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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), metaverse, cryptocurrency — technology is rapidly changing the world as we know it. Before one could grasp these concepts fully, the news of India’s first virtual influencer (VI), Kyra, surfaced online. With around 113k followers on Instagram (@kyraonig), Kyra is a 21-year-old lifestyle digital avatar from Mumbai. Launched in December 2021 by Himanshu Goel, business head at a marketing firm, TopSocial India, Kyra is a model and traveller with a flair for style. “When we saw there’s a rise of virtual influencers across the world, we knew we had to tap its potential in India, too,” informs Goel.
Internationally, some of the most followed lifestyle VIs are Lu do Magalu (magazineluiza) from Brazil with 5.9M followers, Miquela (@lilmiquela), from US with 3M followers and Imma (imma.gram), from Japan with 407k followers, among others.
What is a VI?
A VI is a digital character made using computer graphics simulating human qualities. It has its own personality with quirks and realistic biases. Wataru Matsumoto, senior content director at Aww Inc., a virtual human agency, says, “Virtual humans are increasing day by day. When metaverse and Web3 will become a common thing, the existence of virtual humans will become natural.”
What does a VI do?
Just like real influencers utilise their social media to influence people’s buying behaviour, VIs, too, are developed as a marketing tool for brands to attract relevant customers. Gartner predicts 30% of influencer marketing budgets will be allocated to virtual influencers by 2025. “The influencer marketing industry is worth billions of dollars according to various estimates. In the coming years, brands will be investing a part of their influencer marketing budgets to innovations in this space,” says Goel, adding, “We already have a lot of interest from brands who want to work with Kyra.”
Intersection with fashion
While in 2018, Balmain used virtual models, Margot, Shudu, and Zhi, for one of its campaigns, Prada collaborated with Miquela to promote its Fall 2018 collection. Closer home, designers such as Manish Malhotra, Anamika Khanna, Pankaj & Nidhi, etc. have dabbled with the NFT world, witnessing firsthand the power of digital media. “Whether it be experimenting with NFT projects in the metaverse or virtual influencers, designers entering this space would open people’s eyes to the possibility of virtual influencers playing a key role in fashion marketing,” says Malhotra.
Recently, designer Shubhika Sharma, founder and CEO, Papa Don’t Preach became the first Indian designer to participate in a metaverse platform showcasing her garments via virtual models. “Being the first designer in this category is really exciting but also challenging due to certain limitations. I hope, through this we open doors for more exciting and bigger things in the Indian fashion industry,” she shares.
Virtual vs Real
With more creative freedom and cost-effectiveness, one wonders if VIs could replace their real-life counterparts in the long run. “Even though virtual influencers are on the rise, human influencers might never go out of style, especially with how important authenticity is becoming,” says fashion influencer Masoom Minawala. Influencer Niharika NM thinks there is potential for virtual influencers with the ever-growing content creation industry: “We might not see VIs (take over) in the next few years but soon they, too, will exploit the realms of social media among us.”
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