Copyright Cass Business School 2013 Cass Knowledge www.cassknowledge.com The Role of Baseline Physical Similarity to Humans in Consumer Responses to Anthropomorphic Animal Images Paul M. Connell (Cass Business School, City University, London) May 2013
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Copyright Cass Business School 2013
Cass Knowledge www.cassknowledge.com The Role of Baseline Physical Similarity to Humans in Consumer Responses to Anthropomorphic Animal Images Paul M. Connell (Cass Business School, City University, London) May 2013
Copyright Cass Business School 2013
The Role of Baseline Physical Similarity to Humans in Consumer Responses to Anthropomorphic Animal Images ___________________________________________________________________ Abstract While humans have a long history of anthropomorphising animals and the use of animal
imagery in the marketplace and popular culture is commonplace, the phenomenon has
received little attention. This research investigates the role of how consumers respond to
anthropomorphic portrayals of animal mascots that differ on their baseline physical
resemblance to humans. In order to test this assertion, an experimental study was
conducted with 62 undergraduate participants from a large state university in the United
States. Results from the study indicate that evaluations of anthropomorphic portrayals of
animals with a lower baseline physical similarity to humans are less favourable than non-
anthropomorphic portrayals. In contrast, evaluations of anthropomorphic portrayals of
animals with a higher baseline physical similarity are more favourable than non-
anthropomorphic portrayals.
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“Two legs good, four legs bad” (George Orwell, Animal Farm)
Throughout civilization, people have imbued creatures from the natural world with human
traits and motivations. Marketers have capitalized on this tendency by creating a plentitude of
anthropomorphic animal mascots for a variety of products and services. For example , Tony the Tiger
endorses Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Smokey the Bear warns people to be careful with fire, and the
Energizer Bunny beats drums in commercials promoting Energizer batteries. However, there are a
number of non-anthropomorphic animal mascots as well. A galloping horse adorns the grill of Ford
Mustang vehicles, a flying bird adorns the packaging of Bird's Eye vegetables, and two bulls charge at
each other on the label of Red Bull energy drinks. Despite this observation, very little is known about
how people respond to animal images when they are presented in anthropomorphic versus non-
anthropomorphic form, leaving practitioners with little guidance as to how to use animal imagery in
branding, packaging, and advertising.
Research on animal imagery in advertising and popular culture is sparse and has mostly
delved into of the symbolic roles that animals play (Lerner & Kalof, 1999; Phillips, 1996; Spears &
Germain, 2007). A slightly larger but growing literature hones in on effects of anthropomorphism on
consumer behavior. Some of this literature focuses on effects of brand advertising mascots on brand
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