Pernod Ricard’s award-winning Olmeca Tequila is disrupting the world of drinks marketing as it today unveils the industry’s first ever virtual influencer – Maria Margarita (@IAmMariaMargarita).
The life-like female character, deemed to be around 25 years of age, is a tequila lover and global citizen with Mexican roots – a collective mindset which enables her to appeal to consumers across the globe. With a passion for fashion, street dance, EDM and partying, Maria will provide content for users looking for the latest and greatest clubs, playlists, DJs, digital trends, drinks recipes and more.
Aimed at driving engagement and building brand advocacy among younger, party-starting consumers aged 18-28 years old, Olmeca is focusing in on the first consumers who have been exclusively born and raised in the digital age.
“In the global on-trade landscape, Olmeca is already one of the most popular brands for shots – but as perceptions of Tequila continue to evolve, we’ve spotted an opportunity to strengthen the brand’s position even further,” explains Juan Namur, Head of Digital – House of Tequila at Pernod Ricard. “We’ve got big ambitions to accelerate our growth worldwide, and this can only be done through disruption. Leveraging new technology in this pioneering way will help us to achieve this.
“Research shows that virtual influencers are three times more engaging than their human counterparts, so we’re confident that launching a brand-owned influencer – who will act as a ground-breaking marketeer for the brand – will help us to make good headway on our target.
“Flouting convention and reflecting Olmeca’s values of fun and playfulness, Maria will offer consumers a dose of spontaneity and excitement in a world rooted in structure and routine, at the same time as sparking conversations and excitement around the brand. Through Maria’s platforms, we aim to produce content with an organic look/feel that teaches, inspires and entertains across categories including alcohol, fashion and music.”
The account – @IAmMariaMargarita – is now live on Instagram. All initial content will be generated in English to achieve major reach in the brand’s key markets. Specific-language content will be available for all markets following an initial trial period of 90 days, before Maria Margarita becomes a permanent fixture in the Pernod Ricard-owned brand’s marketing arsenal.