VisualGPS Creative Trends Wellness The Pet Effect: Redefining Personal Care

Did you know the fountain of youth is not actually a fountain, but a furry friend who walks on four legs? Today in the US people are living longer, as the average person now lives to see the age of 77 thanks to advancements in technology and medicine.¹ However, living longer doesn’t always equate to ideal health in those added years. There are some foundational problems that can really only be solved through lifestyle factors (insert exercise, community, healthy diet, etc). Pet owners on the other hand, particularly dog owners, tend to live longer AND healthier lives than those without pets,² and with the personal care industry focused on healthy longevity more than ever, it’s no wonder Getty Images' VisualGPS research finds that searches for pets from customer packaged goods (CPG) brands have increased 73% from the year prior.

How we present ourselves to the world has always operated as a form of social signaling. A well groomed, healthy‑looking pet extends that signal, it communicates something to the world and acts as a mirror of how well we care for ourselves. Regular, increasingly personalized grooming visits and keeping physically active are key to owning a pet.³ In fact, dog owners are four times more likely than others to meet today’s physical activity guidelines.⁴ Yet popular pet visuals are more likely to display moments of general relaxation than moments of upkeep or exercise, and pets are two times more likely to be featured indoors than outdoors.

The most compelling case for pets in the personal care conversation may actually be internal—as the industry leans into sleep, mood, stress, and mental health, pets are already doing the work products in this space are trying to do. In fact, more than one in five pet owners have had a pet recommended by a doctor or therapist and they’re increasingly welcomed in the places we live, work, and play.³ Additionally, over half of pet owners said their pets help them connect with others in the community, fostering a sense of community. However, VisualGPS research finds that pets are most often pictured with individuals vs family or other groups of people.

A majority of pet owners say their pets are part of the family and, consequently, 69% admit to taking better care of their pets than themselves.⁶ Pet owners treat their pets like their children or another member of their families: From personalized nutrition, supplements, and probiotics to securing updated technology for virtual vet calls, or GPS tracking collars, automated feeders, and AI‑enabled cameras. This can even be observed in popular pet accessories like slow feeders, pet furniture, and outfits to protect them from weather elements—all nuances that again are less seen.

Personal care brands should continue to position pets as the truly authentic images of wellness that they are, but to better align with where we’re at today consider pulling in more nuance around active lifestyles with pets and grooming rituals, pets, and pet parents in community together and the increasingly humanized moments of care through feeding and advanced accessory choices.

Sources
[1] CDC
[2] Timeline
[3]  The New York Times
[4]  The New York Times
[5] PetMD
[6] Dogtopia