meet-kfcs-new-computer-generated-virtual-influencer-colonel

Meet KFC’s New Computer-Generated Virtual-Influencer, Colonel

If you’re a big KFC fan -we mean a KFC fan that even follows the food chain’s account, you sure have met Colonel Sanders.

The CGI generated – Instagram guy is not even a real person. Yet, he already has his own audience because of his good-looking guy persona on Instagram. The posts of him include a secret recipe for success tattoo, show off his styled gray hair and altogether a modern take on Colonel Harland Sanders’ signature white suit and black tie, and include lines such as always try to inspire like I do when I’m making amazing fried chicken.

Digital influencers are one of the odder ways companies are thinking about brand safety. These artificially generated personalities have the clout of flesh-and-blood social media stars, without all that pesky human unpredictability (ignoring, of course, the fact that virtual influencer accounts are also run by humans).

W+K and KFC are getting in on the virtual influencer action just like Renault KADJAR’s new ambassador, Lil.

Colonel, newest in the ongoing litany of reimagined reboots, and probably the alter ego of entrepreneur Harland Sanders, has taken over KFC’s Instagram feed, where he’s showing off his aspirational lifestyle, espousing vapid words of regrammable advice and generally enjoying all the worldly benefits that being an artificial construct has to offer.

 

Clearly he’s living his best life, or at least the best that can be digitally rendered for him. When he’s not showing off his abs, branded tattoos or philosophies on doing your thing, he’s connecting with nature in that self-centered, cringey way that only true influencers have mastered.

But what about an influencer with only one client is really an influencer, or just branded content? Referring to this, Colonel suuposedly needs other brands to collaborate.

And he, of course has his own media kit,

kfc-colonel-virtual-press-kit-2019

If you’re looking for some inspirational brand collaborations with Colonel, he’s already on the Dr. Pepper ad payroll!