Living in the Animal Kingdom 2022
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
“A nimals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.” —George Eliot 2
How would modern humans get by without pets? In earlier times, we admitted select animals into our homes as part of a functional transaction: Humans fed and sheltered these creatures, and the animals paid for their room and board by providing protection, keeping rodent populations under control, herding livestock, or performing other duties. Today, in contrast, pets are part of the family—and as humans grow increasingly lonely and isolated, a cat, dog, rabbit, or other creature may be a person’s lifeline, perhaps even their sole source of interaction and affection most days. Evidence of our evolved relationship with pets can be seen in the booming global pet care market, which is projected to grow from just under $208 billion in 2021 to an estimated $325 billion in 2028. PROJECTED GROWTH IN GLOBAL PET CARE MARKET Pet ownership is rising globally, with Brazil, China, the European Union, and the United States accounting 2021 $208B for more than half a billion dogs and cats, according to NGO HealthforAnimals, which cites exceptionally +56% high adoption rates among millennials, who tend to have smaller families and delay childrearing. 2028E $325B What is it about animals toward which modern humans gravitate? And how will this trend influence how people interact with other beings—both four- and two-legged? For this Prosumer Report, Havas Group surveyed nearly 14,600 women and men aged 18 and older in 30 markets to better understand the evolving role of animals in modern life and how this will influence consumer and brand behaviors. What we discovered is that the animals with which we choose to share our lives—not just dogs and cats, but also birds, reptiles, and more— are increasingly counterbalancing the deficits and pain points of 21st-century life.
A source of comfort in chaotic, As we incorporate animals into our households and lives, we increasingly anthropomorphize them— conflict-filled times assigning them human traits and emotions. Just Across much of the globe, populations feel under 7 in 10 Prosumers globally are convinced increasingly divided, a circumstance aggravated by that, compared with humans, animals are capable the enforced isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic of more genuine emotions. This increasingly held and the rise in political extremism. In the face of view of animals as empathetic beings has sparked uncertainty and discord, people are gravitating a raft of legislation to protect their rights. In toward the less complicated and adversarial the UK, the Animal Welfare Act 2022 formally relationships most pets provide. In our darkest times, recognizes animals as sentient beings. In Italy, the animals offer not just companionship but comfort. Parliament voted to grant animals full rights under We saw that at the start of the war in Ukraine, with its constitution. South Korea, too, has amended its a constant flow of photos of newly minted refugees civil code to grant animals legal status. clutching onto their beloved pets as they fled over the border to safety. Virtually everyone today—including 98% of Prosumers in Brazil, China, and India—believes people can have meaningful interactions with their I believe the COVID crisis has further pets. A 2021 survey by Harris Interactive found divided us as a society that 91% of pet owners speak to their animals as if they can understand them. 59% PROSUMERS People can have meaningful interactions with their pets 65% MAINSTREAM 91% PROSUMERS Source: Beyond COVID Part II Prosumer Report, 2020 83% MAINSTREAM The more I witness the violence of humans, BRAZIL 98% 91% the more I love animals CHINA 98% 82% 72% PROSUMERS FRANCE 86% 74% INDIA 98% 86% 58% MAINSTREAM UK 92% 87% US 95% 90% (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 4
But is our love of animals sincere? For all the care people extend toward their pets, we know, too, that in the US alone, some 6.3 million animals are abandoned at shelters each year, with nearly a million of those being euthanized. Moreover, animal abuse remains a problem across countries, and 38% of all species are on the brink of extinction, in large part due to human activities. Clearly, the human-animal relationship is complex—and not often slanted in favor of the furred and feathered. Our survey uncovered four emerging trends, however, that suggest the tide is shifting in favor of a more animal-friendly world. 5
