Petfluencers are viewed as more genuine and sincere than human influencers

In an age of digital fatigue, authenticity feels rare. Social media users scroll past hundreds of posts each day, barely registering most of them. Sponsored content from human influencers often blurs into the background, sounding staged or transactional. But one group is rising above the noise – the petfluencers.

These furry stars command loyal audiences and evoke powerful emotional connections. More than just adorable distractions, petfluencers are turning into persuasive digital personalities.

From lounging with wine bottles to chasing socks, they create marketing moments that feel spontaneous and sincere. Recent research confirms what many marketers are starting to suspect: animals may be more effective than people when it comes to selling products online.

The rise of petfluencers

The word “petfluencer” describes animals with their own social media accounts. They don’t just appear occasionally on their owner’s feed. They are the feed. These profiles, run by humans, portray pets as having their own voice, style, and preferences.

Some, like Nala the Cat, have become multimillion-dollar brands. With over 4.5 million followers on Instagram, Nala endorses products from cat food to mobile apps and is reportedly worth more than £80 million.

These numbers are not just cute trivia – they reflect a shift in consumer attention and trust.

At a time when many social media users feel bombarded by ads and polished influencers, pets offer something that feels more real. They don’t chase likes for ego or profit, and that’s exactly what makes them powerful.

Sincerity as a secret weapon

A study published in The Journal of Advertising Research investigated this phenomenon. The researchers compared consumer responses to ads featuring petfluencers versus human influencers. They found that petfluencers were perceived as being significantly more sincere.

“Petfluencers offer distinct advantages compared to human SMIs,” noted lead researcher Dr. Laura Lavertu of the University of Strathclyde.

“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.”

The sincerity of petfluencers pays off. In one experiment, the team tested an Instagram ad for peanut butter. One version featured a man’s hands; the other, a dog’s paws. The text was identical. Yet, the petfluencer ad had more than triple the engagement and cost much less per click.

What makes petfluencers so effective

This effectiveness doesn’t come from relatability in the usual sense. Human influencers often succeed by offering aspirational lifestyles or relatable struggles.

Pets can’t do that. Instead, they evoke empathy through innocence. They don’t judge. They don’t manipulate. They simply exist – and audiences project their emotions onto them.

The research team found that sincerity plays a central role in this dynamic. Study participants consistently rated petfluencer posts as more honest, warm, and trustworthy. This sincerity drove increased willingness to pay for promoted products, from wine to socks.

And it’s not just about the animal. The way the ad is framed also matters. Consumers with a high tendency to anthropomorphize – those who see pets as having human-like emotions – were more likely to respond favorably.

When the message matched a present-focused mindset, such as enjoying a treat “right now,” the effect was even stronger.

Matching message with mindset

One of the more interesting findings from the study relates to temporal focus. This refers to whether someone thinks more about the present or the future when making decisions. Petfluencers were especially persuasive when their message matched the audience’s mindset.

For example, someone who thinks in the “now” tends to respond to messages about instant gratification. A petfluencer talking about cozy evenings with wine might strike the right emotional chord. In contrast, future-focused individuals may not respond as positively to that same message.

The researchers confirmed this in controlled experiments. When participants saw petfluencer ads aligned with their time orientation, they were more likely to engage and to pay more. This match in mindset created a feeling of closeness and sincerity that made the message more believable.

Petfluencers are incredibly persuasive

These insights have significant implications for marketing. Petfluencers may not replace human influencers, but they offer a valuable alternative. Especially now, as many audiences feel tired of perfectly curated human lives on social media.

The sincerity crisis surrounding human influencers is real. People know that influencers get paid to promote things they might not believe in. Even when followers like a human influencer, they may still question the influencer’s motives. With pets, those doubts don’t surface as easily.

Animals are not perceived as materialistic, manipulative, or fame-hungry. This perceived innocence gives them an edge. In fact, animals are often seen as incapable of deception. That cognitive bias makes them incredibly persuasive in a way humans can’t easily replicate.

Practical takeaways for brands

Marketing teams should consider petfluencers not just for pet-related products but also for broader categories. As shown in the studies, petfluencers can successfully promote items like wine and socks – products that are not directly related to pets.

To make the most of a petfluencer campaign, brands should aim for message alignment. That includes considering the audience’s tendency to anthropomorphize and their temporal focus. Present-oriented messaging, paired with human-like pet content, creates a tighter bond and encourages trust.

More than anything, brands should value the petfluencer’s perceived independence. While owners and agencies manage these accounts, the pet persona remains central. This makes the endorsements feel less calculated and more sincere.

The future of petfluencers

As the influencer industry grows – expected to reach over $56 billion globally in the next five years – competition for attention will intensify. Amid the sea of human influencers, petfluencers may continue to offer something rare and refreshing: sincerity.

Future research may examine how product fit and owner visibility affect outcomes. But the direction is clear. Pets aren’t just viral content. They are effective communicators in their own right.

Their power lies not in how much they say, but in how genuinely they appear to care – something that consumers are desperate to believe again.

And when trust is the currency, pets just might be the richest influencers of all.

The study is published in the Journal of Advertising Research.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–