The Future Of Content: Virtual Avatars, Real Connections

Since its inception, social media has pushed the boundaries of human connection. Now, with the whole world heavily relying on digital, brands face new opportunities to meaningfully show up for audiences, and the possibilities with which we can interact with one another have flourished. So, it almost comes as no surprise the appearance of more and more digital… well, people. 

Fictional CGI influencers are the most well-known type of digital humans—a broad term that includes any realistic digital representation of a human. The likes of Lil Miquela and Imma are high quality works of CGI that started to frequently appear since 2016, growing in popularity in 2018. Despite typically being developed by entire teams or companies, these influencers are designed to be their own selves, distinct from their creators, and have blurred the lines between fiction and reality with their incredibly real look and feel. 

Another type of digital humans are 3D avatars. Unlike CGI influencers—3D models posed and rendered for content creation—virtual avatars are driven by a human actor in real-time capture. While function like detailed Instagram filters that reflect a user’s movements, some may use motion tracking suits for added realism. Kizuna AI is a popular Japanese 3D avatar who is among the first creators to explore this type of content. With an actress behind her moves and voice, she was also created to be her own self and, despite her cartoonish appearance, is presented to exist in our world alongside human content creators.

However, while some role-play, others present their avatars as another version of themselves—they don’t necessarily want to be perceived by their audience as any different from their human equivalent. CodeMiko is the perfect example: through her Just Chatting Twitch channel, her streams are a blend of both her digital and “real” identity, the former filled with unlimited creative possibilities, while the latter is more down-to-earth and personal.

Virtual avatars are mostly active on YouTube and Twitch, and are generally referred to as VTubers. Although they are already very popular in Japan, the Western VTuber space has been evolving, too, with popular Western YouTubers like PewDiePie, Pokimaine, and CDawgVA recently experimenting with their own animated selves. As technology and tools become increasingly more accessible to the general population, we will see more influencers unleashing their creativity through their own virtual avatars.

What Is The Allure of VTubers?

For those not integrated in the VTuber community, it might be harder to understand the appeal of content created by virtual avatar influencers. An intuitive reason could be anonymity. While it’s true that many creators prefer to publish content without having to reveal their faces or identity to the public, there are still many other reasons why creators choose this format to present themselves to the world.

For starters, it is convenient. Creators don’t need to have a home studio setup, get dressed, or do hair and makeup before getting in front of a camera, saving a lot of time and resources. 

But more than convenience, it’s also fun and allows for endless creative possibilities. Through avatars, creators can portray themselves however they want, so they can explore different looks, different genders, different identities, and play around with new ways to express themselves—which perhaps could be an even truer representation than they can show in real life. 

With the possibility of creating different characters, personalities, narratives, and ways of interacting with their community, virtual avatars enable creators to tell a bigger story.

Audiences Are Brought Closer Than Ever Before

The novelty of 3D avatars may boost these creators’ awareness, but it’s their potential for entertainment, education, and inspiration that keeps audiences coming back. These creators might present themselves as fictional avatars, but their personalities are real, and so are the emotions they spark on audiences and the connections they make with their communities. That is why the popularity of virtual creators remains intact despite claims that they are “not real” or may be “controlled by companies.” 

Although these emotions can also be triggered by your everyday human content creator, there’s one element that is exclusive to virtual avatars: the potential sense of play. Audiences get excited to see a virtual character exist and interact in their reality, and to participate in the narrative created by 3D avatar creators, almost as if the characters from a TV show popped out the screen into our world. This sense of play further engages and brings audiences even closer to creators.

The VTuber space is where the animated and the real worlds meet, allowing for new and exciting forms of entertainment that give us a sense of what the future of content and live production can become. These new content formats are expanding not only the ways we interact with technology and with each other, but also the ways in which brands can show up for their communities. The virtual world is filled with unlimited possibilities that can creatively inspire influencers and audiences alike.

Do you want to know how we can help your teams create an effective influencer strategy on Clubhouse? Check out our previous work and