Analysis: digital characters are building large audiences interested in following their 'lives' and experiences - all of which is big news for brands
Influencer marketing has quickly progressed from a marketing tactic into a mainstream marketing activity for many brands. It has been widely embraced in a wide range of sectors such as travel, lifestyle, fashion, beauty, sport, gaming, entertainment, technology, health and fitness. Global marketing spend in the area has risen from $1.7bn in 2016 to $16.4 billion in 2022. In terms of this year, Influencer Marketing Hub estimate that $21.1 billion will be allocated to influencer marketing in 2023.
Influencers are online content creators whose standing amongst their social media followers gives them the potential to influence their fans' purchasing and consumption behaviours. This status can accrue from their experience, expertise, or enthusiasm in a given area.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Today With Claire Byrne, broadcaster and environmental activist, Fionnuala Moran on the rise of the de-influencer
Take a make-up artist or beauty influencer, for example. Their job involves using and experimenting with cosmetics on a continual basis and sharing their positive and negative experiences. As such, they may be viewed as trusted sources with their product observations and recommendations carrying more credibility with consumers, which in turn makes them attractive collaborators for brands. Successful influencers can be perceived as being more genuine, transparent and trustworthy to consumers, many of whom are jaded about, if not downright sceptical towards, traditional advertising.
Now, we are seeing the emergence of virtual influencers, digital characters created using computer-generated imagery. They are not human beings, but they are humanlike in their appearance and behaviours. They exist as virtual characters but are created and operated by human beings. Virtual influencers are promoted across social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, building large audiences of consumers who are interested in following their 'lives’ and experiences.
As the fan base increases, brands look to collaborate with these influencers. One of the world’s best-known virtual influencers is Noonoouri, a digital character developed by a creative studio in Germany. This 19-year-old activist and vegan has over 400,000 followers on Instagram and her brand collaborators have included Versace, Dior and Kim Kardashian.
From Blue Light Technology, meet Lil Miquela
Another highly successful virtual influencer with 2.8 million followers on Instagram alone is Miquela Sousa, also known as Lil Miquela. Developed by robotics and AI agency Brud, Miquela is styled as a 19-year-old robot living in LA, who supports the Black Lives Matter movement.
From a brand's point of view, virtual influencers are often viewed as an attractive alternative to the human influencer as they offer greater creative potential and more control to the marketer. In the manner of a puppet-master controlling the movements of a puppet, a marketer or tech wizard can create a persona for the virtual influencer, selecting an appearance, personality and lifestyle for them, and even giving them a voice on societal issues. There are also no geographic limits with virtual influencers and they carry less risk of negative or damaging publicity than their human counterparts from a brand safety viewpoint.
So, how are consumers reacting to virtual influencers? A 2022 study found strong consumer interest with 58% of the 1,000 interviewees (adults, 18+) indicating that they follow at least one virtual influencer on social media. 27% were motivated to follow virtual influencers on account of the content they produced, whilst 19% and 16% were drawn by storytelling abilities and inspirational nature, respectively.
From NBC's Today Show, how virtual influencers are on the rise
This generates a key question – can a digital creation, namely a fictitious character have the same standing and appeal as the traditional human influencer? In 2018, Time magazine hailed Lil Miquela as one of the 25 most influential people on the internet. Therein lies the contradiction - she is not a human being. It is interesting to mull over whether the very traits that characterise a successful human influencer – relatable, genuine, and transparent - can apply to something that is not real and is not human but is instead the product of a human being's creativity.
But should we be using a different term, other than 'influencer' to define these virtual characters? It is open to argument whether something that is created from computer-generated imagery can be compared to human influencers whose stock in trade is their perceived relatability and authenticity.
Are consumers instead attracted to the novelty and the seemingly boundless creativity that these digital influencers offer? In other words, it may be the virtual influencer's ‘other worldliness’ or sense of unreality that is the attraction for their human followers, in turn, offering a sense of diversion, escapism and entertainment.
Will consumers be influenced by, and take advice from, something that ultimately is not real?
Furthermore, who is the ‘voice’ behind the virtual influencer creation? It is important to consider the creator in terms of their agendas and motivations, for example, in the context of using the influencer to present a stance on a societal issue.
Will consumers be influenced by, and take advice from something that ultimately is not real? What ethical and regulatory considerations need to be discussed as advances in artificial intelligence pave the way for AI-powered virtual influencers? These are some of the many concerns and curiosities to consider as the development of virtual influencers continues to blur the lines between human and digital intelligence.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
