This was originally published in Campaign Asia.
Companies are creating evermore realistic virtual humans—but experts in the region tell us if brands and consumers are ready to embrace this level of fake. We also explore the ethical and regulatory considerations.
Jasmin Hyde, Senior Account Manager at Icon Reputation, says that comfortable with it or not, behemoth brands such as Red Bull, Android, American Express and Cadbury have already proved it doesn’t take a human to sell, by creating some of the most memorable animated ads of all time.
"Whether it be animation, AI-generated computer-generated imagery (CGI) or cartoon, from a business perspective, there are several reasons why advertising without using human talent is beneficial. There is less expenditure on labour, generally a huge saving on production costs, and less time delays," says Hyde. "Virtual influencers also enable brands to have more control over messaging and the final output and can create ambassadors that ‘perfectly’ align with their brand."
But, Hyde adds, real influencers needn't lose any sleep at night as virtual influencers will not replace their human counterparts, but instead coexist.
