Marketers are capitalizing on the obession with “cute” animals
Implications - “Cute” blogs have infiltrated the web, and thousands of “adorable” chain letters and photo blogs later, they continue to captivate online users. Animals have global appeal, extending far beyond any cultural boundaries, giving this genre of images and videos an easy ability to go viral.
Trend Themes
1. Viral Animal Content - The widespread appeal for 'cute' animal content, whether it's in the form of photo blogs or videos, attracts a large online audience, indicating a potential for more viral animal content to come.
2. Animal Cafe Trend - The idea of animal cafes, such as Tokyo's Cat Cafe Calico, has potential to expand globally to offer those who want the relaxing benefits of pets, but cannot have pets in their homes, an alternative relaxation environment.
3. Inter-species Connections - Images and videos displaying inter-species love, similar to passing along baby animal emails in the 90s, garner an emotional response from viewers and present an opportunity for further exploration of these types of connections.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - The widespread appeal of animal content provides potential opportunities for the entertainment industry to develop more viral animal content.
2. Food & Beverage - The animal cafe trend presents an opportunity for the food and beverage industry to provide unique and immersive experiences for customers.
3. Pet Industry - The interest in inter-species connections and the desire for animal companionship sans ownership could inspire innovations in the pet industry.
