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The current research examines consumers' responses to sensory endorsements from virtual influencers. The authors reveal that consumers perceive virtual and human influencers to have similar distal sensory (i.e., visual and auditory) capacities. Consumers, however, perceive virtual influencers as having lower proximal sensory (i.e., haptic, olfactory, and gustatory) capacities. Consequently, when endorsements focus on proximal sensory experiences, consumers have lower purchase intention toward products and services endorsed by a virtual (vs. human) influencer. The findings further reveal that imagery difficulty and perceived sensory capacity serially mediate this effect. Importantly, this effect is mitigated when endorsements focus on distal sensory experiences, when sensory information is not explicitly mentioned, and when consumers are informed of new technology that enables virtual influencers to have proximal sensory experiences. These findings offer actionable insights for marketers to effectively utilize virtual influencers in sensory-driven campaigns, providing practical strategies to improve consumer responses to sensory endorsements and enhance marketing effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing use of virtual influencers in communicating public service announcements (PSAs), their PSA communication effectiveness remains underexplored. Virtual influencers are digital entities who generate content on social media to establish a digital identity and personal brand. This research examines the effectiveness of virtual (vs. human) influencers in conveying PSAs, focusing on consumers' attitudes toward the influencers and their acceptance of PSA messages. Three experimental studies (N = 1429) spanning different cultural contexts reveal that consumers hold a less favorable attitude toward virtual (vs. human) influencers who post PSAs. Nevertheless, virtual influencers are equally effective as human influencers in influencing consumers' acceptance of PSA messages. Dual-mediation processes involving mind perception and novelty perception are identified. Furthermore, we find that incorporating emotional appeal can enhance the effectiveness of virtual (vs. human) influencers' PSA communications. These findings contribute to the literature on virtual influencer marketing and PSA marketing, offering practical insights for leveraging virtual influencers in PSA campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing use of virtual influencers in communicating public service announcements (PSAs), their PSA communication effectiveness remains underexplored. Virtual influencers are digital entities who generate content on social media to establish a digital identity and personal brand. This research examines the effectiveness of virtual (vs. human) influencers in conveying PSAs, focusing on consumers’ attitudes toward the influencers and their acceptance of PSA messages. Three experimental studies (N = 1429) spanning different cultural contexts reveal that consumers hold a less favorable attitude toward virtual (vs. human) influencers who post PSAs. Nevertheless, virtual influencers are equally effective as human influencers in influencing consumers’ acceptance of PSA messages. Dual-mediation processes involving mind perception and novelty perception are identified. Furthermore, we find that incorporating emotional appeal can enhance the effectiveness of virtual (vs. human) influencers’ PSA communications. These findings contribute to the literature on virtual influencer marketing and PSA marketing, offering practical insights for leveraging virtual influencers in PSA campaigns.

