INCA, GroupM’s brand-safe influencer marketing solution, has struck a partnership with Hanson Robotics, creator of Sophia, ‘the world’s most advanced human-like robot’ to make her available as an influencer partner to brands in the APAC region.
The collaboration marks Sophia’s first-ever ambassadorship work with an agency. Widely recognised for her influence as a celebrity and disruptor, Hanson has previously worked with renowned brands such as Etihad Airlines, Audi, Alexander Wang, and Huawei to magnify Sophia’s status as the world’s first robot citizen and connect with audiences across the globe.
She now joins INCA’s global network of brand-safe content creators and influencers to help brands create influential content that brings brand stories to life.
Atique Kazi, lead for INCA in APAC, said: “Sophia is the perfect ambassador for brands looking to intelligently engage with their consumers. As an advocate for scientific education and sustainable development, Sophia’s persona is a natural fit for many brands looking to create compelling content, reach, and engagement around these incredibly important topics. She has the capability to generate facial expression, mirror people’s posture, and discern emotions from the tone of voice, all of which help people to identify and form a connection with her. She is also a perfect fit for INCA’s mission in APAC to connect brands with remarkable key opinion leaders (KOL).”
Influencer marketing has unlocked new opportunities for brands to connect with their customers and is predicted to grow in the next few years by 30.6 % CAGR as marketers seek more efficient and data-driven options in reaching out to consumers. INCA’s partnership with Sophia showcases how it also enables the use of technology to build human connections with brands. As GroupM’s proprietary AI solution for data-powered influencer selection and content creation, INCA enables brands to run content marketing campaigns across and beyond social channels in achieving real and tangible outcomes for marketers. With the ambassadorship for INCA, Sophia will be working with brands to create relevant and engaging bite-sized content and connect with brand audiences across various social media platforms.
Kazi added: “While we see changes in how consumers are influenced by multiple sources, we are confident that this is the right time to introduce a new influencer into our network that exemplifies humanity as well as the technological achievements of our time. As we collaborate with Sophia, we are in awe of how technology can showcase the marvels of artificial intelligence (AI) in a humanoid form.”
David Hanson, CEO and founder of Hanson Robotics, commented: “Sophia is our pride, and we trust that her wealth of experience as a global influencer will pave the way for INCA to reach many more milestones in the future. To witness Sophia’s growth as a character and a platform has always been an exciting experience, and we cannot wait for the successes she will achieve with her new role as a brand ambassador in APAC.”
