A brutal fight for digital attention, major houses are strategically choosing iconic animal symbols over human models.
Take Cartier, which powerfully features the Panthère in its campaigns. In videos like the recent “A Magical Night in 13 Paix” the brand relies on CGI and Augmented Reality (AR) to create an unreal, larger-than-life feline presence, from prowling the Las Vegas Sphere to appearing in whimsical holiday films.
The Big Question: Can animals truly capture a world that already prioritizes animal videos over human ones?
Why Animals Win the Viral Game:
- They Stop the Scroll: We are exhausted by human faces. An animal provides immediate, pure emotional connection (awe, joy, wonder) that bypasses the cynical part of our brain that usually skips ads.
- They are Shareable: Human ads feel like an obligation; animal campaigns feel like a gift. This translates directly to organic sharing and high engagement—the ultimate metric for reach.
The Future is Scandal-Proof.
Beyond viral reach, this strategy is about security. Human ambassadors are risky—they age, they cause scandals. The Cartier Panthère, especially when rendered by CGI, is immortal, controllable, and controversy-free. Brands are investing in timeless symbols over fleeting human trends.
Moving to the universal power of the animal kingdom is brilliant, but will we eventually tire of digital fauna?
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What do you think is the next untapped emotional trigger brands will use once the animal trend has run its course?