{"id":10453,"date":"2022-06-20T07:30:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T07:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/?p=10453"},"modified":"2025-04-23T09:39:47","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T09:39:47","slug":"should-your-next-influencer-partnership-in-china-be-virtual","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/focus.cbbc.org\/should-your-next-influencer-partnership-in-china-be-virtual\/","title":{"rendered":"Should your next influencer partnership in China be virtual?"},"content":{"rendered":"

With Dior employing a virtual version of famous actress Angelababy (Angela 3.0) in one of its fashion shows, to world famous pianist Lang Lang appearing onstage alongside virtual singer Luo Tianyi, are brands and marketers moving away from real world KOLs and towards fully digital ones? And if so, what are the benefits and drawbacks for your brand? Juliette Pitt<\/strong> investigates<\/h2>\n

China is a global leader in influencer marketing, with the market for key opinion leaders (KOL) \u2013 the more common term for influencers in the Chinese context \u2013 reaching RMB 340 billion (\u00a341 billion) in 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic<\/a> has significantly increased the amount of time people spend online, and KOLs have become a crucial part of successful marketing in China. Today, Chinese consumers rank the opinions of influencers such as live streamers almost as highly as recommendations from family and friends when it comes to making purchasing decisions.<\/p>\n

However, with so many companies using paid influencer partnerships to promote their products or brand, some Chinese consumers are starting to get tired of the same old influencer content. As China\u2019s technology sector continues to develop rapidly, some have suggested that digitally generated \u2018virtual influencers\u2019 could be the future of influencer marketing in China and beyond.<\/p>\n

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What is a virtual influencer and how are they used? <\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cBy definition, a virtual influencer is a computer-generated fictional character who has the realistic characteristics and personality of a human. They can be used for a variety of marketing-related activities and are becoming a real force in the influencer marketing industry,\u201d explains Arnold Ma, CEO of digital creative agency Qumin. Famous Chinese virtual influencers include Ayayi, created by Ranmai Technology, and vocaloid Luo Tianyi , who has even performed in concert with Chinese pianist Lang Lang.<\/p>\n

Unlike real-life influencers, virtual influencers are AI-powered, meeting the expectations of Chinese consumers for the latest tech to be integrated into their day-to-day lives. Experts predict that the engagement rate of virtual influencers could be three times higher than that of their human counterparts, and the market is expected to be worth RMB 1.5 billion (\u00a3182 million) by 2023.<\/p>\n

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Virtual influencer Ayayi (image captured from Instagram @ ayayi.iiiii)<\/p><\/div>\n

Virtual influencers may be unable to build \u2018authentic\u2019 or \u2018emotional\u2019 relationships for themselves, but since they can be effectively programmed to fit in with a brand\u2019s aesthetic or values, the possibilities with a virtual influencer are endless. \u201cVirtual influencers increase the imagination and diversity of the influencer ecosystem. They could be an animal or a cartoon character, which would provide more potential for the format of content creation and business collaborations,\u201d says Robin Liu, co-founder of Influencer Hub International.<\/p>\n