With the popularity of virtual idols such as Miquela, Imma, and Rozy in recent years, the commercialization path of virtual idols has gradually been verified.
Virtual idol Miquela
Many global brands are starting to enable virtual idols in advertising campaigns, with long-term agreements with them. Brands such as Dior, Balenciaga, Prada and others are starting to appear in virtual idols' social accounts.
Virtual idol Miquela
Due to the epidemic, many models are unable to carry out offline catwalk and advertising shooting, which directly catalyzes the promotion of virtual idol brokerage business around the world.
They are not only closer to real people in appearance, but also have hyper-realistic features such as expressions, pores, hair, and skin texture lines, and strive to achieve high-intensity restoration of real people, to achieve the degree of fake and real, and strive to be unique with real people in terms of human design and commercialization path.
Virtual idol Imma
According to research and market research institute Research AndMarkets, the global virtual event market is expected to reach $504.76 billion (about 3,270.744 billion yuan) by 2028. Such a huge market size is a very big temptation for both traditional brokers and innovative companies.
Maybe you have become accustomed to domestic virtual idols such as AYAYI, Luo Tianyi, Liu Yexi, ah Xi, etc. Today we will change our visual experience and take a look at the overseas virtual idol market.
The virtual idol "Rozy" earns 1 billion won a year
In South Korea, the "land of star-making", there are many brokerage and technology companies that have tasted the sweetness of virtual idols.
South Korea's first virtual idol, "Rozy," developed by Sidus Studio-X last March, made a name for herself after an ad for insurer Shinhan Life, went viral and was just as busy as the other stars.
Virtual idol Rozy
Rozy's acting work includes shooting commercials, releasing music, and starring in TV series, breaking the talent limits of idols due to technology, so whether it is a model, singer, actor, or even the challenge of variety shows, she can perfectly grasp it and has moved towards the direction of "all-round artist".
The virtual influencer also participated in the promotion of PALDO bubble noodles, publicly taking photos with the popular South Korean actor Ding Haiyin, which triggered a lot of discussion for a while.
Rozy promotes THE PALDO bubble noodles
Rozy with popular South Korean actor Ding Hae-in
In order to make virtual people more "like people", in Rozy's creation, its studio created more than 800 faces for them, and the faces are also the faces that the younger generation loves. According to the data, at present, Rozy has signed more than 100 brands, and the annual revenue of 2021 has reached 1.5 billion won (about 8 million yuan).
A virtual idol like a real person
Rozy's 3D model
Like live idols, virtual idols build up their own fan bases through social platforms like Instagram and post their "daily lives" on social networks to interact with fans. On Rozy's Ins account, she had "traveled" to Singapore and would sip wine on the roof, and below the post was a crowd of fans praising her attire. Most fans are willing to interact with virtual idols like Rozy and find solace in their personal lives.
Lee Na-kyoung, 23, who lives in Incheon, South Korea, started following Rozy about two years ago, and Rozy has also shut her down, sometimes giving her comments. At first, Li Najing thought Rozy was a real person, but after she later discovered the truth, their friendship on the virtual network continued. "We communicated like friends and I felt comfortable chatting with her. So I don't see her as a virtual idol, but as a real friend. Li Najing said. I love what Rozy posts. She's so pretty, I can't believe she's a virtual person. ”
Rozy
Gradually enter the mainstream market
Abroad, the most prestigious virtual idol is the original American virtual idol Lil Miquela, who debuted on Instagram in 2016 and now has more than 3 million followers. Lil Miquela is an influencer, model, interviewee with fashion magazines, and musician, and the singles "Not Mine", "Money", "Sleeping In" and others released are among the top on Spotify.
Virtual idol Lil Miquela
Lil Miquela's commercial form is also relatively mature, including advertising implants, brand endorsements, video broadcasts, participation in fashion launches, etc., Chanel, Supreme, Fendi, Prada, Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Samsung and other brands have cooperated with it. In 2018, Lil Miquela was named "the most influential person on the Internet" by The Times, and Time magazine also named it one of the top 25 internet celebrities in the world in 2018.
In addition, foreign virtual idols such as Shudu and Imma have also attracted much attention. Known as "the world's first digital supermodel", Shudu signed a modeling contract with digital supermodel agency TheDiigitals.com and is one of the newest models in the Balmain family.
From left to right: Lil Miquela, Imma, Shude
Created by Japanese virtual idol agency Aw in collaboration with ModelingCafe, a CG company that specializes in modeling movies and games, Imma was featured on the cover of computer graphics magazine CG World in July 2019 as a spokesperson for well-known brands such as IKEA, Amazon, Valentino, Dior, Puma, Nike and Calvin Klein, and was also present at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Traditional model agencies cross the virtual idol field
In addition to purebred virtual people, some traditional model agencies have also begun to test the virtual idol business, creating their virtual avatars for their models.
Recently, Los Angeles-based model agency Photogenics set up a virtual business unit, which will work with 13 models to create and operate their avatars.
The production process involves scanning the faces of the models using a digital camera, then uploading them into an algorithm, creating 3D models from the images, and then beautifying the virtual shapes. Australian model Sedona Legge was one of Photogenics' first models. She said. "I will exist in both real and virtual modes and complete the work scenarios that I am good at. It will also be an attempt to extend my modeling career. ”
Australian model Sedona Legge and her virtual doppelganger
Photogenics believes that according to the different brands or projects, the style and age of virtual idols can be adapted, with the promotion of the virtual idol market, I believe that this form will save a lot of costs and time costs, and in the future, this form may even become the first choice for brand marketing promotion.
Why are brokerage firms willing to try early?
For the agency, the private life of the artist is like an untime bomb, and the key advantage of the virtual idol is that it can completely avoid the controversy of the private life.
Virtual icon Lil Miquela is getting a tattoo
In addition, virtual artists will not soar in renewal fees because they have gained high popularity, and these benefits make agencies willing to invest in developing such markets. For brands, working with virtual idols does not have to worry about the artist's personal disputes that may damage the brand image.
In addition, there are countless idols debuting every year, but there may be very few idols who can successfully bring huge benefits to the company in the end; Virtual idols can greatly reduce the cost of training, but also use technology to break the limitations of space and time, maximize the workload, brokerage companies are naturally willing to try to develop virtual markets.
Virtual idol Imma is shopping
The advantage of virtual idols is that their appearance does not get older over time, and they can even change depending on their needs.
The biggest shortcoming of music or virtual idols
If you look at the "field" of skills, the music market is the direction in which virtual idols are currently more difficult to succeed. Although virtual idols have been successful in advertising and social media, they still have not made much progress in the music market because virtual characters cannot "resonate" because they are different from real singers, they do not have "natural talents", but rely on "technological display", and lack personal characteristics, and can never move the public.
Especially in the circle of singers and idols who are very important in popularity support, if fans cannot see the "efforts and growth" of virtual idols, nor can they get actual interaction, they naturally cannot produce a sense of identity and loyalty. Without the support of a strong fan base, of course, it limits the development of virtual idols.
Although the virtual idol market is increasingly popular, many people are still skeptical about whether virtual idols such as models, singers and actors can gain popularity "enough to compete with real idols" for a long time.
But from another perspective, if virtual idols can create different cultures and resonate with real stars, it will inject a shot in the arm for the growing virtual idol market.