the study suggests.” (05:39)

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Which Animals Are Most Effective in Advertising

Elena presents specific findings on the types of animals that resonate best with audiences:

“They found in particular were infantile animals. So babies, baby puppies, kittens, baby polar bears, they elicited the strongest emotional reaction.” (04:12)

Additionally, among non-infantile animals, species perceived as inherently cuter—like penguins—outperform others such as ostriches in terms of entertainment value and positive brand attitude.

Rob emphasizes the importance of choosing the right animal:

“Nothing cuter than a little tuxedo guy hobbling around the iceberg.” (05:05)

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Potential Pitfalls: When Using Animals Can Backfire

While animals can significantly enhance an advertisement's effectiveness, misuse can lead to negative outcomes. Elena cites a critical example:

“When animals were shown in the role of the consumer, it can backfire. ... a gym ad where instead of a young woman doing yoga, they showed a dog in the same pose. ... a lot of women were offended. They didn't like the idea that they were being equated to a puppy.” (07:27)

Rob adds that using animals to directly represent consumers in sensitive categories like fitness or fashion can undermine the campaign's intent:

“Using an animal inappropriately...it can feel infantilizing. Maybe they're being made fun of.” (06:46)

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Practical Applications and Marketing Strategies

Drawing from the study's findings, Elena offers actionable strategies for marketers:

• Build Credibility: Utilize pets to foster trustworthiness.

  “If your main goal is to build credibility, go with pets.” (07:53)

• Enhance Entertainment Value: Incorporate baby animals or inherently cute species like penguins to make ads more entertaining.

  “If you're going for entertainment, go for baby animals, maybe a cute species like a penguin.” (08:15)

• Avoid Consumer Replacement: Refrain from using animals to represent the consumer, especially in categories where personal identity is crucial.

  “Avoid anything that might feel like the consumer is being replaced by a furry stand-in.” (08:27)

Elena further encapsulates the optimal use of animals in advertising with a memorable analogy:

“Think of animals and ads like a trusty wingman. They're not the hero of the night, but they make you look better.” (09:13)

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with Elena and Rob reflecting on the delicate balance required when integrating animals into advertisements. While animals can undoubtedly enhance brand perception and engagement, their effectiveness hinges on thoughtful implementation aligned with audience preferences and brand messaging.

Elena humorously muses about creating a baby animal mascot for Marketing Architects, underscoring the playful yet strategic approach highlighted throughout the discussion.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Rob Demar [01:42]:

  “TikTok's got like literally 500 billion views of cat videos, right? ... Tony the tiger, the Geico gecko, Budweiser uses like every animal on the planet.”

• Elena Jasper [02:07]:

  “The research proves that it goes beyond animals just being cute, which is obviously true. But the researchers ran five different studies to understand why animals show up so often in advertising.”

• Elena Jasper [03:06]:

  “In one study they used facial expression tracking and found that those pet lovers literally smiled more when they watched the ads featuring animals. That's a real-time emotional response, not just self-reported surveys.”

• Rob Demar [05:39]:

  “Would you trust a brand more if a golden retriever told you to buy it? That's what the study suggests.”

• Elena Jasper [07:27]:

  “When animals were shown in the role of the consumer, it can backfire...a lot of women were offended. They didn't like the idea that they were being equated to a puppy.”

• Elena Jasper [09:13]:

  “Think of animals and ads like a trusty wingman. They're not the hero of the night, but they make you look better.”

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Final Thoughts

This episode of The Marketing Architects offers valuable insights backed by academic research, making it a must-listen for marketers seeking to harness the power of animals in their advertising strategies. By understanding the psychological and emotional triggers that animals evoke, brands can craft more effective and resonant campaigns.

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For more enlightening discussions and research-driven marketing strategies, connect with The Marketing Architects on LinkedIn and subscribe to their podcast.

Transcript

[Rob Demar]

Nerd Alert. Learning is important, right?

[Elena Jasper]

Yes, exactly. What a bunch of nerds.

[Rob Demar]

Nerd alert.

[Elena Jasper]

Marketing Architects. Hello and welcome to the Marketing Architects, a research first podcast dedicated to answering your toughest marketing questions. I'm Elena Jasper. I run the marketing team here at Marketing Architects, and I'm joined by my co host. Rob Demar is the chief product architect of misfits and machines.

[Rob Demar]

Hello. Hello, Dana.

[Elena Jasper]

We're back with your weekly Nerd Alert. Every week I'll take a deep dive into academic marketing research and translate its complex ideas into simple, understandable language for Rob, and of course, for all of you. Are you ready to nerd out?

[Rob Demar]

Rob, do you know it's National Gullible Month?

[Elena Jasper]

Is it?

[Rob Demar]

No, but it is National Nerd Month. Let's do this.

[Elena Jasper]

Nice. Let's get into it. As always willing the research we cover in the episode notes. This week I read a study titled Effectiveness of Animal Images and Advertising. This is by Barbara Keller and and Herbert Girl. But before I get into things, Rob, let me ask you this. Do you think having an animal in your ads makes them more effective or do we just like them because they're cute?

