Rae, Southeast Asia’s top virtual influencer, collaborates with Audi Singapore for the online premiere of the Audi A3
Singapore’s first virtual influencer partnership with an automotive brand made possible by CGI and deep learning technology
Singapore, 27 May 2021 – Singapore’s top virtual influencer, digital artist and street culture enthusiast, Rae (@here.is.rae) collaborated with Audi Singapore to appear in the online premiere of the all-new Audi A3. To bring Rae to life, CGI (computer-generated imagery) and deep learning AI technology were deployed, seamlessly combining movement, facial expressions and audio-visual input. The online premiere was streamed on Audi Singapore’s Facebook and YouTube pages. Rae also starred in an interview video on Audi Singapore’s Instagram, Facebook and YouTube in the lead up to the launch. Rae’s partnership with Audi Singapore marks the first time a virtual influencer has partnered with an automotive brand in Singapore.
Audi Singapore’s focus on digitalisation of the customer experience was a key highlight in the Audi A3’s online premiere. As a CGI character and virtual influencer, Rae represents the new wave of digital innovation and the future of social media. During the online launch, Rae shared about the Audi A3’s smart technology solutions and digital innovations including its new multi-media interface, virtual cockpit and more.
Rae said: “It’s the first time a virtual influencer in Singapore has been involved in a launch like this! I’m honoured to partner Audi for the online premiere of the new Audi A3. With technology on my side, anything is possible. As Singapore’s top virtual influencer, I embody the new wave of digital innovation, the future of social media. Progress to me, means driving the change I want to see in the world, and the new Audi A3 truly embodies Audi’s living progress spirit of embracing change. It is packed with plenty of forward-looking features and smart technologies designed to rev up the driving experience. I can even stay connected to my virtual world even when I’m on the move.”
Rudi Venter, Head of Marketing at Audi Singapore, said: “The online premiere of the all-new Audi A3 is one of the key events for us at Audi Singapore this year. Digitalisation is one of the key features about the Audi A3 that we really want to convey to the audience. There is a natural synergy between Rae’s persona as a digital native and how the Audi A3 can integrate with our digital lives, through connectivity and innovation.”
Hosted by Yasminne Cheng from Mediacorp CLASS 95, the online premiere of the Audi A3 in Singapore also featured key opinion leaders from other fields such as Dean Chew, director of spatial design consultancy Drawn and Derryn Wong, chief editor of CarBuyer Magazine.
Listen to Rae
Rae continues to break new ground with technological improvements. Her partnership with Audi Singapore also marked the debut of Rae’s voice. This will pave the way for new opportunities on how brands and creatives can work with Rae to drive engagement online in this new digital economy of millennial-centric consumers.
The growth of Southeast Asia’s top virtual influencer
Since her debut in October 2020, Rae has created a vibrant, curated feed of CGI-enabled portraits and digital artwork on her social platforms, amassing a following of more than 317K followers on Instagram and Weibo. In January 2021, Rae was featured in a cover photoshoot with China’s number one female rapper VaVa (@vava.mis). She is also the first virtual influencer to be styled by Asia’s top hair styling maestro and celebrity hairstylist, Kim Robinson. Rae has also collaborated with artist Sam Lo (@skl0_) on the “Almost Human” esticker pack that can be used on Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram. Last year, Rae made her fashion debut fronting the 2020 campaign for cult label Monsoon Patrol, followed by a collaboration with sneaker designer Mark Ong (@mr_sabotage) to launch a sold-out SBTGxRae capsule collection. Rae was also featured on Team Night Owl Cinematics’ YouTube and Instagram pages.