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Virtual influencer

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Kizuna AI
A representation of Kizuna AI, a Japanese virtual YouTube host, or VTuber for short

A virtual influencer, at times described as a virtual persona or virtual model, is a computer-generated fictional character that can be used for a variety of marketing-related purposes, but most frequently for social media marketing, in lieu of human "influencers". Most virtual influencers are designed using computer graphics and motion capture technology to resemble real people in realistic situations.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Common derivatives of virtual influencers include VTubers, which broadly refer to online entertainers and YouTubers who represent themselves using virtual avatars instead of their physical selves.

History

Virtual influencers are fundamentally synonymous with virtual idols, which originate from Japan's anime and Japanese idol culture that dates back to the 1980s.[7] The first virtual idol created was Lynn Minmay, a fictional singer and main character of the anime television series Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) and the animated film adaptation Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984). Minmay's success led to the production of more Japanese virtual idols, such as EVE from the Japanese cyberpunk anime Megazone 23 (1985), and Sharon Apple in Macross Plus (1994).[8][9] Virtual idols were not always well received – in 1995, Japanese talent agency Horipro created Kyoko Date, which was inspired by the Macross franchise and dating sim games such as Tokimeki Memorial (1994). Date failed to gain commercial success despite drawing headlines for her debut as a CGI idol, largely due to technical limitations leading to issues such as unnatural movements, an issue also known as the uncanny valley.[10][11]

Since their inception, many virtual idols created have achieved continual success, with notable names including the Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku, and the virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI. Technological advancements have also enabled production teams to use artificial intelligence and advanced techniques to customize the personalities and behavior of virtual idols.[12]

Benefits

From a branding perspective, virtual influencers are much less likely to be mired in scandals. In China, celebrities caught in bad publicity such as singer Wang Leehom and entertainer Kris Wu have heightened the appeal of virtual influencers, since their existence relies entirely on computer-generated imagery, and hence are unlikely to cause any damage to a brand's image by association.[13] Some studies have also suggested that Generation Z consumers have a unique appetite for virtual idols and influencers, since they grew up in the age of the internet.[14] Studies also show that human-like appearance of virtual influencers show higher message credibility than anime-like virtual influencers.[15]

Notable examples

Virtual bands

  • Eternity - A South Korean virtual idol group formed by Pulse9.
  • Gorillaz - A virtual band formed in 1998.
  • K/DA - A virtual K-pop girl group created as part of the League of Legends video game franchise.[16]
  • MAVE: - A South Korean virtual girl group formed in 2023 by Metaverse Entertainment.
  • Pentakill - A virtual heavy metal band created as part of the League of Legends video game franchise.
  • Plave (band) - A South Korean virtual boy band formed by VLast.
  • Studio Killers - A Finnish-Danish-British virtual band formed in 2011.

Vocaloids

VTubers

Other examples

See also

References

  1. ^ Hsu, Tiffany (June 17, 2019). "These Influencers Aren't Flesh and Blood, Yet Millions Follow Them". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  2. ^ Tayenaka, Torrey (July 31, 2020). "CGI-Created Virtual Influencers Are the New Trend in Social Media Marketing". Entrepreneur. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  3. ^ "Inside the mind of virtual influencer Rae: "If I want, almost everything I imagine can become a reality"". sg.news.yahoo.com. December 30, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  4. ^ "The Rise of the Virtual Being". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  5. ^ "Fixing Social Media – MAS S.67 // Spring 2020". Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  6. ^ "I Am a Model and I Know That Artificial Intelligence Will Eventually Take My Job". Vogue. July 21, 2020.
  7. ^ "The Fictional (Yet Amazingly Popular) Singers of Japan". Kotaku. September 7, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  8. ^ Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2015). The anime encyclopedia : a century of Japanese animation. Berkeley, California. ISBN 978-1-61172-909-2. OCLC 904144859.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ^ Rattray, Tim (June 25, 2018). "From Macross to Miku: A History of Virtual Idols". Crunchyroll.
  10. ^ St. Michel, Patrick (July 15, 2016). "A Brief History of Virtual Pop Stars". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  11. ^ "Japan's Newest Heartthrobs Are Sexy, Talented and Virtual". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. ^ "Virtual influencers 101: A guide for small and medium business owners". NCR. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  13. ^ "China's virtual idols are reshaping the ways brands reach Gen Z consumers". KrASIA. January 28, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  14. ^ "艾媒咨询|2021中国虚拟偶像行业发展及网民调查研究报告(附下载)-艾媒网". www.iimedia.cn. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  15. ^ Kim, Eunjin (Anna); Kim, Donggyu; E, Zihang; Shoenberger, Heather (2023). "The next hype in social media advertising: Examining virtual influencers' brand endorsement effectiveness". Frontiers in Psychology. 14. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1089051. PMC 10026852. PMID 36949930.
  16. ^ "Riot Games adds to its world of virtual influencers who promote 'League of Legends'". Engadget. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  17. ^ a b "Mixing reality and fantasy, virtual influencers thrive amid the pandemic | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
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