A recent study published in the European Journal of Cancer demonstrates the potential of AI-generated social media influencers for disseminating cancer prevention messages at a fraction of the cost of traditional influencer marketing.
The researchers involved in the study created “Wanda” to be a virtual influencer, using research lab Midjourney’s generative AI tools to produce consistent visual content. Wanda was tapped to help raise awareness on five primary cancer risk factors: alcohol, human papillomavirus (HPV), unhealthy diet, tobacco, and sun exposure. An Instagram profile was created for Wanda where content was shared about the campaign.
According to News Medical, the research team invested €100 in advertising across ten days on Instagram, achieving 9,902 campaign recognitions. The study compared two advertising approaches: automated targeting based on Instagram’s algorithm and manual targeting focused on specific demographics and interests. Each approach reached approximately 4,600 users.
Engagement and Demographics
Posts about HPV garnered the highest engagement, reaching 2,518 users, while sun exposure content showed the lowest reach. The targeted advertising approach proved particularly effective with users under 34 years old, while the automated approach consistently reached individuals over 34.
Cost analysis reveals that targeted advertising averaged €0.014 per reach, comparable to automated advertising at €0.012 per reach. The tobacco prevention content proved most cost-effective under the targeted approach at €0.006 per user, while sun exposure content cost €0.029 per user.
Female users demonstrated higher engagement rates with prevention-related content across all topics. The proportion of users reached within target age groups varied between 23% and 47.4%.
Source: News Medical
Implementation and Results
The campaign structure involved posting content for five consecutive days, with each post receiving €20 in advertising support. The researchers implemented targeted advertising for the first two days after each post, followed by automated targeting for an additional two days.
The study notes specific challenges in engaging audiences on sun-related cancer risks and acknowledges potential limitations regarding audience trust and perceived authenticity of AI-generated influencers. The findings suggest that advertising to targeted audiences achieves comparable reach while increasing thematic relevance compared to automated approaches.
This study represents one of the first systematic analyses of AI-generated influencer efficacy in health communication, providing quantifiable metrics for reach, engagement, and cost-effectiveness across different demographic segments and health topics.
This campaign highlights the growing practice of using AI influencers for a variety of awareness or community engagement campaigns.
Qatar Airways recently launched Sama, the world’s first AI-powered digital human cabin crew member, on Instagram in collaboration with digital human technology company UneeQ. Sama’s IG channel provides followers with perspectives on destinations and insights into cabin crew life, including behind-the-scenes content and layover experiences.
In September 2024, the German National Tourist Board unveiled Emma, an AI-generated avatar, as its “interactive brand ambassador” to promote tourism in Germany. The move was met with backlash by those who see AI influencers as a threat to human creators.
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
A recent study published in the European Journal of Cancer demonstrates the potential of AI-generated social media influencers for disseminating cancer prevention messages at a fraction of the cost of traditional influencer marketing.
The researchers involved in the study created “Wanda” to be a virtual influencer, using research lab Midjourney’s generative AI tools to produce consistent visual content. Wanda was tapped to help raise awareness on five primary cancer risk factors: alcohol, human papillomavirus (HPV), unhealthy diet, tobacco, and sun exposure. An Instagram profile was created for Wanda where content was shared about the campaign.
According to News Medical, the research team invested €100 in advertising across ten days on Instagram, achieving 9,902 campaign recognitions. The study compared two advertising approaches: automated targeting based on Instagram’s algorithm and manual targeting focused on specific demographics and interests. Each approach reached approximately 4,600 users.
Engagement and Demographics
Posts about HPV garnered the highest engagement, reaching 2,518 users, while sun exposure content showed the lowest reach. The targeted advertising approach proved particularly effective with users under 34 years old, while the automated approach consistently reached individuals over 34.
Cost analysis reveals that targeted advertising averaged €0.014 per reach, comparable to automated advertising at €0.012 per reach. The tobacco prevention content proved most cost-effective under the targeted approach at €0.006 per user, while sun exposure content cost €0.029 per user.
Female users demonstrated higher engagement rates with prevention-related content across all topics. The proportion of users reached within target age groups varied between 23% and 47.4%.
Source: News Medical
Implementation and Results
The campaign structure involved posting content for five consecutive days, with each post receiving €20 in advertising support. The researchers implemented targeted advertising for the first two days after each post, followed by automated targeting for an additional two days.
The study notes specific challenges in engaging audiences on sun-related cancer risks and acknowledges potential limitations regarding audience trust and perceived authenticity of AI-generated influencers. The findings suggest that advertising to targeted audiences achieves comparable reach while increasing thematic relevance compared to automated approaches.
This study represents one of the first systematic analyses of AI-generated influencer efficacy in health communication, providing quantifiable metrics for reach, engagement, and cost-effectiveness across different demographic segments and health topics.
The full research is available here.
The Rise of AI Influencers
This campaign highlights the growing practice of using AI influencers for a variety of awareness or community engagement campaigns.
Qatar Airways recently launched Sama, the world’s first AI-powered digital human cabin crew member, on Instagram in collaboration with digital human technology company UneeQ. Sama’s IG channel provides followers with perspectives on destinations and insights into cabin crew life, including behind-the-scenes content and layover experiences.
In September 2024, the German National Tourist Board unveiled Emma, an AI-generated avatar, as its “interactive brand ambassador” to promote tourism in Germany. The move was met with backlash by those who see AI influencers as a threat to human creators.