KOL Virtual – Future Marketing Trend for Businesses
Virtual Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are becoming the new idols for many young people, especially Gen Z. Despite existing solely in the digital space, they have proven to be highly influential, with characteristics that rival real-life influencers. Let’s explore what virtual KOLs are and how they compare to human KOLs in terms of advantages and disadvantages.
What is a Virtual KOL?
A virtual KOL or virtual influencer is a digital character created using CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) technology. These influencers closely resemble real people and have carefully crafted personalities, passions, and lifestyles. They engage with audiences just like human influencers by sharing daily activities, work experiences, and personal stories on social media platforms.
Advantages of Virtual KOLs Over Human KOLs
There are two main reasons why brands are shifting towards virtual KOLs instead of traditional influencers:
- Campaigns featuring human KOLs are becoming repetitive and predictable, making them less engaging for audiences.
- The rise of the metaverse suggests that digital interactions will become the primary way users engage with brands in the future.
Virtual KOLs offer significant advantages, making them a promising alternative for brands.
The Appeal of Virtual KOLs
Even though they exist only in the digital world, many virtual KOLs have built loyal communities of followers and gained substantial influence across various industries.
For example, the debut of Ayayi, a virtual KOL created by Ranmai Technology, received over 3 million views on her first post and attracted 40,000 followers overnight on Xiaohongshu (China’s social media platform). Moreover, her brand collaborations have generated thousands of engagements, proving that public interest in virtual KOLs can rival that of real-life influencers.
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Highly Adaptable & Visually Versatile
Since virtual KOLs are entirely digital, they are not limited by physical constraints such as age, body shape, or appearance. These AI-generated figures can adapt to various fashion styles, effortlessly showcasing outfits that might be challenging for real people to wear convincingly.
Additionally, companies developing virtual influencers can analyze audience preferences and fine-tune their personalities, emotions, and aesthetics to better resonate with specific target demographics.
No Controversies or Scandals
Partnering with human influencers comes with reputational risks, including personal scandals, controversial statements, or political issues, which can result in financial losses for brands.
In contrast, virtual KOLs are entirely managed and controlled by their creators, ensuring that their public image remains scandal-free. Since every interaction, public statement, and brand collaboration is carefully curated, companies can minimize risks while maintaining a positive online presence.
Disadvantages of Using Virtual KOLs
Although virtual influencers offer many benefits, they are not a perfect solution for two main reasons:
- The cost of creating a 3D character is very high.
- It takes a lot of time to build their image.
As a result, virtual KOLs cannot be widely adopted immediately. Only large brands have the resources to experiment with them.
The technology behind virtual KOLs—CGI—only provides a visually appealing experience, but it struggles to establish high credibility. When it comes to product reviews, the public is unlikely to fully trust a fictional character.
There are still many challenges that brands must face when choosing to advertise with virtual KOLs. To succeed, companies need a detailed promotional strategy, a long-term plan for shaping the CGI character’s image, and a clear understanding of their target fanbase—who are also their potential customers.
Famous Virtual KOLs Today
With these advantages, many companies and brands have joined the race to create their own virtual characters. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent names in the virtual KOL market today!
Ayayi
Ayayi is a technological creation by Ranmai Technology and the first Metahuman (ultra-realistic digital human) in China, launched in May 2021.
Her stunning and captivating appearance has attracted a large and enthusiastic fan community. Some fans have even designed virtual outfits for her and shared them online.
Ayayi’s influence quickly caught the attention of major brands. She was invited to participate in the Mickey: The True Original Exhibition in Shanghai. Before that, Guerlain officially announced a partnership with Ayayi and invited her to the Honey Garden Party in June 2021.
In the future, Ayayi’s management company plans to have her collaborate with famous artists on music projects released across multiple digital platforms, creating direct interaction between virtual and real-life KOLs.
Ling
Ling made her public debut in May 2020 and was created using AI technology by two Chinese tech companies—Shanghai Xmov and Beijing Cishi Cultural Media.
Her style blends traditional Chinese beauty with contemporary street fashion, making her highly appealing to young people, especially those who love the neo-classical aesthetic.
Unlike other virtual KOLs, Ling does not have any images depicting her “daily life.” Every image of her is branded or part of a product advertisement.
Within just one year of her debut, Ling gained over 130,000 followers on Weibo and signed modeling contracts with well-known brands like Tesla, Vogue, and Nayuki—one of China’s largest bubble tea brands.
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Lil Miquela
Miquela Sousa, better known as Lil Miquela, first appeared in April 2016 as both a model and singer. According to her creators, she was introduced as a 19-year-old Brazilian-American.
Currently, Miquela has over 3 million followers on Instagram and has released 15 singles on Spotify. Thanks to her popularity, she has become the face of advertising campaigns for major brands such as Prada, Samsung, and Calvin Klein.
What sets Lil Miquela apart from other virtual KOLs is her well-developed personality and interests. She can even experience human-like health issues such as skin allergies, colds, and fevers.
Her managing company, Brud, has marketed her as “the future of advertising and fashion.” Brud has raised $125 million in investments, largely due to Lil Miquela’s appeal. The company believes that virtual models like her will soon become a major trend, offering a nearly flawless appearance, effectively delivering brand messages, and maintaining a clean image—free from scandals or negative publicity that could harm a brand’s reputation.
Conclusion
Virtual KOLs are becoming increasingly important among young audiences and are expected to grow in influence in the near future. This represents a new approach for brands seeking to connect with Gen Z consumers.
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