The “game” of Instagram influencers is expanding to new players, and it’s no longer just the preserve of humans. In the age of e-commerce where the pursuit of visibility is important for companies, dog product brands have seized on the phenomenon.
Two white terriers wearing Scottish berets pant in front of their mistress who takes a picture of them in exchange for a treat: With thousands of followers on Instagram, these dogs are impressive animals, very popular in Singapore.
The trend has been fueled by the growth of the online shopping and pet craze in the Southeast Asian city-state since the coronavirus lockdown.
Regularly, new shots of Sasha and Piper, with matching accessories, “appear on” Lomodogies », his Instagram account. These dogs have already earned their owners several thousand dollars with product placements ranging from vacuum cleaners to shoes. They also have an agency to represent them.
This company has a cat, Brassie Mevington, who is followed by over 50,000 customers, and a prolific-haired Japanese Spitz named Luna. Doggy’s mistress Carrie Arr began posting photos of Sasha wearing different costumes, playing or outings several years ago. “We just wanted to create a blog, capturing precious moments with their beautiful faces and their movements,” explains the marketing director in his 40s.
When Brands Are Involved
The photos were so popular that brands began to ask them if Sasha could promote their products. Piper, a former show dog, then arrived to form a pair.
“It’s fun, for the dogs and for me,” says Carrie Er, taking pictures of the two canine stars with her smartphone. The two dogs now have around 24,000 Instagram followers and earn an average of about S$500 (€315) for each promotion.
Carrie Er says she is selective about the brands her dogs promote. She doesn’t want to brag about dog food that doesn’t meet her standards when her dogs are fed homemade mash.
Animal influencers are increasingly sought after by brands looking to boost their visibility online since the pandemic, says Jen Peh, co-founder of The Woof Agency, which represents the agency. “I think animal influencers usually have an advantage because we love animals,” notes the entrepreneur, who has nearly 6,000 animal profiles in his files. “They are so cute, no one can hate them”.
AFP. with Sudouest.fr
Katherine Lai / AFP
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