January 30, 2019 9:48 am
Published by Mikyron Padayachee
2018 saw the rise of virtual influencers. The subject of Virtual Influencers has rocked the influencer landscape leaving both marketers and influencers a bit confused. What is a virtual influencer? Are Virtual Influencers a fad or are they here to stay? How will Virtual Influencers affect me?
In 2018 the demand for influencer marketing increased significantly. The World Federation of Advertisers reported that 65% of marketers are looking to scale their use of influencers in the next 12 months. While the influencer industry has risen, so have the machines! With audiences in the millions, some virtual influencers have already collaborated with heavyweight brands like Prada and Gucci.
What is a virtual influencer?
A virtual influencer is a computer-generated avatar that uses artificial intelligence to operate on social media channels in the same way a human influencer would. Much like a human influencer, virtual influencers can gain popularity and collaborate with brands who want to use their influence to communicate the brand’s story with an audience. One of the most popular virtual Influencers is Lil Miquela, a “19 year old” computer generated model with over 1.5 million Instagram followers. Miquela has worked with fashion brands Prada and Channel. Another example of a virtual influencer is Shundu, the world’s first digital supermodel. Shundu collaborated with Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty lipstick. The collaboration went viral.
Human influencers come and go, however, IP lives forever
Human influencers have a ceiling to their potential. Virtual IP has almost unlimited potential. There are companies such as SuperPlastic, a designer toy company turned digital agency for virtual influencers, who are exploring possibilities of using AI and technology platforms to revolutionize entertainment and social media. They can do this by creating interactive games and using trends created by virtual influencer to influence a certain way of life.
The company behind virtual influencer Lil Miquela, Brud, is now worth at least $125 million after a new round of financing the company is currently closing. Investors are backing virtual influencer companies mainly because they are creating content that is free from the personalities and scandals that has defined a generation of social media stars.
Fad or are we living in an episode of Black Mirror?
For the foreseeable future, virtual influencers are not going anywhere. The success of virtual influencers like Lil Miquela and the incredible amount of venture capital that is being invested in virtual influencer companies means that we should all be prepared to see many more virtual influencers on our timelines. While virtual influencers may be fake, their audiences are real. According to managing director of Kantar, Gagan Bhalla, “What matters is not whether something exists or not, rather how creatively can a story be built around it – take Marvel or DC superheroes. They don’t exist, yet movies based on them are huge box-office grossers.”
What does this all mean for human influencers?
Human stories that are aspirational and inspirational will always be relevant. Brands will still want their stories to be associated with human stories that are in line with their identity and vision. After all, it is humans who will be buying their products. With this being said, more than ever, human influencers have a huge responsibility to uphold an appropriate image and follow FTC guidelines at all times while creating content that is engaging and authentic. As an influencer, you are now not only competing with other humans but also with technology.
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January 9, 2019 9:10 am
Published by Mikyron Padayachee
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”- Malcolm X
Are you a marketer or an influencer? Do you want to sharpen your expertise in Influencer Marketing, understand the latest trends in Influencer Marketing, stand out from your peers, become an asset to the brands or agencies you work for and receive recognition from your skills and Influencer Marketing intuition which will support movement in your career path, business or as an influencer?
We have produced a course on Influencer Marketing for brands, entrepreneurs and influencers who want to maximize this media channel.
Introduction to Influencer Marketing by Murray Legg on Vimeo.
Being such a new discipline, the landscape of influencer marketing can be tricky to navigate. The success of every influencer campaign can hinge on a marketer or influencers knowledge about influencer marketing principles and how best to execute these principles. Most institutions are yet to include influencer marketing into their syllabuses, leaving most marketers and influencers in the dark about how best to run and contribute to an influencer campaign.
But do not fear! We have created a course for digital, social media and online marketers interested in influencer marketing strategy, fundamentals and campaign success, as well as for Influencers who want to become proficient and professional at working with brands and agencies.
By completing the course, you’ll have gained knowledge of the following:
- Be fluent in the fundamentals of Influencer Marketing
- Be able to formulate an effective influencer marketing strategy and roll out a plan
- Be aware of the typical use cases for influence marketing, including awareness, growth in your brand’s social capital, and sales
- Understand how Influencer Marketing fits into a digital media strategy
- Know the influencer archetypes and where best to use them
- Appreciate the model of Shared Value between brands, audiences, and influencers
- Compile campaign targeting for a specific audience, media channel, and budget
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August 13, 2018 11:12 am
Published by Cara Shepherd
Google has provided amazing insights into the revolution of how shopping has changed with digital video. Here are their key points summarized:
Recommendations over what to buy have increased in popularity with the increase of choices in product and brands. Online reviews have become a ‘go-to’ prior to purchase for products big and small. The “Try-before-you-buy” mindset has completely shifted the way people buy things. For help when choosing what products are on trend and which brands to trust, consumers are turning to YouTube.
Video is such a rich media that consumers are able to gain much more information from a review. From actual colors of an eyeshadow to hand feel of a handset device, video not only has more visual queues for consumers but also the feedback from a creator they admire.
In recent years, digital video has become useful for more than just market research and approval ratings, but also for shopping inspiration.
In short, brands are able to influence consumers at the very beginning of their journey to purchase! To get some more insight into this phenomenon Google spoke to three leading YouTubers about the biggest trends in YouTube Shopping.
3 YouTube Shopping Trends
1) Shop with me
Amber Scholl
“Watching a shop with me video is like shopping with your friend — except your ‘friend’ is just someone you admire and feel like you know, and you’re not actually there with them in person. Still, you get to see what stores they visit, what they try on, and what they buy. And you get to hear about the deals they find along the way. Most of the time the videos are about clothes shopping, but I’ve featured everything from groceries to home decor to beauty in mine.
While the majority of my audience loves shopping, there are people who watch purely for entertainment. Even then, though, I’ve heard from fans who had no intention of buying things in stores but ended up changing their minds when they saw how easy and fun it can be. I also get a lot of messages from fans who have felt really inspired by these videos — people saying I gave them wedding outfit ideas, helped them rekindle their love for sparkly items, and showed them that fashion is still accessible on a budget.”
2) Hauls
Carla Stevenné
“Haul videos — which showcase what someone bought on a shopping trip — aren’t new, but creators keep making them, and our fans keep tuning in for them. I think that’s because they give people an opportunity to watch someone who isn’t an actor or model interact with things they might have seen on a website or in a magazine. The format has evolved a bit over the years, though. In the past, creators would just quickly mention a product they’d bought and then move on. Now they take the time to describe each item, say where they bought it, and explain why they chose it.
I tend to find my viewers come looking for haul videos around new holidays, seasons, and trends. It’s at these times that they’re searching for inspiration and ideas on what to buy, which is why a lot of my haul videos have themes, like back to school or one of the four seasons.”
3) First impressions
Karen Yeung, IAMKARENO
“In first-impression videos, a creator either buys a product for the first time or buys from a store they haven’t shopped at before. They’re essentially really authentic on-the-spot product reviews, which is what sets them apart from other shopping inspiration videos, where creators have often already interacted with a product, or at least formed an opinion on it.
A lot of my first-impression videos feature apparel, although other creators make them for makeup, skincare, shoes, electronics, and more. I like to look at the item I’m showcasing, talk about how it fits and the fabric it’s made of, and say whether or not I’d buy it again. I’ve established some credibility among my fans as a fashion creator, so they value my opinion and watch my first impressions to see what I think about something.
Seeing a real person try out these products in real time can help inspire a viewer’s next purchase, especially when this ‘real person’ is a creator who they trust will tell the truth.”
You can read the original version of this article by Google here.
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