The Most Beloved
Let's face it, we all love pets. Whether it is a cat, dog, or guinea pig, these adorable creatures know exactly how to make us smile. Since this is a well-known and mutual admiration, creating animal-related content is a very popular and successful way to get engagement on social media.
When we see a video of a cute dog doing a trick, or a photo of a cat cuddling with their owner, we have no choice but to smile and give the post a like. Creating profiles and pages for pets online has become very popular in the past few years. It's true - pets can be influencers too! In this blog, Hollywood Branded shares pets that are famous on social media, while illustrating how people have created animal-related content in a variety of ways.
Why Animal Content Works So Well
People like to view content that they can really resonate with. Connecting with your audience is very important, and by creating a successful advertisement, you can capture the viewer's attention in an impactful way. This helps individuals remember your advertisement, what was being communicated, and most importantly, your brand.
I'm sure we have all heard the statement "A dog is a person's best friend." Besides their precious faces, pets are there for you 24/7. People associate animals with happiness because of the feeling they bring us. Since pets provide us with positive emotions, when people see content that involves animals, that heartfelt emotion is delivered. It allows viewers to reminisce on some of their favorite moments with their beloved companion. Animals give us a positive and heartwarming feeling that is simply irreplaceable. That strong feeling that is communicated is what makes pet-related content so rich and successful, therefore it will most likely never fade.
Credit: Heinz "Wiener Stampede" Commercial Posted by David The Agency on YouTube
They Own The Spotlight
Animal-related content has been popular for a long time especially through commercials. Pet commercials are extremely favorable, and they're easily rememberable as well. Amazon's "Save The Day" commercial shares a touching story of a small dog with an injured leg following right behind their owner as he goes about his day. Mercedes-Benz's CLA commercial takes more of a comical approach by showing a sleeping cat sliding on top of a car. Including an animal in a commercial is simply a great way to get the viewer's attention.
Take a look at past Super Bowl commercials for example. Companies will pay serious money to get some airtime during the Super Bowl, and because that price tag isn't cheap by any means, they want their commercial to stand out and be remembered. The Super Bowl commercials I think back to the most are the ones that include cute animals and a sentimental message.
Budweiser is known for their wholesome Super Bowl commercials. One of their most popular commercials of all time is titled "Lost Dog." This aired during Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, which had a total of 114.4 million viewers. This was also the most watched Super Bowl game in history. As of right now, the clip has over 20 million views on YouTube. Their advertising team did something right, because whenever the warmhearted doggy commercial crosses my mind, I immediately remember that it was from Budweiser.
This advertisement was flawlessly executed, especially with the way they portrayed the relationships between the puppy, the horse, and the owner. We can easily feel every single emotion throughout the plot, especially when the cute canine gets sad and scared. The ending is nonetheless beautiful - the conflict was resolved, and viewers could really feel the strong bond between the animals and the owner. There's no shame in shedding a few tears, I know I did.
Pets Can Be Influencers Too
The birth of social media has allowed us to access pet content whenever we want. YouTube was one of the first platforms to allow users to upload their funniest and most adorable videos of their pets. On Instagram, sharing photos of your beloved companion has been a frequent and enjoyable norm. Now, we can find even more photos and clips of these cute cuddle-buddies on TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest, and more.
Branding animals isn't a new concept. Companies using pets as their mascot has been around for a while. Think Taco Bell's chihuahua, Target's bull terrier with the bullseye on his right eye, or even Aflac's duck. Now, animals don't even need to be affiliated with a company in order to become famous - social media does that for them.
Many pets have become famous thanks to social media. Since they have such a large following and a great amount of engagement, some of them have received the influencer label as well. Of course, with their owner's help, they can partake in brand partnerships, sponsorships, and more. Pets are everywhere on social media, and we all love to see it. Let's explore some of the most popular pets on social media today.
Credit: Madame Eyebrows on Instagram
Floofnoodles
When we think of famous pets, we usually think of a cat or a dog. However, this one account is here to remind us that there are many animals that can enjoy the spotlight too. Did you ever think a ferret could become an influencer? Well, Floofnoodles is here to prove you wrong.
Floofnoodles is a collective of many ferrets, and they all share the spotlight on their TikTok page with 16.6 million followers. The owners of the account know how to keep their audience happy because their content is very creative, and each video is a bit different than the last.
Their signature move would have to be the little dance that they do in videos. The owner moves the ferret's body from side-to-side, in coordination with the beat, and it's the cutest dance ever! Adding onto that, sometimes the ferrets are dressed up in wigs and costumes. For example, one ferret was dressed up as Billie Eilish while her song "Lost Cause" was used as a sound - and it kind of felt like a mini ferret-starred music video! Oftentimes, the ferrets are "cooking" with tiny little chef hats on. They must be hungry because they are almost always licking their lips when they are near food!
Content doesn't always need to be too creative or extraordinary, because those natural moments are some of the best ones that people love to see. Floofnoodles illustrates this with videos that show the ferrets all cuddled up next to each other, while they are sound asleep. Talk about a cuteness overload!
