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If you are a small business owner and you spend money on advertising, you know how important it is to have the most eyes for your dollars. Because whether you’re advertising online or even in print media, you know that advertising is expensive and there is a lot of competition for public attention.
So what’s the secret to getting more people to see your ads? The answer is actually sitting in front of you (or probably sleeping) – this is your pet. Selling pets.
This conclusion comes from research by Lowell University of Massachusetts, University of South Carolina, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and was published in the Journal of Marketing last month. According to researchers, dog-cat contact makes consumers more publicity-oriented later on, which means consumers will be more interested in pursuing a goal and taking more risks when making decisions.
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“These effects occur because experiences of pet exposure remind consumers of the stereotypical mood and behavior of pets,” said researcher Lei Jia. Translation: People like beautiful pets, they feel good about them.
Not surprisingly, the opposite of the same work. Researchers have also found that the same exposure to dogs and cats can make people more at risk if advertisers try to do so. But caution must be exercised.
“Marketers need to make sure that the message focuses on the mood of the pet,” Zia said. “For example, the dog’s interest or the cat’s caution should be highlighted. Otherwise, the intended effects of showing the pet in the advertisement cannot be achieved.”
Researchers suggest that marketers may use dogs and cats to help people make stock investment decisions, buy cars or make more conservative decisions, such as buying insurance for consumers. Adding a pet to a product or service makes the product look more beautiful and friendly.
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Using pets in your ad is probably the least offensive thing you can do. Where some advertisers used to take risky jokes when presenting to their audiences, they are now turning to using funny pictures of dogs and cats to entertain viewers – everyone loves dogs and cats.
People smile more when they see animals and more importantly, they seem to be buying more.
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