[Rob Demar]

I think they absolutely make them more effective. In some ways this question makes me sad because as someone who's made a lot of commercials and not used animals in them, you sort of go, why aren't you using more animals? But come on, TikTok's got like literally 500 billion views of cat videos, right? Like, obviously the data supports animals. You know, Tony the tiger, the Geico gecko, Budweisers use like every animal on the planet. Frogs, dogs and horses and everything else. Of course it works. That's my opinion. So tell me if I'm right or wrong, Elena.

[Elena Jasper]

No, you're. I think everyone could probably guess the answer to that is you're right. And this paper proves that it goes beyond animals just being cute, which is obviously true. We don't need to study to confirm that. But the researchers, they ran five different studies to understand why animals show up so often in advertising. Like you said, Rob, we see them everywhere, especially with distinctive assets that have been held up over time. I'm thinking like, that tends to be an animal in a lot of cases.

[Rob Demar]

Absolutely.

[Elena Jasper]

But they cover why they work. And what they found is animal images consistently led to a more favorable attitudes towards the ad and the brand compared to ads with human models or no characters at all. And this wasn't in one off examples. It held up across different ad formats, different animals and different types of products. But the Effectiveness isn't just some sort of universal. Put a puppy in it, everybody loves it. I think we hear that with babies too. Like just put a baby in the ad sort of thing. It really depends on who the audience is and how the animal is being used. So first one of the biggest factors was something called biophilia, which sounds odd, but it's our basic innate connection to nature.

[Rob Demar]

Biophilia?

[Elena Jasper]

Yeah.

[Rob Demar]

And someone goes to jail for it.

[Elena Jasper]

I know, but it's not bad. People who identify more with nature, who like animals, enjoy being outside, maybe you grew up with pets, you're way more receptive to ads with animals in them. So in the first study, they looked at both a Coke ad and an Oreo ad. And when animals like polar bears or dogs were featured, people with high biophilia found the ads more entertaining and more credible than when human models were used. But there was another twist. It wasn't just about loving nature, it was about loving pets. Specifically, they found that people who had positive attitudes towards pets, so people who really love their dog or cat or people who talk to their pets like their children, which I fall into that category, were especially likely to feel entertained by and believe the ad. In one study they use facial expression tracking and found that those pet lovers literally smiled more when they watched the ads featuring animals. That's a real time emotional response, not just self reported surveys. And next they dug into what specific kinds of animals were the most effective in ads. So Rob, what do you think? What kinds of animals are most effective in advertisements?

[Rob Demar]

I'm going to guess ones that are more transferable to animals that you have under your own roof, like dogs and cats. Just because I know, I know they're cliche, but they're also companions, kind of like babies. Everybody loves babies, you know, and dog versus an orangutan might just be a little too random.

[Elena Jasper]

That could be true. That's not what this study focused on.

[Rob Demar]

You can just go ahead and go wrong, wrong.

[Elena Jasper]

I wouldn't be surprised if that's true. But what they found in particular were infantile animals. So babies, baby puppies, kittens, baby polar bears, they elicited the strongest emotional reaction. So there's something hardwired in us as humans that responds to baby like features. Those big eyes, the round faces, the small bodies. It's like a human caretaking reflex. We want to protect them, we feel warm towards them. And that translates into more positive. Yes, exactly.

[Rob Demar]

Drink, Drink from that little saucer of milk.

[Elena Jasper]

Yes, that translates into more positive feelings about the brand, but it's a little more nuanced than this. Even when animals were not babies, some species were just perceived as cuter than others. This kind of goes to what you're saying, Rob. They compared penguins to ostriches, for example, and the penguin absolutely crushed it. In terms of entertainment value and brand attitude, I think ostriches are pretty cute.

[Rob Demar]

But what ostriches are. Are ugly.

[Elena Jasper]

Oh, no.

[Rob Demar]

Compared to a penguin, there's nothing cuter than a little tuxedo guy hobbling around the. You know, the iceberg.

[Elena Jasper]

Yep. Well, they, they're both birds, you know, they're both adult sized, both in the exact same role. But penguins scored way higher because they're seen as inherently cuter. So cuteness is a factor in advertising effectiveness, it turns out. But another reason that animals work, and especially pets, this might be. This is actually, Rob, I think you're right, is trust. So that's an insight from this. The study. They found that we see pets as trustworthy because they're loyal, predictable, and incapable of deception. Animals, unlike humans, can't lie. They can't manipulate you. And when you show a trustworthy animal in an ad, people project that trust onto the brand. That's a pretty amazing halo effect. Would you trust a brand more if a golden retriever told you to buy it? That's what the study suggests. So, Rob, I think you were right, actually, that that kind of trust insight, like you're probably going to trust a golden retriever more than. Shark's a bad example.

