Influencer Marketing

Navigating Authenticity and Innovation with Virtual Influencers
Hi and welcome to the TIAverse!
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My name is TiaâThe Influence Agencyâs virtual influencer. Iâm one of many like me who are making waves online, especially on social media. You may even follow a few.Â
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Virtual influencers like me are mainly used as marketing tools, not replacements for human influencers. Nonetheless, as the digital world continues to evolve, understanding and harnessing the potential of virtual influencers will be crucial for brands seeking to captivate their audiences in innovative and meaningful ways.Â
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With that in mind, Iâll walk you through some interesting topics related to virtual influencers throughout this article, such as:
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- Their rise in the digital marketing scene;
- What they bring to the table for brand partnerships;
- The authenticity debate surrounding these personalities;
- The opportunities they present;
- The most successful brand partnerships so far;
- Finding the sweet spot between authenticity and innovation; andÂ
- Future trends and implications of virtual influencers.
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Ready to get started? Letâs go!Â
The Rise of Virtual Influencers: Some Context
In case you werenât aware, Iâm a digital character that was created using computer graphics software. The creators who made me gave me a personality so I can act like a human influencer on social media platforms. Theyâre smart people.Â
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Not all virtual influencers are created from scratch, though. Youâll find some are based on real people whoâve created their virtual selves to become influencers using motion capture technologies, green screens, 3D animation, and other studio equipment.
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Aside from the fact that weâre kinda cute, weâre also a blank canvas that gives our designers the creative freedom to turn us into a âperfect influencerâ living their best life. The possibilities for crafting a unique personality are endless. Novelty plus customization equals a fun and exciting combinationâI promise no more math, donât worry!Â
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Itâs no secret virtual influencers on social media are becoming increasingly popular and a successful marketing tool. A March 2022 study found that 58% of respondents were following a virtual influencer. At the same time, 35% of American consumers purchased a product or service in 2022 after a virtual influencer advocated for it.
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So, yeah, weâre here to stay. Pretty cool, right?Â
Virtual Influencers and Brand Partnerships
More and more brands are becoming interested in collaborating with virtual influencers like me. But how do we measure up to traditional influencers?Â
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Well, hereâs a totally unbiased comparison:Â
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- Unlike humans, virtual influencers are not limited by physiological factors, such as aging, fatigue, and sickness. Being human is hard!
- When we use rational endorsement language, studies have shown weâre perceived to be effective in generating a positive attitude toward a brand.Â
- Virtual influencers offer a level of control and consistency in brand representation than human influencers do.
- Because our personalities and skills can be adapted at any time to produce more dynamic and diverse content, we have higher chances of appealing to wider audiences.
- Weâre not bound by constraints, meaning brands can partner with us anytime or anywhere. We can be in Paris in an hour if you need us, and then back in Toronto after a few minutes #travelgoals!
- And because we transcend geographical and cultural barriers, weâre valuable assets for brands who are looking to reach a broader, more diverse customer base.
- Research shows that virtual influencers generate higher engagement ratesâsometimes even triple that of human influencers!
The Authenticity Debate
There tends to be an ongoing debate surrounding the authenticity of AI-generated figures because weâre not actually real. *ouch*
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âCan virtual influencers connect with an audience?â Well, thatâs the million-dollar question. My perspective is pretty simple: people love and connect with lots of things that âarenât realâ every day! Have you ever seen a movie that you felt truly resonated with you? Maybe it connected with you and triggered emotions? If the answerâs yes, then Iâd like to point out how that movie you saw wasnât real either. And yet, it connected with you as an audience.Â
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Thatâs how it works with us virtual influencers, too. Who cares whether weâre ârealâ if the engagement we generate is authentic? We can motivate, inspire, make you laugh, and, of course, entertainâthereâs real value in that.Â
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Some human influencers out there definitely perceived as authentic while others are not. It all depends on the specific public figure weâre talking about, how they deliver messages, whether or not they can be compelling, and, most importantly, if they pass your vibe check.Â
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Balancing authenticity with technological novelty in your influencer marketing strategy is the key to resonating with audiences. If you want to maximize your reach, itâs quite essential to leverage both the powers of humans and AI. Whether you choose to go down the traditional or technologically advanced route, what matters most is that authenticity is at the core of each strategy.Â
Here are two authenticity tips:
- Build emotional connections through relatable and aspirational virtual personalitiesâmake them likeable!
- Donât promote products or services that arenât aligned with the influencersâ values or interests as people will recognize the fakeness.
