With the rise of social media, brands have tapped into the tremendous marketing opportunities offered by platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Needless to say, influencers are today’s most sought-after advertisers, especially for those seeking to “humanize” their brand. And while there are many examples of such approaches leading to great success, there is a new trend which is increasing in prominence around the world — the use of virtual influencers.
Puma is the latest brand to create a computer-generated brand ambassador. The sportswear company has developed Maya in partnership with UM Studios x Ensemble Worldwide to represent Puma in Southeast Asia (SEA) and promote the brand’s Future Rider sneakers.
Described as “Your average not so average Southeast Asian Virtual Girl”, Maya was created using So.Min. The social media artificial intelligence (AI) platform mapped millions of Southeast Asian faces from various online sources including a…
