Source- Virtual Humans
Real human influencers are now a passe- at least according to some tech companies. Amid a surge of virtual influencers around the world, the uncanny resemblance to humans makes it harder for people to differentiate. India too has left people amused by its first ‘virtual’ influencer ‘Kyra’- a hyper-realistic virtual human who loves modelling, travelling and yoga.
‘Dream-chaser, model and traveller’ that’s what you will see if you go through this influencer’s Instagram page. Though she looks quite like any other quintessential fashionista, with flawless peachy skin and an effortlessly friendly attitude, it is difficult to believe that she is in fact, not real.
All you need to know about Kyra
After being inspired by different robot influencers around the world, Himanshu Goel, the creator of Kyra, sought to develop an Indian virtual influencer much like USA’s Lil Miquela and South Korea’s Rozy. Originally launched in the year 2020, under a different appearance, Kyra became India’s first virtual influencer. Since then, she has gone under an upgrade and makeover for her 2022 debut.
Source- Passionate in Marketing
This 22-year-old influencer from Delhi has a strong influence on the Instagram platform, with a small YouTube presence on the side. Becoming a part of the global community, Kyra even participated in a Metaverse fashion week where big global fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Dolce & Gabbana came together. For companies looking to market their products innovatively, Kyra seems to be a good choice considering that it has already crossed a 100K tag on Instagram.
The Creators of Kyra
Part of the influencer marketing space since 2019, Himanshu, a 26-year-old engineer with an MBA from Ahmedabad, has been leading the project of Kyra since the idea’s proposal in 2020. He says even though the team initially faced a lot of trolls and was unsure about the reaction of people towards it, the amount of encouragement Kyra was getting was enough for them to continue to build India’s first virtual influencer.
After its upgrade, Goel also states how people were unable to believe that this influencer was actually fake. There were comments like ‘Aapki Asli Shakal Kaisi Hai’, ‘Filter Kyun Laga Rakha hai’, etc. Even the brand managers of different companies were unable to believe stating that the influencer looked more real than virtual.
Source- DNA India
Is Kyra the only hyper-realistic virtual influencer?
According to The Virtual Humans, there are presently more than 150 virtual influencers working in different platforms like entertainment, modelling, travelling, and singing. Much like the normal human influencers, these robots behave similar to human beings- they eat, sleep, talk to their followers and go on vacations, but the only difference is that they’re not real.
In 2016 a company named Brud created the world’s first virtual influencer, named Lil Miquela- a 19-year-old American influencer, who exploded the counters on Instagram with her perfectly symmetrical face and a hyper-realistic doll-like appearance. Since her launch, she has participated in different tech campaigns, worked with prominent brands like Calvin Klein and Prada, and even performed at ‘Coachella’.
.jpg)
Source- W Magazine
Imma is another virtual influencer from Japan. She is the first virtual model of Japan produced by Aww Inc. Imma took the internet by storm after its release, with her famous bubble gum pink hair and hyper-realistic look. The creators have been really meticulous while developing Imma, from hair to makeup to even skin texture, everything just screams nothing but real.
Source- Dexerto
Bottom Line
Virtual influencers have become the ‘it thing’ at the present moment. Various global companies are seeking to look for such new-age influencers to promote their products and services that will appeal to the newer generations. Apart from the fashion industry, companies such as Samsung, Amazon and even WHO, have set out to experiment with the crazy popularity of such influencers- and they’ve been quite successful in exploring it.
Although Kyra has yet to officially collaborate with a brand, the creators have said to be working on an exciting project that will likely launch at the end of June or at the start of July. With the endless possibilities to customize, the creators invite everyone to follow Kyra’s journey for the many more adventures and secrets that are yet to cover.
Written By- Paridhi Aggarwal
0 Comments