Credit: Floofnoodles on Instagram
Pudgy Woke
The adorable chihuahua named Pudgy Woke stole the hearts of everyone on TikTok. However, over the summer of 2021, fans of Pudgy were deeply saddened to hear about the news of his passing. He was an older dog, but he was still full of energy, which allowed everyone to fall in love with him. Many of us didn't know Pudgy in real life, but he still touched all of our hearts with his memorable "Owa Owa" catchphrase.
Pudgy was, and still is, a huge deal on TikTok. "Owa Owa" became an extremely viral trend, and people craved more of this particular kind of content. The most famous videos of Pudgy would be the ones where his owner Malachy asks Pudgy, "Can I get an Owa Owa?" Of course, Pudgy answers the question and gives us all what we want to hear.
TikTokers went crazy over "Owa Owa." Many users were trying to get their own dogs to say the catchphrase, while others were asking their human friends. People were casually going about their day saying the slogan. Pudgy became a sensational dog celebrity just by being himself, which enabled him to go viral on TikTok. The proof lies within the hashtag - #owaowa has 958.4 million views on TikTok. Pudgy's TikTok page has a total of 317.2 million likes as of today, and this number will most likely increase due to his popularity. Furthermore, almost every video posted under Pudgy's account has over a million views.
Pudgy even had his own merch line at one point. He was also acknowledged by big companies such as Wendy's, who would often comment on his TikTok videos. Musicians have even asked their crowd to say his catchphrase during concerts. Pudgy's influence is strong, and even though he is in doggy heaven now, he will always bring a smile to our face whenever "Owa Owa" crosses our mind.
That Little Puff
This cat named Puff may just be a better chef than me! Puff has his own cooking show on TikTok, where he focuses on recreating unique cooking tricks and hacks that others have shared on the app. His content starts with Puff watching the original video on a phone, where he then accepts the challenge by letting out a cute meow. Throughout the clips, we watch Puff try to recreate whatever he had just viewed. Sometimes, we can see his paws & face in the scene as he handles some sort of cooking utensil. Of course, not all challenges result in victory, but it's still adorable to see Puff give it his all nonetheless.
That Little Puff has 21.6 million followers on TikTok, as well as 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Puff has partnered with brands such as Litter-Robot by Whisker and Light in the Box's Humidifier. He also has his own website, which includes a shop that sells pet products. You can buy pet nail clippers, pet slobber towels, capes for your companion, bow tie collars, and more! Puff's success has paved the way for many other cats to jump on this cooking with pets trend, and he will continue to influence others while bringing joy to all of his fans!
Credit: ThatLittlePuff on TikTok
Doug The Pug
There's something about a pug's look that's hard not to adore - it must be their precious, smushed face! Doug the Pug is a beloved dog-celebrity on Instagram, and he certainly lives a fun and impressive life. Doug has won the People's Choice Award not once, but twice. Doug's achievements don't stop there - he has even won Shorty's Instagrammer of the Year award. If that doesn't impress you enough, he also has his own nonprofit organization named Doug the Pug Foundation, which aims to give support to children who are fighting cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. As we can see, Doug is clearly a superstar in all of the right ways.
Doug the Pug started his career on Instagram, which now has 3.8 million followers. Since then, Doug has joined other platforms such as TikTok, and fans must love him because he holds 5.9 million followers on the app! Many influencers do not have millions of followers on two of the biggest platforms, so this is very impressive especially considering that Doug is also a dog!
Whether Doug is munching on a juicy watermelon, or dressing up as a scary clown for Halloween, he always knows how to bring a smile to our face. The way his content is executed makes his fans feel like they know him personally. We get to join Doug on all his fun adventures, including his trips to New York City and Paris. Doug's fame has even allowed him to meet other human celebrities. He's partnered with many big names such as Budweiser, and he's even landed a role in the movie The Mitchells vs the Machines! Of course, Doug has his own merch line, which includes clothes, stickers, masks, and more. It's Doug's world, and we're all just living in it.
Credit: ItsDougThePug on Instagram
Pet Content Will Never Get Old
The animals in our lives hold a very special place inside our heart. We oftentimes want to share the joy that our pets give us with our friends and family, and social media is the perfect place to do so. Pet content is just something that isn't easy to scroll past, because loving animals is something that every human has felt at one point in their life. That's why they've been so successful in advertising and marketing, and now, they're becoming influencers and celebrities on social media platforms.
Pets being popular through different advertising tactics will most likely never change. Whenever the next hot marketing trend appears, you better believe that animals will somehow make their way to that outlet as well. So if you have an adorable companion that you love so much, share it with the rest of the world. It's wholesome, unique, and always appreciated. Who knows, your best friend may even become an influencer one day. Here's to all the wonderful animals that have brought us so much love throughout our lives - you will always be our best buddy.
Don't Forget About Human Influencers!
Now that you've learned more about the pet influencers of social media, expand your understanding of human influencers as well! Anyone can be an influencer, so it's helpful to learn the ropes. Immerse yourself in these blogs below to dive deeper into the influencer realm!
- Influencer and Celebrity Endorsements 101
- Why Your Company Needs An Influencer To Promote Your Brand
- Top 15 Highest-Paid Instagram Influencers
- The Top Food Influencers and Branded Partnerships
- The Top Female Social Influencers Of The Moment
That's not all! Here at Hollywood Branded, we have all the resources you need to become a successful influencer. Check out our Influencer Marketing School so that you can turn your dream into reality!
