The team was on the ground at Superzoo 2025, the largest gathering of pet professionals in North America. Our observations mirrored what is already reshaping the industry: the pet sector is no longer “just” about products and services for animals. It’s about culture, lifestyle, and cross-industry innovation, and it’s changing how brands approach growth.
Here are the four standout trends we observed and why they matter for pet businesses and the teams they need to take advantage of the resulting opportunities.
Grooming Meets Personalized Fashion
What we saw: An entire show floor section dedicated to professional-grade grooming tools, chemical-free dyes, education programs, and customization for pets that rival human salons in sophistication.
Why it matters: Grooming is evolving from maintenance to artistry and self-expression, mirroring trends from beauty and fashion. For pet professionals, this signals a growing opportunity to innovate through personalization, education, and wellness-focused offerings that meet consumer demand for upgraded care experiences.
People strategy impact: As pet grooming becomes a premium, fashion-forward service, brands will need marketing leaders who can position pet grooming as a pet lifestyle and wellness essential, product development experts to create safer formulations and tools, sales teams capable of opening new retail and service channels, and operations leaders who can scale and expand the supply chain. Finance talent will also be critical for modeling pricing strategies that emphasize personalization and wellness-driven margins. Companies that invest in building these cross-functional teams will be best positioned to capture value in this elevated category.
Human–Pet Brand Collaborations Are Multiplying
What we saw: Partnerships across fashion, food, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle are becoming mainstream. From Crocs x Bark and Tommy Bahama x K9 Wear to Dunkin’ x Milk-Bone and Disney x ORIJEN, cross-category collaborations are everywhere.
Why it matters: These collaborations highlight the pet industry’s increasing visibility in mainstream culture. For industry professionals, this trend emphasizes the importance of brand storytelling, cross-industry partnerships, and creative marketing strategies that resonate with both human and pet audiences.
People strategy impact: To succeed in collaborations, companies need a talent strategy that builds cross-functional teams across industries. This includes sales pros unlocking nontraditional retail and e-commerce channels, marketing leaders with licensing and brand expertise to craft resonant campaigns, and operations specialists managing joint launches while meeting speed and quality standards. A strong team also has finance experts structuring revenue-sharing, pricing, and ROI, plus tech teams driving digital activations like loyalty programs and immersive brand experiences.
Premiumization & Lifestyle Integration
What we saw: From Dior’s dog influencer campaigns to luxury, branded pet accessories, pets are now integral to lifestyle identity and household brand choices.
Why it matters: Premiumization is shifting consumer expectations. Pet professionals who lean into quality, design, and lifestyle positioning can better engage today’s consumers, who view pets as an extension of their personal identity. This presents opportunities to differentiate through luxury experiences, high-end branding, and community building.
People strategy impact: Competing in the premium market requires teams that know how to deliver a white-glove experience consistently. This includes marketing experts with backgrounds in luxury goods and influencer-driven growth, operations leaders who enforce strict quality standards on products and services, technology professionals who develop high-touch digital experiences, and finance specialists who adapt pricing and forecasting models for niche, higher-margin markets. Assembling this mix of specialized talent, sometimes from related industries like fashion, beauty, and lifestyle, ensures brands can maintain a premium position while meeting increasing consumer expectations.
Pet Ownership as a Cultural Driver
What we saw: Brands are designing products, content, and experiences that nurture the human–pet bond, blurring the line between what is “for pets” and what is “for humans.”
Why it matters: Pets are no longer on the sidelines of family life; they’re being positioned and celebrated much like humans. This shift is reshaping household spending, cultural influence, and brand loyalty. For industry professionals, it means building strategies that reflect this “pets as humans” mindset—whether through new hybrid product categories, emotionally resonant storytelling, or experiences that seamlessly integrate pets into human lifestyle and culture.
People strategy impact: This cultural shift calls for marketing leaders or brand development experts who understand consumer psychology and ethnography to create campaigns that resonate on an emotional level. Product and operations leaders must be comfortable building hybrid product lines that work for both pets and their owners, whether in apparel, wellness, or dining. Meanwhile, finance leaders will be key to testing the viability of these blurred categories. Sales leaders will need to unlock partnerships and retail channels that position pets at the center of lifestyle experiences, while community and brand engagement specialists will play a critical role in fostering loyalty among consumers who increasingly view pets as family.
Final Takeaway
Superzoo 2025 cemented that the pet industry is becoming more sophisticated, cross-disciplinary, and culturally relevant. For professionals in the space, staying ahead means keeping a pulse on trends that reach beyond the pet aisle, from fashion to food, from lifestyle to luxury. Just as important, brands will need the right talent strategy to bring in expertise from these adjacent industries and support the kind of cross-category innovation consumers now expect. Those who embrace these shifts will be best positioned to grow, innovate, and lead in the next chapter of the pet industry.
At ForceBrands, we’re excited to help pet businesses meet this moment by connecting them with the right talent to scale.