[Rob Demar]

Totally. Well, and I don't. I don't trust Chester the cheetah. The cheetah guy or whatever.

[Elena Jasper]

He does seem trustworthy. Does.

[Rob Demar]

He's not always wearing sunglass glasses. And, you know, he just seems a little sneaky. He seems like he's gonna pull one over on me.

[Elena Jasper]

I learned this weekend that my husband had Chester the Cheetah at a birthday party when he was little, and I found that odd. Yeah, that's completely.

[Rob Demar]

Was it sponsored?

[Elena Jasper]

No, no, it's just. He wanted it. It's the power of advertising.

[Rob Demar]

Wow. I guess I wish I had Charlie the Tuna at mine.

[Elena Jasper]

Do you think someone would ever invite us to their birthday party? No, probably not. It'd be a pretty bad party. Hard. All right. Animals are. It's not all upside when you use them in your ads. So, Rob, what do you think causes using an animal in an ad to backfire?

[Rob Demar]

That's a hard one. As a marketer, it would be easy to go, that animal's too cliche. Right. Like maybe that could backfire But I think the data is already supporting, like, actually, dogs and cats and animals that are familiar are actually good. Maybe if it was a complete disconnect, you know, like, it just wasn't relatable to the brand promise and seemed incredibly random. But even then, I don't know if it'd be a backfire. Like, when I think backfire, I think of, like, Kendall Jenner doing something stupid versus, like, I. You. That was a bad use of a cat. You know, dear God, there is a.

[Elena Jasper]

Moment that it backfires, actually. And you want to hear about.

[Rob Demar]

Yeah, I want the example of an animal screwing up a spot.

[Elena Jasper]

Okay, so this is what it did. When animals were shown in the role of the consumer, it can backfire. So, for example, in one study, they created a gym ad where instead of a young woman doing yoga, they showed a dog in the same pose. And people still found the dog cute. But a lot of women were offended. They didn't like the idea that they were being equated to a puppy.

[Rob Demar]

Okay, okay.

[Elena Jasper]

Yeah, it felt infantilizing. Maybe they're being made fun of. So animals, they can absolutely enhance how people feel about your ad and your brand, but only under the right conditions. If your audience loves animals and pets, even better. If it's young, cute, and not standing in for your consumer, great. But if you're asking for the animal to represent the buyer, or you pick a species that isn't typically cute or relatable, it might not land the way you want it to. And the authors, they even got more practical. If your main goal is to build credibility, go with pets. If you're going for entertainment, go for baby animals, maybe a cute species like a penguin. But avoid anything that might feel like the consumer is being replaced by a furry. Stand in. In categories where identity is at stake, like in fitness or fashion. You probably wouldn't have guessed that, right? That when you use it to replace a human, it can backfire.

[Rob Demar]

I would. That's a really good example because I really was trying to figure out how. I mean, us humans, we can screw up anything, right? So figure out how to use a dog inappropriately. But I. I was just thinking, because oftentimes you'll see animals as evangelists for the product. But that's different.

[Elena Jasper]

That's different.

[Rob Demar]

I see where.

[Elena Jasper]

Yeah, that's the consumer. And I haven't seen many ads actually where. So they must not work well, I haven't seen many where the animal is actually the customer using the product, unless.

[Rob Demar]

It'S for an animal product, like the. Remember the Bacon. You know, you don't know what I'm talking about. Oh, gosh, you gotta look that up. There's a great campaign that's so good, I can't remember the name of the product, which is awful. But no, it's like the dog is freaking out about bacon because the animal treat tastes like bacon bites or something. And it's. Oh, I've seen 5D bacon.

[Elena Jasper]

Yeah, that's funny. Ad.

[Rob Demar]

Yeah, I can't remember the name of the.

[Elena Jasper]

Yeah, I know. Is it Beggin strips?

[Rob Demar]

I happen to own three dogs. Yeah, bacon strips.

[Elena Jasper]

There we go. All right, let's let our Rob GPT wrap us up here. Think of animals and ads like a trusty wingman. They're not the hero of the night, but they make you look better. A loyal dog. He's vouching for your integrity. A baby panda. She's warming up the room. But if the wingman pretends to be you, the whole plan falls apart. Let animals boost your vibe, not steal your role.

[Rob Demar]

I like it.

[Elena Jasper]

Wasn't that fun?

[Rob Demar]

That was fun.

[Elena Jasper]

It makes me want to create a baby animal for Marketing Architects as soon as possible.

[Rob Demar]

What animal would it be?

[Elena Jasper]

Oh, man, that's a great question. I've always thought we've seen, like, an owl, but Ehrenberg Bass has the owl. Feels like we can't do that. They've got a good distinctive asset.

[Rob Demar]

That is good.

[Elena Jasper]

That's it for this episode of the Marketing Architects. We'd like to thank Taylor De Los Reyes for producing the show. You can connect with us on LinkedIn. And if you like the podcast, please leave us a review. Now go forth and build great marketing Marketing Architects.