The personalization and humanization of artificial intelligence have gained an important role in the digital world.
Who hasn't talked to someone called Siri? And Alexa, who hasn't chatted with her? Large technology companies were the first to have artificial intelligence on their side, the difference is that people don't know these assistants. Whether it's Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa, or even Google Assistant, in recent times, the personification and humanization of virtual assistants have come to life in brand communication. With the goal of providing closer customer service, offering more information, and answering questions, these characters have gained an important role in the digital world.
In Brazil, the most well-known is Lu, from Magazine Luiza or Magalu. She was created in 2003 to humanize the online shopping experience for the store. With her charisma, she won fans and became an influencer. Currently, the character has over 5 million followers on Instagram.
Since then, new virtual assistants have emerged, such as Nat from Natura, Ully from Ultragaz, CB from Casas Bahia, Bia from Bradesco, and more recently, Mara from Amaro.
Starting from the premise that she should help the brand's team, Mara is unique. She was created through a mixed technique involving various professionals: to compose her personality, her visual style and astrological chart help in this construction; being fashion-conscious, the influencer flaunts a variety of outfits for every occasion.
Investing in the creation of a virtual assistant can be a great way to generate identification with the brand's persona, because when people identify with the content, they tend to get closer and feel more understood, even if the interaction is with a robot. Furthermore, investing in virtual assistants demonstrates a greater interest in adapting to the digital world, and consequently, customers who are present in this environment begin to show more affection for the company. For example: when we see Lu, we immediately associate her with an action involving Magazine Luiza.
For Igor Cardoso, planning director and partner at Ana Couto, virtual assistants play an important role: “Much more than just customer service, virtual assistants have become entertainment, education, and have become…” publishers Essential for bringing a brand's personality to life. Brands like Magalu and Casas Bahia are taking their virtual assistants to... passion points "From their target audiences, such as music and games, and with very interesting results," he explains.
With diverse approaches and different profiles, but mostly featuring female figures, the use of these characters is expected to grow even more in the coming years. Beyond the interactivity between assistants and consumers, they have already proven that they are not in the digital world solely to popularize their respective brands. After all, those who don't take a stand risk jeopardizing their own storytelling.
ACTIVISM AND VIRTUAL INFLUENCERS
In light of the new digital landscape, Bradesco joined Magazine Luiza, Vivo, Natura, and Ultragaz in support of the global campaign "Hey, Update My Voice," launched by UNESCO to combat sexist, misogynistic, and aggressive messages directed at virtual assistants. At a UNESCO conference on artificial intelligence, one of the topics discussed was the role of characters in society.
Last year alone, Bradesco recorded 95,000 attempted harassment incidents. In response to this behavior, The bank announced that Bia had changed her tone in responding to indecent proposals or insults.. For example: “Those words cannot be used with me or anyone else” or “For you, it might be a joke. For me, it was violent.” In the last two years, according to the Stilingue platform, which specializes in monitoring social networks, there has been a 40% increase in mentions of harassment on social media.
Before this movement, in 2008, Lu had already gone through delicate moments. Phrases like "Date me," "I want to see you in a bikini," and "What's your WhatsApp number?" were directed at the influencer. At the same time, she spoke out on Twitter and asked for more respect. On International Women's Day 2020, Lu created a campaign within her app, “"Hey, girl, pretend you're going to make a purchase on the Magalu app. There's a button there to report violence against women."”. According to the retailer, the tool not only gained notoriety, but also recorded a 400% increase in clicks the following month.
In an initiative to boost self-esteem, Mara began her hair transition in partnership with L'Oréal, whose products became available on Amaro's e-commerce site..With the support of her followers, through a poll on the brand's Instagram profile, she offered alternatives to change the character's look. The campaign lasted 24 hours, and approximately 751,300 participants opted for the assistant's hair transition. During this period, the character shared on social media what it has been like to abandon chemical treatments and accept her new hair.
Nat, from Natura, She also went through a hair transition process in 2016..Unlike Mara, she is the first Black virtual assistant. Initially, the brand reported some racist comments, but while some people were unhappy with the influencer, others felt proud of the representation, especially when it comes to embracing curly hair.
Virtual or not, the point is to bring important societal issues into discussion. Brands are responsible for generating emotional connections and also for actively engaging in issues that are not "whining," as evidenced by the increasingly frequent presence of assistants in these discussions.
By Mateus Alcântara and Marcelle Villar
