Virtual Influencers: The New Face of Brand Marketing in the Digital Era
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, a new phenomenon has taken center stage, revolutionizing the way brands connect with customers and they are known as Virtual Influencers. These are AI-generated characters who are seamlessly integrated into the world of social media and often have personalities, backstories, and even relationships like human beings.?
Virtual Influencers Vs. Human Influencers?
Like human influencers, virtual influencers (VIs) can do anything to promote and popularize a brand, but with more control and engagement. Transforming the traditional influencer profession, virtual influencers overcome the inefficiencies of dealing with human models. Human influencers use their social media platforms to share their interests and skills, certain hobbies they love, the places they go or simply post something about their everyday lives. Virtual influencers also work on the same principle, except the content they generate on social media is fed by humans.??
While many may argue that there’s no way AI-generated characters influence customers and persuade them to buy certain products, the VI survey proves it wrong. According to the 2022 Virtual Influencers Survey, 58% of the respondents followed at least one virtual influencer, and 35% of them reported that they had bought products promoted by a virtual influencer.??
Why do Brands use Virtual Influencers for Marketing??
The exclusive features that set virtual influencers apart from human influencers include better control, international access, and so on. Let’s see the major features that make virtual influencers more impressive in the digital era.?
VIs offer a unique level of freedom to brands to unleash their creativity without the limitations of reality. Brands are free to design characters who embody their brand value, and aesthetics and communicate with the customers 24/7 in a creative and even supernatural way.??
Creating a virtual influencer is much cheaper for brands and they can have a lot more control, even on messaging, which can be a reason why brands are increasingly interested in VIs. Moreover, brands can leverage the capabilities of their VIs at any time without any additional costs or resources.?
Partnering with a human influencer may sometimes accompany some unanticipated incidents that can significantly harm the brand's reputation. Whereas virtual influencers are presumably less likely to become involved in any controversies and scandals, and thus ensure better brand safety.??
VIs can transcend geographical boundaries and can speak different languages, wear specific clothes, and even adopt different cultural or traditional norms that indicate different demographics and markets. Hence, brands, with the help of VIs, can reach diverse and international audiences who have distinctive preferences for products and services.??
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The primary objective of virtual influencers is to engage with as many customers as possible, and social media offers a captivating and interesting platform to achieve this goal. Influencer marketing relies on a content-driven strategy, and virtual influencers can generate novel and distinctive content without being limited by time constraints.?
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Know the Most Successful Virtual Influencers?
The age of virtual influencers is unquestionably transforming the landscape of brand marketing. Let's delve into how the most successful virtual influencers are currently dominating the realm of brand promotion.?
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1. Aitana Lopez?
Created by a Spanish ad agency, Aitana Lopez earns 10,000 USD per month from her brand contracts. She looks so real that many of her followers on Instagram are not aware that she doesn’t really exist. Having 200,000 followers on Instagram, Aitana, as a digital model, shows her outfits from brands like Brandy Melville, Victoria’s Secret, and Guess.?
2. Lil Miquela ?
A Brazilian-American virtual robot model, Lil Miquela also known as Miquela Sousa has worked with leading fashion brands like Dior, Prada, and Calvin Klein. She has 3 million followers on Instagram and made her debut music video “Hard Feelings” earlier this year at Lollapalooza’s online festival.?
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3. Lu Do Magalu?
In 2022, Lu Do Magalu was the most followed digital influencer, and her first appearance was made a decade ago on behalf of Magazine Luiza one of the largest retail companies in Brazil. Mostly featured in unboxing videos and product reviews, she boasts more than 14.6 million followers on Facebook and 6 million followers on Instagram.?
4. Imma Gram?
Imma is a pink-haired virtual influencer created by a Tokyo-based CG company ModelingCafe with more than 3 million followers on Weibo and has collaborated with fashion brands like Chanel, Valentina, and Dior. She was featured in a campaign by the luxury fashion brand Balmain, along with real-life models in 2020.??
5. Noonoouri?
Created by Jeorg Zuber, founder of Opium Effect, a German creative agency, Noonoouri is a 19-year-old virtual model who worked with luxury brands like Lacoste, Bulgari, and Versace. While the goal of virtual influencers is to entertain and promote brands, she informs her audiences and supports sustainable fashion.??
Conclusion?
The financial benefits and heightened control offered by digital influencers help brands promote their products and services in innovative and efficient ways. The right virtual influencer can take brands to better heights and expand their customers with engaging and compelling content.??
What’s more, digital content can quickly reach millions of audiences through virtual influencers, and this is the reason why they are increasingly becoming popular. In a world where technology continues to evolve, brands will have more efficient means of making VIs more engaging and realistic. And it will be exciting to see how virtual influencers will be developed further in the coming years. Stay tuned!?