From Barbiecore to bitmojis, cuteness is now the defining aesthetic of our time. But what has often been dismissed as trivial or childish, is now being reappraised. Now a major exhibition Cute at London’s Somerset House points to complexity, ambiguity and even a capacity to unsettle. Behind that soft fluffy exterior, there are teeth.
With roots in ancient Japanese art and Renaissance cupids, digital culture has amplified and spread the cute aesthetic far and wide to the point that it could now be described as our universal language. And in troubled times, cute offers a counter. Engaging with cute content releases dopamine, soothes stress and makes us happy, providing a refuge and transporting us from the everyday. It’s also big business: Sanrio’s Hello Kitty, the bunny who is “the height of five apples,” celebrates her 50th anniversary this year as a multibillion-dollar brand.
As humans, we are wired to respond to cute: big round eyes, chubby cheeks and stubby little limbs stir warm feelings whether they present as human, animal or even inanimate. Experts propose that cuteness played a role in evolution, driving the impulse to care for and socialize babies. Academic Joshua Paul Dale, a pioneer of the emerging field of Cute Studies, and author of Irresistible: How cuteness wired our brains and conquered the world, explained to CNN that it “gets the brain ready for certain kinds of behaviors associated with caregiving.”
Brands have long been alive to the potential of cute to ignite warm fuzzy feelings and even break down price sensitivity. Cute mascots and logos increase positive feelings towards brands; hence adorable puppies and koalas sell toilet tissue while geckos and meerkats make insurance more compelling.
