Digital hope or digital hype? NMDP’s high-stakes bet on Lil Miquela

Authors
Jennifer Zarzosa, Celilia Ruvalcaba
Region
North America
Topic
Marketing & Sales
Strategy & General Management
Length
3 pages
Keywords
influencer marketing
virtual influencer
brand equity
generation Z
Copyright Holder
Society for Case Research
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Graduate Students
Undergraduate Students

This critical incident (CI) is a descriptive case following the decision of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) to use virtual influencer, Lil Miquela, to engage 18-30 year-olds to join the NMDP Registry and donate blood stem cells if matched. During the campaign, Lil Miquela shared a scripted, first-person account that followed her from being diagnosed with leukemia to receiving treatment and searching for a donor. This approach raised a critical question: Can a virtual character motivate real-world action for a life-or-death cause, or does her digital identity diminish the seriousness of the mission?

Learning Outcomes

In completing this assignment, students should be able to:
1. Analyze the efficacy of influencer marketing.
2. Identify risks of launching an influencer marketing campaign with a virtual influencer and create risk mitigation strategies.
3. Recognize benefits of launching an influencer marketing campaign with a virtual influencer and evaluate how it impacts brand equity.