Virtual influencer

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A representation of Kizuna AI, a Japanese virtual YouTube host, or VTuber for short Kizuna AI artwork.png
A representation of Kizuna AI, a Japanese virtual YouTube host, or VTuber for short

A virtual influencer, at times described as a virtual persona or virtual model, is a computer-generated fictional character that can be used for a variety of marketing-related purposes, but most frequently for social media marketing, in lieu of human "influencers". Most virtual influencers are designed using computer graphics and motion capture technology to resemble real people in realistic situations. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Common derivatives of virtual influencers include VTubers, which broadly refer to online entertainers and YouTubers who represent themselves using virtual avatars instead of their physical selves.

Contents

History

Virtual influencers are fundamentally synonymous with virtual idols, which originate from Japan's anime and Japanese idol culture that dates back to the 1980s. [7] The first virtual idol created was Lynn Minmay, a fictional singer and main character of the anime television series Super Dimension Fortress Macross (1982) and the animated film adaptation Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984). Minmay's success led to the production of more Japanese virtual idols, such as EVE from the Japanese cyberpunk anime Megazone 23 (1985), and Sharon Apple in Macross Plus (1994). [8] [9] Virtual idols were not always well received – in 1995, Japanese talent agency Horipro created Kyoko Date, which was inspired by the Macross franchise and dating sim games such as Tokimeki Memorial (1994). Date failed to gain commercial success despite drawing headlines for her debut as a CGI idol, largely due to technical limitations leading to issues such as unnatural movements, an issue also known as the uncanny valley. [10] [11]

Since their inception, many virtual idols created have achieved continual success, with notable names including the Vocaloid singer Hatsune Miku, and the virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI. Technological advancements have also enabled production teams to use artificial intelligence and advanced techniques to customize the personalities and behavior of virtual idols. [12]

Benefits

From a branding perspective, virtual influencers are much less likely to be mired in scandals. In China, celebrities caught in bad publicity such as singer Wang Leehom and entertainer Kris Wu have heightened the appeal of virtual influencers, since their existence relies entirely on computer-generated imagery, and hence are unlikely to cause any damage to a brand's image by association. [13] Some studies have also suggested that Generation Z consumers have a unique appetite for virtual idols and influencers, since they grew up in the age of the internet. [14] Studies also show that human-like appearance of virtual influencers show higher message credibility than anime-like virtual influencers. [15]

Notable examples

Virtual bands

Vocaloids

VTubers

Other examples

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Super Dimension Fortress Macross</i> Science fiction anime series

Super Dimension Fortress Macross is an anime television series from 1982. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war. It is the first part of: The Super Dimension trilogy and the Macross franchise.

<i>Macross</i> Mecha anime franchise

Macross is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the human race after the year 1999, as well as the history of humanoid civilization in the Milky Way. It consists of four TV series, four movies, six OVAs, one light novel, and five manga series, all sponsored by Big West, in addition to 40 video games set in the Macross universe, two crossover games, and a wide variety of physical merchandise.

<i>Macross: Do You Remember Love?</i> 1984 Japanese film

The Super Dimension Fortress Macross: Do You Remember Love?, also known as Macross: Do You Remember Love? or Super Spacefortress Macross, is a 1984 Japanese animated space opera film based on the Macross anime television series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynn Minmay</span> Fictional character in The Macross franchise

Lynn Minmay is a fictional anime character from the Super Dimension Fortress Macross television series and Macross: Do You Remember Love? movie. She is also in Macross: Flash Back 2012 music video collection. The first Macross series and its Minmay character was adapted as the first part of the Robotech television series. Minmay is the embodiment of the music that plays a crucial role in setting Macross apart; as such, she has become the iconic character of that series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese idol</span> Type of entertainer

An idol is a type of entertainer marketed for image, attractiveness, and personality in Japanese pop culture. Idols are primarily singers with training in other performance skills such as acting, dancing, and modeling. Idols are commercialized through merchandise and endorsements by talent agencies, while maintaining a parasocial relationship with a financially loyal consumer fan base.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shōji Kawamori</span> Japanese Anime creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer

