Will the Virtual Influencer ruin it all?

In the past 10 years, the rise of social media influencers has dramatically shifted how brands interact with new and younger demographics.  It has gotten to the point where one does not need to be a celebrity before then, they could be famous simply for having a lot of likes and a lot of opinions online. Although many of these influencer/brand deals may save some money from traditional advertising routes, many of these influencers have gone on to create challenges for these brands. As these influencers are human, scandals come to light or, they may simply go out of favor for their audiences. Depending on the agreements these brands have with influencers, this can cause extreme damage to the brand's reputation. 

Brands are now looking for alternative ways to connect to these younger audiences (gen z and younger millennials) who are not easily swayed by traditional marketing campaigns. An alternative to this is a virtual influencer/brand ambassador. We have seen them for years, Lil Miquela, Guggimon, and others but what if, the brand had their own dedicated influencer. Cancel proof, no travel, no crazy schedules, no usage fees, or extensive contracts. Some brands are starting to opt for it. Olmeca presented Maria Margarita and Samsung unveiled G-Nusmas last year. 

A lot of the downsides to "real" influencers are what may make a brand go for a virtual influencer. But, what are the pros of a virtual influencer that are not dependent on the "real" influencers? In many ways, we are just cycling back to traditional marketing under a new name. Although some brands have been very happy with their virtual influencers, when a character/person is so heavily associated with just one brand, the younger demographics may not see this as inauthentic. It is a bet these brands are willing to take and they will need to figure out what really sets these virtual influencers apart from the "real" ones. Otherwise, the "real" influencers will be here to stay for a very long time. 

sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/10/18/the-rise-of-virtual-influencers-and-what-it-means-for-brands/?sh=83bf17e6b56c

https://news.samsung.com/global/an-out-of-this-world-whimsical-employee-meet-samsungs-newest-virtual-avatar-gnusmas

https://whiskeyraiders.com/article/maria-margarita-virtual-influencer-olmeca-tequila/