Virtual influencers have great potential to shape the audience's perception and motivate behavioral change. Drawing upon anthropomorphism theory and social identity theory, this paper examined the interaction effect of anthropomorphism and racial homophily of virtual influencers in shaping audiences' trust and subsequently pro‐environmental behaviors in low‐ and high‐cost contexts. Two online studies employing experimental materials generated by artificial intelligence were conducted. Study 1 revealed that high anthropomorphism (human‐like virtual influencers) and high racial homophily (local‐like virtual influencers) are more effective for eliciting trust in the context of low‐cost pro‐environmental behaviors. The findings also showed that low racial homophily (foreign‐like virtual influencers) would further weaken the trust level of a virtual influencer in low anthropomorphism (animate‐like virtual influencers). Study 2 aimed to replicate the findings from Study 1 in the context of high‐cost pro‐environmental behaviors. The findings showed that low racial homophily (foreign‐like virtual influencers) enhanced the trust in a high anthropomorphism (human‐like virtual influencers) virtual influencer. The moderated mediation analyses confirmed the hypothesized relationships in the proposed research model. This research advanced our understanding on the moderating role of racial homophily that serves as a cognitive shortcut for low‐cost and quick decisions. However, a low racial homophily (foreign‐like) virtual influencer would be more effective for high‐cost and symbolic pro‐environmental behaviors. These insights provide valuable guidance to businesses, marketers, and environmental advocates aiming to leverage virtual influencers for encouraging sustainability practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the theory of sociology of trust and risk, this study proposes and empirically tests a conceptual model of tourists' new destination visit intentions. The model links tourists' subjective knowledge to trust and risk perceptions and explores the moderating effects of social media influencers (human vs. virtual) and tourists' psychographic factors in this context. Data were collected from two studies: Study 1, through a survey distributed to participants in Malaysia (n = 493 valid responses); and Study 2, through a between-subjects design experiment with another sample of participants in Malaysia (n = 470 valid responses). The findings expand knowledge in tourism research by showing that destination trust mediates how subjective knowledge influences perceived risk. Optimism and life satisfaction have significant moderating effects in this context. Furthermore, the relationship between destination trust and visit intention is moderated by human and virtual influencers, according to whether their message is positive or negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While prior work suggests the significant role virtual influencers (VIs) can play in addressing social and welfare issues, it remains unclear how they can increase social media users' engagement in prosocial behaviors. The current study examines the role of influencer flattery in driving the prosocial behavior of social media users. Specifically, the research investigates how flattery and humanlike appearance influence the perceived authenticity of VIs and the subsequent prosocial behavior of social media users (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, the research substantiates these effects by exploring how flattery and anthropomorphism via humanlike traits impact perceived authenticity and prosocial behavior when social media users witness the influencer praising others (Study 3). Beyond intention to donate (Study 1), the study also investigated its impact on related prosocial behaviors, such as click‐through behavior (Study 2) and the willingness to pay for fundraising merchandise (Study 3). The findings of this research offer concrete implications for nonprofit organizations by demonstrating the persuasive impact of flattery, perceived authenticity, and anthropomorphism in mobilizing public support, donations, and merchandise purchases for social causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are increasingly collaborating with virtual influencers (VIs) as endorsers for their social media campaigns, yet they often lack awareness of the risks and opportunities involved. VIs are AI‐generated, and visually presented as an interactive, real‐time animated entity in a digital environment. Grounding on the uncanny valley theory, this study investigates how the anthropomorphism of VIs influences consumer behavior. Through two experimental studies, we investigate the effect of a VI's level of anthropomorphism on consumer intentions, revealing the mediating role of uncanniness. Specifically, we find that highly anthropomorphized VIs may elicit a greater sense of uncanniness among consumers. Interestingly, the second study unveils that, in the presence of social cues, the influence of anthropomorphism on uncanniness is attenuated. From a theoretical perspective, these findings contribute to the existing literature on the uncanny valley theory and reveal the role of social cues in mitigating consumers' sense of uncanniness. Alongside this, it offers practical insights for practitioners navigating the complexities of managing VIs in digital marketing endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While influencer marketing using a virtual influencer (VI) is on the rise, negative reactions from consumers are often reported due to the VI's human-like yet imperfect appearance, as explained by the