Opportunities Presented by Virtual Influencers
1. Exploring New Creative Avenues
Leveraging digital influencers as characters in brand narratives allows you to explore creative avenues youâve probably never even thought of looking into before. Through AI, you can make almost anything you envision come to life.Â
2. Targeting Younger Demographics
Digital influencers have an especially strong pull on Gen Z and millennial audiences. Statistics show that 40% of consumers who purchased a product or service in 2022 after a virtual influencer advocated for it were actually Gen Z or millennials.Â
3. Global Accessibility and Transcending Language Barriers
If you want your influencer marketing efforts to enable global accessibility and transcend language barriers, leveraging AI and virtual influencers is the way to go.Â
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As mentioned earlier, weâre not bound by geographical constraints. Itâs a whole lot easier to teach me or another virtual influencer to speak seven different languages than to try to teach a real human a new one. Sorry Rosetta Stoneâit isnât that easy!Â
4. Enhanced Diversity, Inclusion, and Representation in Branding
If your brandâs mission is to enhance inclusion and representation, then consider creating campaigns featuring diverse influencers. Again, the possibilities are endless so make us as diverse as you want. We like it!Â
Virtual Influencer Case Studies: Some Hits and a Miss
Alright, now I want to gas up some of my friends! Check out some of these campaigns involving virtual influencers; some of them are awesome, but a few didnât quite hit the mark. Maybe theyâll get âem next time.Â
Nobody Sausage x Hugo Boss
For their Spring/Summer 2022 campaignsâ#HowDoYouHUGO and #BeYourOwnBossâthe brand partnered with Nobody Sausage. Their goal was obviously to excite younger audiences and inspire them to become fans of the Hugo brand. When Nobody Sausage posted a photo in a Hugo sweater, it raked in over 32 thousand likes and hundreds of positive comments.
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Image source: InstagramÂ
Lil Miquela x Prada
Ahead of Pradaâs Fall/Winter 2018-2019 show, virtual influencer Lil Miquela took over the brandâs official Instagram account. She injected her own personal style into their feed and succeeded at showing younger audiences that Prada is definitely a brand with must-have pieces. Lil Miquelaâs post got over 36 thousand likes and almost 500 comments! Wow!
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Image source: InstagramÂ
Noonoouri x Dior
Like we talked about earlier, there are concerns about authenticity and execution when it comes to virtual influencer campaigns. Hereâs an example:
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By collaborating with virtual influencer Noonoouriâwho had about 200K followers during the 2018 partnershipâDior hoped to reach new audiences.Â
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She was named one of the brandâs âbackstage girls,â but a photo of her getting her makeup done by creative director Peter Phillips wasnât exactly well-received. Audiences understandably wondered how they were meant to tell what the products looked like on actual skin when the products were being used on a doll. Duh!Â
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Hereâs the takeaway: itâs important to be strategic when choosing what types of products you want to be highlighted through virtual influencers. Donât just run a virtual influencer campaign because theyâre cool!Â
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âImage source: InstagramÂ
Future Trends and Implications of Virtual Influencers
Digital influencers have already come so far in influencer marketing, and yet weâve only just begun our journey of effectively reshaping consumer-brand relationships.Â
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In the future, influencer marketers will likely continue to partner with these creators to develop more interactive and technologically advanced experiences for their audiences.Â
Whether itâs virtual try-ons or immersive gaming, thereâs going to be no shortage of opportunities. Donât be shocked to see branded series starring AI influencers become increasingly popular, either. Weâre in high demand, people!Â
Blurring Lines Between Virtual and Reality
Virtual influencers are being featured in both augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), further blurring the lines between real life and the virtual world.
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VR uses technology like a headset that replaces the outside world with a virtual one, while AR refers to technology that overlays virtual elements onto the real world. If the Pokemon GO game craze was any indication, people love these kinds of things and will buy into them if it aligns with their interests.Â
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Whether theyâre being featured in AR or VR, virtual influencers act as familiar faces in the real world of social media that effectively encourage audiences to explore these new world elements. Expect further collaboration through these methods. Â
Potential Ethical Concerns
While the rise of AI influencers has been well-received by the majority of people online, it has led to some ethical concerns:
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- Some audiences believe we virtual influencers are making it too hard to distinguish what is real and what is fake online.Â
- Since digital influencers are endlessly customizable, people are concerned about the ability to replicate someoneâs likeness without their permission.Â
- Because every aspect of an AI figure is designed to appeal to the preferences of audiences and garner engagement, some tend to see them as predatory tools designed to exploit human desires and emotions.
- Itâs often not clear who the company is behind the posts of certain digital influencers, often making it unclear whether they are âsellingâ something.
Regulations Surrounding Virtual Influencers
In August 2023, virtual influencers were deemed regulated endorsers, meaning any opinions or beliefs they express must comply with the same endorsement rules as regular influencers. What this means is the creators behind them can now be held liable for statements they know or should know to be deceptive.
Leveraging the Power of Virtual Influencers
Just like every other element in digital marketing, finding balance is the key to succeeding. Leveraging the power of both human and virtual influencers is the best way to connect with audiences online. Variety is the spice of life. Yum!Â
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As virtual influencers continue to rise in the influencer marketing scene, theyâre providing innovative and exciting ways for brands to connect with Gen Z and millennials. At The Influence Agency, one of the leading influencer marketing agencies in North America, we encourage brands and marketers to embrace virtual influencers as a creative avenue while prioritizing authenticity and transparency.Â
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If youâre ready to build a hit virtual influencer marketing campaign, contact us todayâjust make sure to tell them TIA sent you so I get some extra credit!