Imma Gram, the Japanese virtual model built for mixed reality campaigns
- Mar 7, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 11
Imma Gram is a Japanese virtual influencer.
She is not a real person. She is a CGI character (also known as “AI influencer”).
Imma matters because she made “virtual” feel normal, not sci-fi. She shows up in real streets, real stores, and real brand worlds, then blends in like she belongs there.
What makes her different is the production style. She is designed to sit inside real photography and real locations. That makes her useful for brands that care about product detail, not just vibes.
She also survived because she stayed clean. No messy story arcs. No shock drama. Just steady, high-quality output across fashion, retail, and tech.
Quick facts: Imma Gram
Is Imma real? No. She is a CGI character
Owner: Aww Inc. (Japan)
First appeared: 2018
Niche: fashion, lifestyle, culture, tech
Positioning: virtual model for mixed reality campaigns
Brand safety: high (controlled character asset)
Background of Imma Gram
Imma was built by a Tokyo studio setup (Aww Inc. with production partners like ModelingCafe) to create a virtual human that can live inside real-world content.
The design intent is simple: look human enough to style real brands, but stylized enough that she does not trigger the “is this a deepfake?” panic.
That is why the look is consistent: pink hair for instant recognition, neutral styling that can swing luxury or street, and a persona that stays “present” without being controversial.
Case study: IKEA Harajuku window “living room” takeover
IKEA used Imma as a bridge between online attention and physical retail.
Imma appeared as if she was living inside an IKEA window display in Harajuku. The point was not “look, a CGI girl.” The point was: small-space living is modern, fun, and built for young city life.
It worked because the format matched the product. A window is already a “room”. Imma turned it into a story people stopped for, filmed, and shared.
Case study: Imma launches Magnum matcha in China
Magnum China used Imma to launch Magnum Matcha, a new flavor made for the Chinese market.
The campaign leaned on cultural signaling. Matcha equals Japan, and Imma is a Japanese virtual girl with a look people already link to modern Tokyo.
It worked because the character carried the origin story at a glance, the visuals scaled across TV and social, and “virtual in a real city” was the point of the creative.
What you can learn from Imma
Start with production strategy, not lore. Decide if you are building for stills, video, or live
Make the character recognizable fast. One visual hook beats 20 backstory posts
Choose brand-safe range over edgy plot. Boring scales better than drama
Anchor virtual in the real world. Real locations and real products make the “fake” feel useful
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