Spanish designer Ruben Cruz, founder of The Clueless agency, created Spain's first virtual model named Aitana during a period of economic hardship due to a lack of clients.
Aitana is a 25-year-old virtual girl with pink hair from Barcelona, created as a response to problems associated with real influencers and models. Her appearance is close to perfection, and she can earn up to 10,000 euros a month, averaging about 3,000 euros.
Aitana has already become popular on social media, attracting over 121,000 followers on Instagram and even receiving messages from celebrities who do not realize she is not a real person. She also collaborates with brands such as Big, a sports supplement manufacturer, and participates in advertising campaigns.
How Aitana's Virtual Life is Created
The team that created virtual model Aitana realized that to attract audience attention, it was necessary to create a unique personality and story for her. The Clueless agency carefully plans Aitana Lopez's virtual life, creating a realistic image and daily events for her. Instead of traditional photo shoots, they use Photoshop and artificial intelligence to insert Aitana into various scenarios and places, such as weekends in Madrid.
This approach allows Aitana to showcase a variety of fashion styles and events without physical limitations, contributing to her popularity on social media and sparking discussions about how technology and creativity integrate in the world of virtual influencers.
Unlike traditional models, who often serve as a "blank canvas" for designers, Aitana was developed as a character with a pronounced personality, passionate about fitness, and a determined and complex character. She is presented as a sociable and caring personality.
In her creation, public preferences were considered, including the popularity of Eastern culture in Europe, reflected in her pink hair and interest in video games. This strategy helps Aitana connect better with her audience.
In response to Aitana's success, The Clueless agency introduced a new virtual model named Maya. Unlike the energetic and sociable Aitana, Maya is characterized as more reserved and calm.
This addition to the agency's virtual models aims to attract a broader audience, highlighting the agency's readiness to adapt to changing trends in the digital world.
Brand Interest in Personalized Virtual Models
The agency specializing in creating virtual models has become very popular among brands wishing to have their personalized representative. Brands seek images that are not real people but can represent their values, avoiding problems associated with real people, such as the need to fire them or the inability to rely on them.
Cruz also points to the economic benefit of this approach, comparing it to the high fees real influencers like Kim Kardashian receive for social media posts, highlighting that such amounts seem "anomalous" to them.
History of Virtual Influencers and the Top 3 Most Famous
Virtual influencers, created with computer graphics, started appearing more than 20 years ago. One of the first examples is the virtual band Gorillaz, founded in 1998, whose albums became platinum.
Another well-known example is Hatsune Miku, a virtual singer from Japan, who debuted in 2007. Her popularity peaked when she held her largest concert in 2009, attended by 25,000 people.
Virtual models are gaining popularity in the fashion industry and social networks. Lil Miquela, one of the most famous, has 3 million followers on Instagram since 2016. She is known as a music lover with liberal views, collaborates with fashion brands, and actively communicates with her followers. Created by startup Brud, she is one of the most popular virtual influencers.
NunuNuri, another virtual model, has an unusual appearance and participates in shows of leading brands such as Gucci and Chanel, and is presented as a digital character, activist, and vegan.
In Japan, Imma is popular, who has a brother named Plasticboy. Together, they attend exhibitions and participate in shoots for fashion magazines. Another virtual male influencer is Liam Nikuro, working as a producer.
Shudu Gram is the first virtual supermodel, collaborating with The Digitals agency, the first of its kind for virtual models. The agency works with many models and collaborates with famous brands and fashion magazines.
