Opinion | The rise of Asia’s virtual influencers: are we being manipulated?
- Virtual influencers are good news for brands: they don’t complain and they won’t lose followers due to scandals
- But they are incapable of forming authentic consumer opinions so it’s unclear how they benefit consumers and the wider public – regulation is long overdue
She stands rather tall at 5ft 7in (170cm), with ever so lightly freckled skin and not a hair out of place. Her motto is the somewhat bohemian-sounding hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning “no worries” that was immortalised in the wildly popular Disney animation The Lion King.
She’s from Seoul, South Korea. Her name in Korean means “one and only” and indeed, her emergence has marked a new era in influencer marketing in Asia. The sporty type, she loves surfing, skateboarding and running. Her birthday comes around every August 19, and yet she is forever 22.
In one post, she is resting her chin on her fist, in front of a dreamy archway covered entirely in pink blossoms and near a suitcase. She is looking every bit the glamorous jet-setter – or high-profile ambassador for a prominent luggage brand. The fact that she’s not a real person hasn’t affected her earning power. Appearing in advertisements for major brands, she is estimated to have pulled in over 2.5 billion won (US$1.8 million) last year.
In the three months after her debut in 2020, about 150 other computer-generated humans emerged on South Korea’s social media and advertising platforms. This may be a sign of things to come in Asia.