Shōji Kawamori is a Japanese anime creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the Macross mecha anime franchise and the Diaclone toyline, which were in turn the basis for the Robotech and Transformers franchises, respectively. He is also known for creating The Vision of Escaflowne anime series. He pioneered several innovative concepts in his works, such as transforming mecha and virtual idols. His work has had a significant impact on popular culture, both in Japan and internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vocaloid</span> Singing voice synthesizer software

Vocaloid is a singing voice synthesizer software product. Its signal processing part was developed through a joint research project between Yamaha Corporation and the Music Technology Group in Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona. The software was ultimately developed into the commercial product "Vocaloid" that was released in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virtual band</span> Real musical group with fictional members

In entertainment, a virtual band is a band or music group whose depicted members are not people, but animated characters or virtual avatars. The music is recorded by real musicians and producers, while any media related to the virtual band, including albums, video clips and the visual component of stage performances, feature the animated line-up; in many cases the virtual band members have been credited as the writers and performers of the songs. Live performances can become rather complex, requiring perfect synchronization between the visual and audio components of the show.

Kizuna (絆) is a Japanese word meaning "bond". It may also refer to:

Japanese popular culture includes Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, anime, manga, video games, music, and doujinshi, all of which retain older artistic and literary traditions; many of their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional forms, are not only forms of entertainment but also factors that distinguish contemporary Japan from the rest of the modern world. There is a large industry of music, films, and the products of a huge comic book industry, among other forms of entertainment. Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke parlors are well-known hangout places for teens while older people may play shogi or go in specialized parlors. Since the end of the US occupation of Japan in 1952, Japanese popular culture has been influenced by American media. However, rather than being dominated by American products, Japan localised these influences by appropriating and absorbing foreign influences into local media industries. Today, Japanese popular culture stands as one of the most prominent and influential popular cultures around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hatsune Miku</span> Singing voice synthesizer software

Hatsune Miku, officially code-named CV01, is a Vocaloid software voicebank developed by Crypton Future Media and its official anthropomorphic mascot character, a 16-year-old girl with long, turquoise twintails. Miku's personification has been marketed as a virtual idol, and has performed at live virtual concerts onstage as an animated projection.

<i>Hatsune Miku: Unofficial Hatsune Mix</i> Japanese manga

Hatsune Miku: Unofficial Hatsune Mix is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Kei, the original artist of Vocaloid 2 Hatsune Miku. The manga was originally based on Miku, but came to feature other Vocaloid 1 and 2 characters as the series progressed. The manga was serialized in Jive's shōnen manga magazine Comic Rush between the January 2008 and December 2010 issues. However, the characters and settings depicted in this manga are not official. It is licensed for distribution in North America by Dark Horse Comics, who released the entire series in one volume in 2014.

Miku may refer to:

Crypton Future Media, Inc., or simply Crypton, is a Japanese media company based in Sapporo, Japan. It develops, imports, and sells products for music, such as sound generator software, sampling CDs and DVDs, and FX and BGM libraries. The company also provides services of online shopping, online community, and mobile content.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MikuMikuDance</span> Freeware 3D animation program for Windows

MikuMikuDance is a freeware animation program that lets users animate and create computer-animated films, originally produced for the Japanese Vocaloid voice synthesizer software voicebank Hatsune Miku, the first member of the Character Vocal series created by Crypton Future Media. The program itself was programmed by Yu Higuchi (HiguchiM) and has gone through significant upgrades since its creation. Its production was made as part of the VOCALOID Promotion Video Project (VPVP).

Vocaloid is a singing voice synthesizer and the first engine released in the Vocaloid series. It was succeeded by Vocaloid 2. This version was made to be able to sing both English and Japanese.

Kyoko Date is a "virtual idol" associated with Horipro. She made her debut in 1996 as a 3D CG character. Despite her virtual nature, she was treated as talent by Horipro. She never enjoyed great popularity, but after her debut she intermittently continued her activities until 2007. Two related characters named Kaori Date and Ayano Date would eventually follow in her footsteps, with the former being a model and the latter becoming a VTuber.

