Can you tell that Olmeca Tequila’s Maria Margarita isn’t actually a real person, but a “virtual influencer?” (Photo: Maria Margarita/Instagram)

Pernod Ricard-owned Olmeca Tequila has developed the industry’s first virtual influencer in an effort to attract younger (legal-drinking-age) consumers, according to The Spirits Business.

Meet Maria Margarita, an on-screen virtual influencer created to drive engagement and brand advocacy among drinkers between 18 and 28 years old.

“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,” said Juan Namur, head of digital for House of Tequila at Pernod Ricard, according to The Spirits Business. “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.”

Margarita even has her own Instagram handle, @iammariamargarita. On her Instagram page, which had amassed 554 followers at the time of this article’s publishing, Margarita describes herself as a “tequila lover” and a “virtual global citizen with mexican Roots.”

Margarita, who looks remarkably lifelike, posts selfies and TikTok-esque videos called “reels,” discussing topics like getting ready to go out, dancing all night, tequila-based drinks recipes and spacing out while “my BFF [is] telling me something important.” You know, relatable stuff. All content on the page will English to reach the brand’s key markets. Content in other languages will become available after a 90-day trial period.

Margarita is intended to look about 25 years old, according to The Spirits Business, which also reported the brand has said the influencer is passionate about fashion, street dance, electronic dance music and partying.

“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,” Namur said.”

Olmeca aims to produce content with an organic appearance that “teaches, inspires and entertains” across categories such as alcohol, fashion and music, Namur said.

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