Are CGI created models authentic?

The digital world of social media is constantly changing and transforming the way consumers are influenced. It’s not always easy to find the perfect social media influencer for a brand to collaborate with. In order to maintain authenticity, the influencer chosen has to be a true fan of the brand and its products, embody the brand ethos and have a following that is relevant to the consumer the brand is trying to reach. There’s a lot of rules and regulations, not to mention an inherent risk in a social media campaign going of plan when the influencer has full control. To combat these issues, some creative marketers are now choosing to create their own brand ambassadors using artificial intelligence. Virtual influencers, entirely computer created and generated with CGI are allowing companies to have full control over influencer marketing. They can control everything from the physical features of the “person” to the person’s personality, and everything in between from fashion style to food preferences.

 

Completely believable digital personas can be created and presented to the world through the lens of social media, Facebook, Instagram and so on. These digital creations can be singers such as Lil Miquela to supermodels such as Balmain’s Shudu Gram. These digital models are so believable that no one could of guessed otherwise, unless the creators revealed the truth. These digital personas become the face of brands, music labels, fashion houses and influence the world through their messages in the digital realm, with a team of marketers behind all that is put out into the world.

 

If the goal of using influencers is to have authentic content that represents the brand, do CGI created models take away from that authenticity? Not only do these virtual influencers, give brands more control, save them time from finding the right person to work with and reduces risks of backlash, virtual influencers also have a more engaged audience. This engagement is partially due to novelty but also because of the full control the marketers have in carving out the most effective messages. On the flip-side, will consumers want something that is more real? Will they want an opinion that comes from a real person, as opposed to a marketing team?