Uncanny Valley theory. While previous studies compared the effectiveness of VI versus human influencers, this study investigates the combined effect of VI and human on consumers. Using a natural language processing approach on 11,777 comments from Lil Miquela's Instagram account, our study examined the sentiments across three different types of posts: VI, VI + Human, and VI + VI. The results revealed that posts featuring both VI and human elicited slightly more positive sentiments compared to those with VI alone. Additionally, variations were observed in the usage of specific nouns, verbs, adjectives, and emojis across the different post types. Our findings provide insights for VI marketing strategy, suggesting that including a human influencer alongside a VI may offer a competitive advantage by reducing discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence and the evolution of social networks have allowed the appearance of virtual influencers with human appearance, especially on Instagram. These can be defined as computer-designed figures that show an image like humans on social networks. This article applies an exploratory-descriptive design that aims to analyze, through a qualitative study that follows the case method, the definition of what human-looking virtual influencers are and how they act on Instagram. In addition, it's also been analyzed how these figures work when working with brands as advertising resources. The results of this study reveal the way in which these figures behave and allow brands to understand their functioning as powerful supports for business communication. In addition, we provide a first study instrument through two analysis sheets that are based on literature and observation of the phenomenon on Instagram. Both sheets are applicable to other cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative study was to empower the young Chinese fans on social media through artificial intelligence (as virtual influencers) to control their body image. The study aimed to investigate fans' opinions, experiences, and obstacles in relation to body image perception, acceptance and satisfaction through in-depth interviews with 21 informants. Based on the interview questions and research aims and objectives, a total of 11 themes were formulated to perform the thematic analysis. According to the findings, fan involvement, social media use, and exposure to idealized body ideals of virtual influencers had an impact on body image perceptions and among Chinese young female fans. The findings also highlighted the relevance of social support and positive fan groups in fostering body image satisfaction. This study's theoretical and practical implications add to the current literature by shedding light on the complex interplay between virtual celebrity, fan practices, social media and body image satisfaction. The study emphasizes the importance of focused interventions and support networks that meet the specific issues that Chinese young female fans experience in maintaining the confidence for embracing healthy body image. The study's weaknesses and future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of a digitalized world, virtual influencers have emerged as pivotal entities that transform the dynamics between brands and consumers within the virtual realm. This paper investigates the intricate relationship between virtual influencers, brand recall, and consumer purchasing behaviour within Thailand's burgeoning virtual market. Utilizing Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and mediation analysis, the study meticulously examines both direct and mediated effects of virtual influencers on brand awareness and consumer decision-making processes. The findings underscore the significant direct impact of virtual influencers on enhancing brand recognition and shaping favourable consumer attitudes toward brands, thereby influencing purchasing behaviour. The research reveals the moderating effects of brand familiarity and perceived influence on influencers, highlighting their critical roles in the pathway from virtual influencers to consumer purchasing behaviour. This study advances the marketing and consumer behaviour literature by providing a nuanced understanding of how virtual influencers operate to affect consumer interactions and buying patterns in digital markets. It contributes to theoretical knowledge in digital influencer marketing and offers practical insights for marketers leveraging virtual influencers on social media platforms. By emphasizing the importance of fostering positive brand attitudes in digital contexts, this research underscores the value of integrating virtual influencers into comprehensive digital marketing strategies to enhance brand salience and influence consumer purchasing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has triggered a significant evolution in the sphere of social media. This research is designed to explore the influence of AI technologies in user experience under Social Media Marketing examining augmented reality, virtual influencers, and chatbots in Jordanian Millennials. The associations were assessed with the importance analysis in the data using Smart PLS 4 and a combination of direct hypothesis testing and mediation analysis. With that being said, our results suggest a non-negligible effect of AI on the social media user journey. In addition, we find that chatbots, virtual influencers, and augmented reality can effectively mitigate the role of user experience in user attitudes toward AI. Realizations like these contribute to the epistemology of the area and provide actionable input for researchers and professionals.

