British retailer Marks & Spencer has launched a virtual influencer with her own Instagram account. Her name “Mira” is made up of the initials of Marks & Spencer, Influencer, Reality and Augmented. According to the company, Mira is the first virtual influencer in British retail.
Mira is part of the M&S Insiders
Mira is part of the internal influencer program “M&S Insiders”, which the retailer launched several years ago and now has 13 insiders from their own company – including salespeople, stylists, buyers and designers – is implemented. Together with the “real” insiders, Mira will present the latest collections, trends and styling tips from M&S. So her world will be the real one, and not a virtual meta world. In addition to Mira, four other insiders will: join the program with a focus on menswear, kidswear, beauty and third-party brands.
By introducing a virtual character, M&S wants to gain new experiences and react faster to conversations. Mira is also intended to help reach a younger audience and build a community with those interested in this new technology.
“We are delighted to welcome Mira – the UK’s retail industry’s first virtual influencer – to our M&S Insider family,” said Anna Braithwaite, Marketing Director at Clothing & Home. “Their launch is the latest example of how M&S tests and learns from emerging technologies and trends to inspire our customers – be it through our live shopping events or our expert online consultation services such as digital bra fitting. A virtual influencer means we can react more quickly to trends and conversations, and it opens up new opportunities for us in both the physical and virtual worlds for the future.”
Start with live shopping and online video advice
Coinciding with the new virtual influencer, M&S is launching its first live shopping Christmas series on M&S.com, with guest presenters covering a different topic each week, including home Christmas decor, inexpensive gift ideas and a clothing guide. The programs are broadcast live every Thursday at 6 p.m. M&S has been experimenting with live shopping since January.
Other digital initiatives implemented over the past 24 months include the launch of M&S’s new Click & Collect digital format, with every other order placed on M&S.com being processed through this service, and the launch of online Video consultations for customers searching for furniture, menswear and lingerie on M&S.com. Through a partnership with Emplifi Live Commerce, M&S was able to conduct consultations with more than 60,000 customers. 86 percent of the customers surveyed stated that they would use this service again.