1. Pets Are Our New Gods 1.1: THE NEW FAMILY ROYALTY We have entered the era of the multispecies family. between family members. At a time of widespread Pets aren’t simply household occupants anymore; family discord and dysfunction, the household they are full-fledged members, with 81% of Prosumers pet may well serve as common ground—a neutral considering them every bit as much a part of the party who offers affection without discrimination family as their child, partner, or other relative. This or judgment. The human-pet bond is so strong that elevated status reflects the value animals are seen to 84% of Prosumers and three-quarters of mainstream bring to the home. Nearly 9 in 10 Prosumers say pets consumers consider the death of a pet as painful as are a source of positive household vibes. And 83% the passing of a human loved one. go so far as to say that pets strengthen relationships 6
My pet is as much a member of my family Pets are a source of good vibes in my home as my child, partner, or other relative 89% 78% 81% PROSUMERS The death of a pet is as painful 69% MAINSTREAM as the passing of a loved one 84% 76% BRAZIL 90% My pet strengthens the relationships CHINA 92% between family members 83% FRANCE 81% 68% INDIA 93% VERSUS VS. UK 76% My pet threatens our family harmony 2% US 91% 3% PROSUMERS PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM Our respondents also are convinced that pets hold special benefits for the children in the family, with 89% of Prosumers saying animals stimulate children’s development. Having a pet can teach responsibility and help young children learn to share and interact more gently. For millennials and Gen Zs, pets may even serve as child stand-ins—allowing owners to assess whether they could properly care for a human child and to measure their partners’ nurturing instincts and abilities. Pets stimulate children’s development 89% PROSUMERS 82% MAINSTREAM 7 (% agreeing strongly/somewhat)
1.2: AN ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY As more people are separated from family—whether by geographic or emotional distance—pets are filling AND LONELINESS in as sources of unconditional love and loyalty. Hence, Loneliness has reached pandemic levels in the enormous rise in so-called “emotional support some parts of the world, inspiring at least two animals” in recent years. This trend has reached such governments—Japan and the UK—to appoint extremes that airlines have had to institute rules to Ministers of Loneliness to attend to citizens in need keep exotic animals out of aircraft cabins. of companionship. Whereas past generations regularly interacted face-to-face, the modern era Our relationship with animals has evolved to the is seeing more people isolated in their homes. point that 58% of Prosumers sometimes feel more Between 1960 and 2019, according to research loved by their pets than by their human relations, from University of Maryland professor Philip N. and 52% sometimes enjoy the company of their pets Cohen, the percentage of single-person households more than that of family. Given their generation’s increased in 53 of 75 countries surveyed. In Sweden lack of regular socialization and in-person schooling and Norway, single occupancies, rare a century ago, during and even after the COVID-19 shutdowns, it’s now account for nearly half of households. not entirely surprising that more than half of Gen Zs (versus less than a third of boomers) claim to be more For people living alone—including those suffering from at ease with pets than with their fellow humans. depression—pets can be a lifeline, offering a reason to get out of bed in the morning and to leave the house to go on walks. Nearly two-thirds of Prosumers told us they would have no issues with living alone provided I sometimes feel they had a pet to keep them company. more loved by my pet than 58% 47% I could easily picture living alone as long by my relatives as I had a pet PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM 63% PROSUMERS 52% MAINSTREAM I sometimes enjoy the company of my pet more than 52% 44% that of my family PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM I am more at ease with pets than with human beings 54% 32% GEN Z BOOMERS (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 8
Moreover, pets have become a sort of badge of decency and desirability. In a trend known as dogfishing, people are featuring photos of their canine companions on dating apps to attract potential mates. A common tip for getting more matches on Tinder is to pose with a dog on a sunny day. One survey found that 39% of Americans who use a dating app had swiped right on a profile because they wanted to meet the dog pictured rather than its owner. Pets may even act as a partner substitute. Around 7 in 10 Prosumers and half of mainstream consumers— representing 61% of millennials versus 47% of boomers—say that hugging their pet gives them as much happiness as hugging their human partner. Moreover, a 2022 study in the US found that nearly one-third of millennials say their partner comes second to their pet. This attitude has spawned a trend on TikTok of people expressing jealousy of their partners’ pets. The idealized love one can feel for a pet explains why 84% of Prosumers say the love they receive from their pets makes the financial costs worth it. Hugging my pet gives me as much happiness 1.3: OUR NEW TINDER as hugging a partner A 2022 study by WGSN found that around 1 in 3 Gen Zs say they don’t know how to make friends. 