As vision-oriented graphic technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) advance, many brands have started using virtual influencers (VIs), which are computer-generated figures with humanlike features, in their marketing efforts. Although VIs are nonhumans, consumers still interact with them socially and emotionally. However, understanding is limited regarding the advertising effects of VIs and their humanlike cues. Therefore, the present research investigated how more versus less humanlike VIs influenced consumers' advertising attitudes and purchase intentions. Also, two mediating variables underlying this relationship were investigated: authenticity and identification (i.e., perceived similarity and wishful identification). Two studies (N = 178, N = 162) using one-factor, two-condition (more versus less humanlike VIs) between-subject experiments were conducted. The results suggested that participants perceived more humanlike VIs as more authentic, leading to more favorable advertising attitudes and higher purchase intentions across the two studies. Only one study using the hedonic product showed that perceived similarity and wishful identification mediated the advertising effects. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this qualitative study was to empower the young Chinese fans on social media through artificial intelligence (as virtual influencers) to control their body image. The study aimed to investigate fans' opinions, experiences, and obstacles in relation to body image perception, acceptance and satisfaction through in-depth interviews with 21 informants. Based on the interview questions and research aims and objectives, a total of 11 themes were formulated to perform the thematic analysis. According to the findings, fan involvement, social media use, and exposure to idealized body ideals of virtual influencers had an impact on body image perceptions and among Chinese young female fans. The findings also highlighted the relevance of social support and positive fan groups in fostering body image satisfaction. This study's theoretical and practical implications add to the current literature by shedding light on the complex interplay between virtual celebrity, fan practices, social media and body image satisfaction. The study emphasizes the importance of focused interventions and support networks that meet the specific issues that Chinese young female fans experience in maintaining the confidence for embracing healthy body image. The study's weaknesses and future research directions are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual influencers (VIs), computer-generated characters that serve as influencers, offer novel and cost-effective advertising strategies. VIs' roles and appearances are comparable to those of human influencers (HIs) in advertising in that they mimic humans in their behavior. However, novel features of these digital entities allow virtual VIs to engage in unique interactions with audiences. With the rise of successful VIs, academic research on VIs has been growing rapidly. Thus, a systematic comparison of VIs and HIs in the context of interactive advertising is a timely endeavor to better understand the conceptual and operational similarities and differences between them and to guide future research. After analyzing 44 final papers on VIs, the current review suggests that there are many similarities between HIs and VIs and their roles as the source of advertising messages, but also critical differences that determine the limitations and potentials of VIs in interactive advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual influencers are one of the modern methods in digital marketing that have begun to spread globally, and are expected to become the basic image of digital influencers. Therefore, there is great interest among both researchers and companies. Therefore, this study attempted to address this topic. This study aimed to identify the extent of acceptance of virtual influencers, and to identify the dimensions through which virtual influencers can be accepted as digital promoters among Generation Z in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The main question of this study was: ―What are the dimensions of acceptance of virtual influencers as digital promoters among Generation Z?‖ Therefore, the study attempted to test hypotheses to identify the effect of the relationship between the dependent variable, which is acceptance of the virtual influencer, on the independent variables represented by credibility with its dimensions (trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, and similarity), the Available credibility positively variable with its dimensions (acquaintance, friendship, and understanding), and the variable of the appropriate content provided by the virtual influencer. For the purpose of collecting data, we relied on distributing an electronic questionnaire to 800 people in Saudi Arabia. The results showed that virtual influencers must be worthy of consumers‘ trust, similar to them in personal and life aspects, and attractive in order to be accepted by consumers. It also concluded that it is important for there to be understanding between the virtual influencer and the consumer to understand his personality and provide what suits him, and for friendship and understanding to form between them. Finally, the study concluded the importance of the content provided by the virtual influencer, which must suit every consumer and support the trust and credibility of the virtual influencer. Therefore, the study recommends the need for companies to pay attention to the virtual influencer because it will become the basic form of digital influencers, ensuring that they provide the necessary dimensions for their use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social media industry, has grown rapidly in the last decade becoming an important part of the media industry. Virtual influencers have become popular on social media since 2015 and they are frequently on the media