Marks & Spencer unveils virtual influencer as it expands influencer programme

British department store chain Marks & Spencer has revealed its first virtual influencer as it continues to expand on its ‘M&S Insiders’ influencer programme.

‘Mira’, which stands for Marks & Spencer, Influencer, Reality, Augmented, was developed through the combination of photography, CGI and computer vision.

The virtual reality individual was revealed through her own dedicated Instagram account, which as of publishing already boasts over 3,000 followers.

It comes as an extension of the retailer’s influencer programme, launched in 2018 as a collective made up of Marks & Spencer colleagues who discuss style inspiration and products with their social media followers.

She is part of the five new ‘Insiders’ joining the team, with the retailer looking to continue growing the initiative in a bid to increase online engagement.

Through the digital addition, Marks & Spencer said in a release that it is aiming to experiment in responding to trending conversations and further its agility when capturing content online.

It is also hoping that Mira will appeal to a younger audience by building a community around the new technology form.

As part of this effort, the retailer has also launched its first dedicated live shoppable Christmas series on its website, which will feature guest presenters that cover a different theme each week.

The shows will stream live every Thursday and will allow customers to hear more about a product range and pose live questions.