69% PROSUMERS For some, what may have been basic shyness or 55% MAINSTREAM social awkwardness prepandemic has become a more significant introversion. Pets can help. Two-thirds of Prosumers say their pets have helped 61% MILLENNIALS them make friends and expand their social circles. 47% BOOMERS My pets have helped me make new friends Owning a pet is expensive, but the love and expand my social circle one receives makes it worth it 67% PROSUMERS 84% PROSUMERS 42% MAINSTREAM 76% MAINSTREAM (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 9
1.4: OUR NEW PROOF OF VALUE Would you trust a person who doesn’t like pets? For 44% of Prosumers—reaching a high of 64% in Brazil—the answer is “no.” The decision to own a pet is widely viewed as a mark of character and trustworthiness, whereas choosing not to adopt a pet may be deemed a failing. (In the US, former president Donald Trump was called on to defend his position as the first president in more than a century not to have a dog at the White House.) There is also a widely held sense—shared by around two-thirds of Prosumers—that people who don’t have pets are missing out on an important part of life. Tellingly, that’s around the same percentage as indicated in our 2019 Prosumer study that people who don’t have a romantic partner are missing out on an important part of life. People who don’t have pets are missing out on an important part of life 65% PROSUMERS 50% MAINSTREAM JUST ASK JOHN WICK Not surprisingly given our intensified relationship with our pets, violence against animals is a quick route I am less likely to trust a person who to cancellation, as French rapper Timal discovered doesn’t like pets after posting a video on Snapchat that showed him kicking one of his dogs. A large majority of Prosumers 44% PROSUMERS (85%) and mainstream consumers (79%) would like to see violence against animals punished in the same way as violence against humans. 37% MAINSTREAM Violence against animals should be BRAZIL 64% 52% punished the same way as violence against human beings CHINA 52% 55% FRANCE 53% 46% 85% PROSUMERS INDIA 42% 46% UK 38% 38% 79% MAINSTREAM US 53% 46% 10 (% agreeing strongly/somewhat)
2. With Great Love Comes Great Responsibility One’s responsibility to a pet begins even before Fifi or Fido enters the home. A significant majority of Prosumers (86%) believe prospective owners should be subject to thorough background checks before being allowed to home an animal. There is also social pressure to adopt rather than purchase, with more than 6 in 10 Prosumers considering it wrong to buy a pet from a store or breeder when so many animals in shelters are in need of a home. 11
It is important to conduct thorough It is wrong to buy a pet from a store background checks before people or breeder when so many animals are are allowed to adopt a pet waiting to be adopted 86% PROSUMERS 62% PROSUMERS 77% MAINSTREAM 57% MAINSTREAM (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 12
So mindful are pet owners of their animals’ well- 2.1: PROJECTING OUR being that 71% of Americans surveyed by APPA in HUMAN FRAILTIES 2020 indicated they would not change their pets’ diets regardless of household financial pressures. Pet ownership is not without challenges, and this has Beyond nutritious foods and wellness supplements, been exacerbated as more people regard their pets deep-pocketed (or simply besotted) pet owners are as quasi-human, sometimes transferring onto them indulging in luxury “pet hotels.” The Olde Towne their own insecurities. More than 6 in 10 Prosumers— Pet Resort outside Washington, D.C., for instance, rising to 94% in Brazil—often worry about their pets’ offers massage, aromatherapy facials, hot oil coat stress and mental health. Accordingly, fully half of treatments, and swim sessions in a heated pool. US pet owners surveyed have purchased a CBD Protective parents can monitor their dogs and cats via (cannabidiol) product for their dog or cat to treat webcam. Luxury brands are also in the space, offering a variety of ailments, including anxiety. those little indulgences no self-respecting pet could live without. Perhaps your pet is in the market for a Gucci food bowl ($1,750) or bed ($7,500). I often worry about my pet’s stress / mental health As with humans, all this indulgence may come at a 62% PROSUMERS price. Banfield Pet Hospital, which operates more than 1,000 veterinary clinics across the US, Mexico, and the UK, has seen a 169% increase in the number of overweight cats and a 158% spike in the number 49% MAINSTREAM of overweight dogs in the past decade. BRAZIL 94% CHINA 71% FRANCE 45% INDIA 65% UK 53% US 54% PROSUMERS (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 13
