Animals are a vital part of advertising. Businesses in every market utilize animals in their advertisements to help promote their goods, service, or reputation. According to Forbes, in the 2011 Super Bowl, when compared to advertisements with animals, the average non animal Super Bowl ad was 14% less effective, and advertisements containing celebrities were 21% less effective (Forbes). An example of animals being used to market a product is Chick-Fil-As The Cow Campaign. The Cow Campaign applies anthropomorphism, assigning human traits and behaviors, to the cows themselves in order to form an emotional connection. However there are severe social consequences in doing so (Horowitz). .
Anthropomorphism can be seen throughout human history. Many experts believe that anthropomorphism is a perpetual instinctual trait that all humans possess (Philip Zimbardo) . In the fifth century B.C, the Greek Philosopher Xenophanes gave the first critique of anthropomorphism (BELIEVE religious information source web-site). Xenophanes observed that anthropomorphism occurred in every society and culture. Early examples of anthropomorphism can be found throughout the Hindu culture and in several of their deities, such as Ganesha. The appearance of anthropomorphism across every society and culture indicates that perhaps anthropomorphism is an innate, physiological behavior. .
A modern day example of anthropomorphism is The Cow Campaign. One advertisement in The Cow Campaign focuses on three cows that have been anthropomorphized to portray Chick-Fil-As message. In the advertisement, the cows are protesting beef by promoting the consumption of chicken in a very organized way. The concept of cows protesting in an organized fashion offers the first example of anthropomorphism. Protesting, a belief, method, group, behavior, etc, is a human characteristic. Examples of humans protesting can be observed by looking at the American Revolution or groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
