Virtual Content Creators, Digital Escapism and the Future of Influencer Marketing.
As a highly digitally integrated society, we are no strangers to the concept of having a “virtual persona”. The term itself is rather ambiguous, as it could be referring to anything from an idealized version of yourself projected through social media, or a 3D character you play as in an online multiplayer video game. But today I’ll be talking about a very specific kind of virtual persona, one that’s been steadily growing in popularity over the last few years, particularly on Youtube and Twitch. These are none other than Vtubers (shorthand for “Virtual Youtubers”.) These online entertainers are real people rigged up to a 3D model, mostly resembling the popular Japanese “Anime” art style, using motion capture software that tracks their movements. This digital avatar becomes their online entity, usually accompanied by an intricate backstory and character development.
Vtubing originated in Japan around the mid 2010s, with Ami Yamato being the first notable creator to have used the medium. However the concept truly rose to fame in 2016 with Kizuna AI, who was the first to find large scale success. Kizuna’s Youtube channel mainly consists of gaming, singing and vlog-style videos (all in Japanese), and has accumulated 4 million subscribers to-date. Her popularity expanded beyond Japan, and she became a well known figure amongst world wide fan communities of Japanese pop culture such as Anime (Japanese animation) and Vocaloid.
Fast-forward to 2021; Virtual Youtubers are thriving, not just in Asian markets but in the West as well. Vtubers (now also referred to as Vstreamers) have steadily taken over the Twitch platform. There are now Vtuber talent management companies such as Hololive and Vshojo that are pushing out dozens of Vtuber stars who are absolutely smashing twitch records. For example, female Vtuber ironmouse became the most watched Vtuber on Twitch in October 2021, as well as the 6th most watched female streamer on the platform. We are even seeing popular real-life creators, like Gaming Youtuber Pewdiepie and Twitch streamer Pokimane, creating their own virtual avatars and tapping into the Vtuber scene.
Vtubers as Part of a Bigger Picture
With talks of the Metaverse and new digital assets such as NFTs becoming a theme of the last year or so, the growth of virtual content creators is only fitting. People are becoming more intrigued by the possibilities of a virtual realm, and see it as a form of entertainment and escapism that could distract them from the series of unfortunate events that plague the real world. Vtubers aren’t just cute anime girls playing video games. Each of these characters come with their own lore and backstory, their channels almost acting as a portal into their own dimension that viewers can immerse themselves into. It feeds heavily into our human desire for digital escapism, that we usually find through things like social media and video games. Vtubing just takes it a step deeper.
What does this Mean for Business?
So let’s get to the real reason that you’re reading this article: how can virtual content creators be a marketing asset? Just like real-life influencers, Vtubers have incredibly loyal fanbases, ranging anywhere from 5,000 to 1 million followers on Twitch and even more in Youtube subscribers. Some of these fans are even willing to spend large amounts of money in the forms of donations, or monthly subscriptions in support of their favorite creators. Being a part of a few myself, these huge communities fostered by Vtubers within their channels are usually seen as a safe and trustworthy space for viewers.
This provides a great opportunity for strategic brand deals or sponsorships, especially if your product/service is related to the gaming or tech spaces. But there is still huge potential beyond these categories. For example, brands like UNIQLO and Hot Topic are well known for their pop culture collabs with brands like Disney and Pokemon. This could be replicated in the virtual world through Vtuber collaborations, with Vtubers placing virtual versions of a brand’s clothes onto their 3D models and hosting live stream events. The possibilities are endless.
Partnerships aside, Vtubing could also be a new means of brand storytelling. Mattel has already dabbled in this idea with their Barbie Vlog Series, and even Samsung recently captured people’s hearts with their virtual assistant character Sam. But there’s room for so much more creativity, with brands having entire content series, live events and experiential marketing featuring their own vtuber characters, establishing a completely new way to immerse their consumers.
What is important to remember when approaching this strategy is that authenticity is key. Brands must be wary of how they choose to integrate new digital trends into their strategy, as they can easily be accused of “bandwagoning”. Vtuber communities are extremely loyal and tight knit, and blatant commercialization is likely to be unwelcome. If you intend to enter this space you must first evaluate whether or not this form of content would make sense for not just your brand, but your target consumer as well. For example, vtubers may be a better fit for brands that are better integrated into popular culture (think fashion, food, music, and tech) as opposed to something like pharmaceuticals.
As the world continues to experience digital acceleration, we as a society will look more and more to the virtual world, not just for its utility but for the feeling of comfort we seem to gain from engaging with it. While video games, animation and film allow us some level of immersion, new possibilities of the elusive Metaverse allow us to take things even further. This results in a change in the way we as consumers view marketing, and we place value more on authenticity, trust and gratification. Tapping into these desires and really understanding the consumer thoughts process in regards to these technological advancements will be a key factor for marketing success going forward.
