A. Guttmann
Research Lead covering media
Virtual influencers - statistics & facts
What happens when virtual and augmented reality meets social media? It creates a world of digital characters and computer-generated influencers. The fascination with virtual beings has slowly trickled into the influencer marketing industry. Companies that cooperate with virtual influencers have the power to shape them, meaning there are fewer risks regarding personal values and beliefs that could be harmful to a brand’s image or reputation. In fact, global data shows that an average of close to half of Influencers on Instagram were involved in fraudulent activity. Therefore, working with a virtual influencer would eliminate the risk of being associated with inauthentic and potentially harmful content. What is more, there are no physical limitations to virtual personas. If a company needs them to be doing cartwheels on the North Pole, then that is what they will do.
Popular virtual influencers – who are they?
All this customization is possible thanks to the talented creators of these avatars. One of the most prominent and talked about virtual influencers is Miquela Sousa (@lilmiquela). Created by the Los Angeles-based startup Brud, she has worked with brands such as Dior and Calvin Klein. As of August 2022, she had three million followers on Instagram and 3.6 million on TikTok. Another virtual personality is Noonoouri, created by a founder of a creative agency in Munich. An advocate for veganism and sustainable fashion, at the same time she had 400,000 followers on Instagram and over 7,500 on TikTok. Last but not least, the most commonly mentioned virtual influencer and one of the first to be created and gain such success, is Lu do Magalu. She was created in 2009 for the benefit of a Brazilian retail company, Magazine Luiza, when she first appeared on YouTube in a promotional video. Today, her following on Instagram stands at over six million while her TikTok account is followed by 6.8 million people.Who is interested in virtual influencers and why?
The list of active and successful virtual influencers is long and continues to grow in response to customer interest. A study of consumers in the United States conducted in March 2022 found that 58 percent of respondents were following a virtual influencer at the time. The popularity of these avatars was largest among adult Gen Z, among whom 75 percent admitted to following virtual influencers. The interest is certainly there, and as expected, much more prominent among younger consumers. The same study also asked whether consumers were buying products recommended by virtual influencers, however, the results indicated that purchases are not as popular, though younger audiences are more inclined to follow such recommendations. All in all, content and storytelling were the main reasons why consumers in the U.S. decided to follow virtual influencers at the time, while pure lack of interest was why they didn’t. Interestingly, some 24 percent said they didn’t even know such a thing existed. The most popular platforms where U.S. consumers followed virtual influencers in early 2022 were YouTube and Instagram, followed by TikTok and Facebook.Are virtual influencers going to last?
The costs of cooperating with virtual influencers remain a drawback, as generating and operating an avatar requires advanced talent and technology. Also, in a world where consumers are looking for more authenticity, virtual influencing stands in direct opposition. In the United Kingdom, for example, 67 percent of surveyed fashion and beauty buyers said it is important for influencers to be authentic, and 60 percent said influencers need to be relatable. Strict disclosure regulations will be necessary to make consumers comfortable when differentiating between what is real and what is not.