3. FROM LOVE FOR PETS LOVE FOR ALL ANIMALS? As people become more attached—and attuned— It should be forbidden to have wildlife to their pets, we are seeing an impact on attitudes (e.g., monkeys, tigers, snakes) as pets toward other creatures within the animal kingdom. We can see this shift, for instance, in the move 80% away from the use of animals in circus acts. Five 77% years after closing its business, the famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus will resume touring in 2023—but only with human performers. All animal species should be treated equally Among Prosumers, 80% believe it should be illegal 82% to keep wildlife as pets, and 82% think all animals 72% should be treated equally—presumably putting rodents on par with Rottweilers. There is also an expectation—expressed by three-quarters I expect pet care brands to advocate of Prosumers—that pet care brands should advocate for the protection of animals for the protection of animals. Elected officials, too, are expected to include animal welfare 76% protections in their policy platforms. Animal welfare 65% became an issue in the 2022 presidential election in PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM France thanks to a shock film promoted by an animal welfare foundation. (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 14
I support killing animals as long as it 3.1: THE NEW RULES OF HUNTING is to feed people And what about hunting? Has that activity been canceled? Yes and no. While only 14% of Prosumers 49% PROSUMERS support hunting to maintain traditions and cultures, nearly half think hunting is acceptable as a means of feeding people or preserving balance in the ecosystem. 54% MAINSTREAM I support killing animals as long as it is BRAZIL 58% to maintain hunting traditions/cultures 14% PROSUMERS CHINA 38% FRANCE 50% 14% MAINSTREAM INDIA 21% I support killing animals as long as it UK 56% is to preserve an ecosystem balance 48% PROSUMERS US 65% PROSUMERS 47% MAINSTREAM 15
I’m willing to pay more for meat if I know 3.2: RETHINKING MEAT the livestock have been treated humanely As is evidenced by the growing demand for plant- based proteins, many people are reconsidering their 76% PROSUMERS relationship with meat. The emerging consensus is that all animals deserve respect and kindness; 59% MAINSTREAM accordingly, just over three-quarters of Prosumers indicate they are willing to pay more for meat if they know the livestock have been treated humanely. A (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) compromise between consciousness and carnivorism may come in the form of so-called “no kill” meat, which is grown in a lab. SUFFERING VS. SUSTAINABILITY To save the world, I think a shift to a vegetarian diet for all by the end of the decade is essential Recent research shows that phasing out animal agriculture over the next 15 years would provide 43% PROSUMERS 52% of the net carbon dioxide emissions reductions needed to limit global warming to the point that it would avert a climate catastrophe. Nevertheless, only 42% of Prosumers globally say that a desire to 28% MAINSTREAM fight climate change would motivate them to stop eating meat, below the 46% who would be motivated BRAZIL 51% 33% by ending animal suffering. CHINA 64% 61% In a potential sign of a further move toward plant- based diets, only 17% of Prosumers—versus nearly FRANCE 28% 15% one-third of the mainstream—said neither factor would motivate them to cut meat from their diet. INDIA 81% 77% Already, 43% of Prosumers—rising to 64% in China and 81% in vegetarian-heavy India—say a shift to UK 42% 32% a vegetarian diet is essential to save the world from US 40% 25% environmental destruction. (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 16
Which of these factors would motivate / have motivated you to stop eating meat? Eating more healthfully 54% 44% Ending animal suffering 46% 34% Fighting climate change and environmental destruction 42% 31% None of these 17% 32% PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM 17
4. Making Nature Great Again When it comes to the state of our natural world, it can Which worries you more? be difficult to know what to worry about first. Given the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events—in 2022, hundreds of millions of people have been displaced by flooding in Pakistan alone—it is telling that more than one-third of 64% 36% respondents globally worry more about our planet’s loss of biodiversity than the rise in natural disasters. What we are seeing is a growing recognition that PROSUMERS PROSUMERS all things are connected—humans, animals, and the The rise in natural The loss of natural environment—and are in peril. disasters biodiversity 18
