The Splice 🧬 The First Virtual Influencer
Plus 5 real world or 'phygital' appearances from virtual influences and why Paris Hilton is all in on crypto and the Metaverse
Good afternoon!
Welcome back to The Splice 🧬 by VirtualHumans.org: a weekly newsletter curating the latest news, developments, and insights in the virtual influencer space.
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🧬 Core Strands from This Week
5 Times Virtual Influencers Entered the “Real World”
🔎 The Synopsis: Working with a virtual influencer can be so much more than just an Instagram post. Each campaign in our article featured virtual influencers appearing in “real world” locations such as fashion shows and malls with LED screens and holograms.
🧬 The Splice: Phygital’ is defined as the use of technology to bridge the physical and digital worlds. By strategically using AR and VR in character storytelling, brands can deliver unforgettable experiences for fans, like getting to peek into an IKEA storefront window and seeing virtual influencer Imma relaxing in her apartment.
Who Was the First Virtual Influencer?
🔎 The Synopsis: Did you know a mannequin named Cynthia became famous in the 1930s? Or that Ami Yamato was making videos as an animated YouTuber 10 years ago, long before anyone even know the term “VTuber”? We explored the history of “fake” people becoming real celebrities with human fans.
🧬 The Splice: Examples like Cynthia prove that humans have always “played along” with the existence of fictional celebrities. Now, modern stars like Miquela invite her followers to play along in the illusion that she’s a sentient robot—and fans love it.
🔭 What We’re Looking at This Week
Paris Hilton has invested in crypto since 2016 — here’s why she’s betting big on NFTs and the metaverse
🔑 Key Quote: “In 2017, I was already developing, like, this whole ‘Paris World’ where people could watch me DJ and come hang out,” she says.
Paris World eventually became an outpost on gaming company Roblox’s platform, which launched in October. This past New Year’s Eve, Hilton used Paris World to host her first metaverse party. The virtual gathering was double the size of the crowd in New York City’s Times Square that night, she says.
🧬 The Splice: For people that are hesitant to explore the Metaverse, virtual events featuring a celebrity like a Paris Hilton concert are what pushes them to take the plunge into the world of VR and web3. Mainstream icons like Paris Hilton will be the ones who help most people take their first steps in the Metaverse, eventually leading to mass adoption.
Best,
VirtualHumans.org
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Insights by Makena Rasmussen, Christopher Travers, and Astrid Hiort.