Babies, Puppies and Kittens! Oh My!

People can’t get enough of the economy. Aside from the usual subjects such as the chasm that is the Nation’s growing debt and the unemployment rate, a less obvious socio-cultural affect of the recession is taking place. I’ll give you a hint: it has to do with Pokémon, the Mini-Cooper and animals dressed in outfits.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of user-generated videos of animals and babies, not to mention miniature versions of popular foods such as the slider and cupcake. In November’s issue of Vanity Fair, Jim Windolf claims that the economic downturn is fueling our fascination with all things small, cute and cuddly.

Sure, cute stuff has always been present and appealing. However, it wasn’t until recently, Windolf argues, that the phenomenon took off on a mass scale of present-day proportions. It’s as if Americans have reverted back to familiar, child-like comforts during a decade that brought us 9/11 and the war in Iraq.

This trend has seeped into advertising, media and product design. Think of the small and rounded body of the SmartCar, the Snuggie, animated movies like “Up” and mascots like the Geico Gecko (a creature that has become more anthropomorphic as the years progress).

However, a small but growing cultural backlash is occurring. The cuteness craze is being mocked and satirized – signs that the “age of cuteness” could be losing traction and, possibly, coming to a close.

The implication for marketing and advertising is this: as professionals, we need to be cognizant of these larger societal trends as they bleed into popular culture and daily life. Doing so will aid in the understanding of consumer motivations and, subsequently, the development of more meaningful communications.

­--Mike Witham