Miquela Sousa, also called Lil Miquela, or known mononymously by the stage name Miquela, is a fictional American character, singer and social media personality created by Trevor McFedries and Sara DeCou. The character was created as a 20-year-old girl of Brazilian-American heritage. The character began in 2016 as an Instagram profile that details a fictional narrative which presents Miquela as a CGI character and model in conflict with other digital projects while marketing a variety of brands, primarily in fashion. Miquela has been featured in product endorsements for streetwear and luxury brands such as Calvin Klein and Prada. The account gained more than a million followers within its first two years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kizuna AI</span> Japanese virtual YouTuber

Kizuna AI is a Japanese virtual YouTuber (VTuber) currently part of Kizuna AI Inc., a subsidiary of digital entertainment company Activ8. From her debut in 2016 until 2021, she was the most subscribed VTuber on YouTube, with more than 4 million subscribers across three YouTube channels, 1 million subscribers on Chinese video platform Bilibili. Kizuna AI posted her first YouTube video on her "A.I.Channel" on 29 November 2016. A second channel, "A.I.Games", was opened in March 2017 for gaming content, and a third, "A.I.Channel China", opened in June 2019 for a Chinese audience. After a live concert held on 24 February 2022, she went on indefinite hiatus.

<i>Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!</i> 2020 Japanese mobile rhythm game

Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! is a rhythm game developed by Colorful Palette and published by Sega. The game is a spin-off from Sega's Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA series, and features 6 Virtual Singers of Crypton Future Media, Hatsune Miku (初音ミク), Megurine Luka (巡音ルカ), Kagamine Rin and Len (鏡音リン・レン), MEIKO (メイコ), and KAITO (カイト), alongside the cast of 20 original human characters that are split into five themed units. Set in the real world where Virtual Singers only exist as fiction, the characters come across another dimension called "SEKAI," where various "true feelings" are projected.

References

  1. ↑ Hsu, Tiffany (17 June 2019). "These Influencers Aren't Flesh and Blood, Yet Millions Follow Them". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  2. ↑ Tayenaka, Torrey (31 July 2020). "CGI-Created Virtual Influencers Are the New Trend in Social Media Marketing". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "Inside the mind of virtual influencer Rae: "If I want, almost everything I imagine can become a reality"". sg.news.yahoo.com. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Rise of the Virtual Being". Wired. ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  5. ↑ "Fixing Social Media – MAS S.67 // Spring 2020" . Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "I Am a Model and I Know That Artificial Intelligence Will Eventually Take My Job". Vogue. 21 July 2020.
  7. ↑ "The Fictional (Yet Amazingly Popular) Singers of Japan". Kotaku. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  8. ↑ Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2015). The anime encyclopedia : a century of Japanese animation. Berkeley, California. ISBN   978-1-61172-909-2. OCLC   904144859.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  9. ↑ Rattray, Tim (June 25, 2018). "From Macross to Miku: A History of Virtual Idols". Crunchyroll.
  10. ↑ St. Michel, Patrick (15 July 2016). "A Brief History of Virtual Pop Stars". Pitchfork. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  11. ↑ "Japan's Newest Heartthrobs Are Sexy, Talented and Virtual". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "Virtual influencers 101: A guide for small and medium business owners". NCR. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "China's virtual idols are reshaping the ways brands reach Gen Z consumers". KrASIA. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  14. ↑ "艾媒咨询|2021中国虚拟偶像行业发展及网民调查研究报告(附下载)-艾媒网". www.iimedia.cn. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  15. ↑ Kim, Eunjin (Anna); Kim, Donggyu; E, Zihang; Shoenberger, Heather (2023). "The next hype in social media advertising: Examining virtual influencers' brand endorsement effectiveness". Frontiers in Psychology. 14. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1089051 . PMC   10026852 . PMID   36949930.
  16. ↑ "Riot Games adds to its world of virtual influencers who promote 'League of Legends'". Engadget. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
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