Inside the very real world of imaginary influencers

Have you heard of Janky and Guggimon? According to their website, the two are “internet phenomena, fashion influencers, and content creators who have forever changed the face of entertainment.” Also…

... they’re not real. The duo, who have over 20 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, are “synthetic celebrities” created by Superplastic, a character design studio based in Vermont.

And last week, Superplastic – along with Amazon – made some very real news:

1. Amazon’s Alexa Fund, the tech giant’s R&D arm making investments in robotics, AI, and self-driving transportation, led a $20 million investment into Superplastic.
2. Amazon Studios has signed a first-look deal with Superplastic, and has begun development of an animated series following the misadventures of the two characters.

💰🍿 Big picture: To Superplastic, Janky and Guggimon are like a hip, Supreme-wearing version of Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Iron Man – aka virtual characters whose IP can be turned into TV shows, movies, amusement park rides, and everything in between.

And when it comes to brand partnerships, virtual influencers can be ideal precisely because they aren’t real – meaning they don’t age, can’t do anything controversial, and always show up on time for shoots. Besides the deal with Amazon, the Vermont-based design studio has recently launched partnerships for its characters with Mercedes Benz, Gucci, and Grammy-winning band Gorillaz.