4.1: CRAVING RECONNECTION 4.2: …AND FEELING INCREASINGLY TO THE NATURAL WORLD… RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS HEALTH As the modern world grows ever more artificial and A decade ago, most people could manage to ignore screen-based and as people in developed countries or even deny the impacts of climate change. The spend the vast majority of their days indoors, nearly rise in extreme weather events has made either 9 in 10 Prosumers feel an intense need to reconnect of those responses increasingly less viable. Now with nature in their daily lives. At a visceral level, that the urgency of the issue can no longer be many of us feel we are missing out on something vital, downplayed, 96% of Prosumers think everyone giving rise to trends such as backyard gardening and shares responsibility for educating others about chicken-keeping, forest bathing, and tiny homes in how to protect our natural world. As United Nations remote locations. Scientists are now studying the Secretary-General António Guterres put it: “It is negative impacts of “nature deprivation” on people’s time to reconcile humanity with nature.” physical and mental health. I think it’s everyone’s responsibility I feel an intense need to reconnect with to educate people on how to protect nature in my daily life the environment 86% PROSUMERS 96% PROSUMERS 80% MAINSTREAM 92% MAINSTREAM (% agreeing strongly/somewhat) 19
HOW CAN BRANDS ENTICE AND EMPOWER PEOPLE TO ACT? SHOW THAT EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED In our 2021 Generation COVID Prosumer Report, more than 8 in 10 Prosumers credited their generations with leading the fight to make the world more sustainable and respectful toward animals. In communicating with Prosumer audiences about the changes they seek to drive in the world, it’s critical to recognize the interconnectedness of causes— and the fact that respect for animals is regarded as every bit as vital (if not more so) as campaigns in support of human progress. I think my generation is leading the fight for a world that is more... 88% 87% 89% 85% 84% 78% 77% 75% 75% 71% 69% 67% 66% 60% Equal Inclusive Sustainable Collective Patriotic Respectful Respectful toward of all religious animals beliefs PROSUMERS MAINSTREAM Source: Generation COVID Prosumer Report, 2021 20
START EARLY For children to become the driving force in climate action, they must be educated about the issues as early as possible, say 8 in 10 Prosumers. Working off the insight that nearly 90% of parents credit their children for encouraging them to live more sustainably, Procter & Gamble focused on children as “agents of change” in its It’s Our Home campaign, intended to inspire “small changes that make a big For children to become the driving force difference.” Other companies—including Alcoa and of environmental protection, we should Mars Wrigley (through their foundations), General encourage them to spend more time Motors, and Amgen—are funding Eco-Schools, outdoors a sustainability education program offered by 59,000 schools in 74 countries. Another Eco- 80% PROSUMERS School partner is Gro Play, a Swedish game developer that uses video games such as Gro Garden, Eco-Warriors, and Grow Recycling as a fun way to teach children about the importance of taking 73% MAINSTREAM action to protect the environment. LIVE AND LEARN OUTDOORS Childhood eco-education should incorporate more time spent in the great outdoors, according to two- thirds of Prosumers and mainstream consumers. Hence, the push for so-called forest schools in which young children leave the traditional classroom to spend time in forests or other outdoor settings. Unilever’s OMO detergent brand encourages outdoor play as part of its Dirt Is Good campaign. In collaboration with Nature Play, the brand created For children to become the driving force of a National Day of Real Play to encourage families environmental protection, we should raise globally to spend time together outdoors. Among their consciousness of the environment other activations, OMO has funded playgrounds for beginning in nursery school children in Vietnam. In the US, several high-profile brands—including L.L.Bean, Patagonia, Thule, REI, 67% PROSUMERS and Winnebago—support the Outdoor Foundation, an organization dedicated to getting people outside, including by addressing equity barriers to make the outdoors accessible to all. Through its Thrive Outside 67% MAINSTREAM initiative, the group invests in experiential outdoor education for youth and adults. 21
SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THEY RISK LOSING It is not just practical things at risk if we don’t reverse the potentially cataclysmic course of climate change. We also jeopardize the majesty of nature— a source of inspiration and wonder, according to a majority of Prosumers, and a wellspring of poetry Which of these words do you associate and art. Telecom company Verizon sponsors Arcadia most with nature? (showing Prosumers) Earth, a traveling exhibition that uses immersive Inspiration technology, including augmented and virtual reality, to bring to life underwater worlds and fantasy lands 63% to engage audiences in the pressing need to combat Wonder climate change. 55% HELP DEFEND NATURE For 1 in 4 Prosumers, the word they most associate with nature is fragility. The growing sense that the natural world is on the brink of irreversible collapse and needs immediate and forceful defending has led to a push for legal protections. In New Zealand, for instance, political leaders granted the Whanganui River—of spiritual significance to the indigenous Māori people—legal personhood to protect it from further destruction. In recent years, Swedish retailer IKEA has purchased more than 616,000 acres of protected forests in Europe and North America to stop development on and deforestation of these lands and to enhance biodiversity. Other major companies—including Anheuser-Busch InBev, Coca-Cola, General Mills, and T-Mobile—support the Nature Conservancy in its ongoing efforts to conserve 650 million hectares of land, 30 million hectares of freshwater, and 4 billion hectares of oceans. Meanwhile, brands Which of these words do you associate in the food industry are moving into the animal most with nature? (showing Prosumers) protection space, including by promoting humane Fragility husbandry practices. They include familiar names 26% such as Walmart and Panera Bread, as well as smaller brands such as Chopt and Farmer’s Fridge. 22
IN A NUTSHELL Our love of pets has imbued them with superpowers— 1. to strengthen our families, cure our loneliness, and serve (however temporarily) as life partners. Beyond “feeding and watering” our pets, we seek to be 2. responsible “parents,” looking after their physical and mental health and well-being. 3. Our love of pets has extended to envelop all animals— making us keener to minimize animal suffering. Now, we are recognizing the need to extend that love and 4. protection to the entire natural world to protect our planet and all its inhabitants. To save Mother Nature, we need to 5. educate children early, live more of our lives outdoors, and, where needed, confer legal protections on our natural world. 23
About The survey sample was made up Who Are the Study of 20% leading-edge Prosumers Prosumers? In the first quarter of 2022, Havas Prosumers are today’s leading partnered with Market Probe International influencers and market drivers. to survey 14,594 people ages 18+ in They have been a focus of Havas studies 30 markets: Africa Bundle (Ivory Coast, for nearly two decades. Beyond their Kenya, Nigeria), Argentina, Austria, Brazil, own economic impact, Prosumers are Canada, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, important because they influence the Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, brand choices and consumption behaviors India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, the of others. What Prosumers are doing Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi and 80% mainstream consumers. today, mainstream consumers will likely Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the be doing 6 to 18 months from now. United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Find out more about Prosumer Reports https://dare.havas.com/posts/category/prosumer-reports/ Or contact Sebastien Houdusse, Follow us on Twitter @prosumer_report Global Strategy Director, at Sebastien.Houdusse@betc.com Prosumer Repor ts is a series of thought Photos courtesy of Unsplash leadership publications by Havas—part of a global initiative to share information and In order of appearance: Chewy, Paul Hanaoka, William Daigneault, devn, Artem Sapegin, Chewy, insights, including our own proprietar y Tran Mau & Tri Tam, Caleb Woods, Macey Bundt, Avi Richards, Florian Rieder, Zach Zook, research, across the Havas network of agencies Jonatas Domingos, Josiah Ness, Scott Warman, Yang Shuo, Trent Haaland, Sandie Clarke, and client companies. Havas Group is one of Markus Spiske, Paige Cody, Jonathan Kemper, Kalen Emsley, Casey Horner, and Alvan Nee. the world’s largest global communications groups, bringing together nearly 20,000 people in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit havas.com or follow Havas on Twitter (@havas) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/HavasCreative). VOLUME 44 | 2022
You can also read