agenda occasionally shown as the future of advertising. The aim of the study is to determine the current status of the virtual influencer sector questioning whether it holds an important place in the media and advertising industry. For this purpose, virtualhumans.org, a website specialized on virtual influencers, is examined and 193 virtual influencers active on Instagram, which is one the most popular platforms of social media, are determined. As of 15.11.2022, the accounts within the scope of the study are subjected to general survey model to detect their instant position and content analysis according to criteria such as the number of followers, whether they have identity verifications, the date of their latest posts, in how many days they post on average, their countries and images. The results of the research reveal that the number of accounts with over one million followers is only eight, the rate of active posting is limited to 54.4% and some of the accounts become passive after being popular for a period of time. Among the analyzed accounts, the rate of accounts with blue ticks confirming the reliability of the account is only 20.7%. More than one fourth of the accounts originate from the USA, followed by S. S. Korea, Japan and the UK. The most important problem related to the sector is experienced at the point of sustainability of these virtual characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marketing practice involved with virtual idols became popular, leading to the emergence of virtual idol marketing. However, there is a lack of scientific understanding of this emerging marketing field. To promote a fundamental understanding of virtual idol marketing, this study clarifies the conceptual boundary of virtual idols and provides meaningful insights into the definitions, benefits, and risks of virtual idol marketing. On this basis, this study further proposes an integrated framework established on the existing theories and research to explain the potential working mechanism of virtual idol marketing. This study can increase the accumulation of knowledge in the emerging field of virtual idol marketing, provide inspiration and decision-making assistance for brands to build connections with young consumers, especially Generation Z, and provide an avenue for future research in the field of virtual idol marketing.

In recent years, a new type of influencer has emerged in the field of social media marketing: virtual influencers. Though it is spreading fast, the trend is still new and, therefore, limited research has been conducted on the topic. This study aims to investigate the impact of virtual influencers on customers and whether there is a direct impact on human influencers due to the rise of virtual influencers in the industry. The study employed a questionnaire-based survey method to collect and analyse responses from a sample of 357 participants. The questions focus on trust, credibility, expertise, and contribution to purchase intention by the virtual influencers. The results indicate that customers are increasingly attracted to virtual influencers and that virtual influences are perceived as more trustworthy, credible, and relevant to customers' preferences, leading to an increase in purchase intention. The study also discusses the implications of these findings for managers designing marketing campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a new form of influencer marketing, led by virtual ambassadors has appeared. Motivated by virtual influencers' (VI) potentials as corporate social responsibility (CSR) messengers, the study (1) compared the persuasive power of VIs with different humanness; and (2) examined how humanness and endorser-CSR fit interplay in affecting source credibility via drawing upon the expectancy violation theory. An online experiment with a two (type of VI: humanlike vs. cartoonlike) × two (endorser-CSR fit: high vs. low) between-subjects design has been conducted via prolific (N = 202). As a result, there was no interaction effect between fit and type of endorser. Further, VIs with higher humanness predicted higher trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness. Lastly, higher expertise and trustworthiness elicited higher CSR engagement intention. Attractiveness and trustworthiness positively affected brand attitude, as trustworthiness was found to be the strongest predictor and the only mediator to affect both CSR engagement and brand attitude. Delving into what enhances VIs' persuasiveness and how the subsequent effects influence consumers' attitudes about the endorsed message reveals the social media marketing potential of VIs to serve as effective communicators between consumers and brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of virtual human influencers, the current study adds to the growing literature examining the impact of a social media–based mix of reality and virtuality on perceived anthropomorphism and authenticity, in addition to the subsequent effects on advertising perceptions and implicit behavior. Through an experimental design with 242 participants, data suggest that while some elements of realism and product engagement levels do increase anthropomorphic and authenticity perceptions, the effects significantly attenuate when the virtual influencer is engaging with too much reality in a single social media post, such as consuming a real-world branded product with a real human. Further, data suggest that presenting virtual influencers within a "mixed" reality social media–based environment can lead to implicit product selection through endorser and brand credibility and attitude toward the brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Service Industries Journal is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, a new type of influencer has emerged in the field of social media marketing: virtual influencers. Though it is spreading fast, the trend is still new and, therefore, limited research has been conducted on the topic. This study aims to investigate the impact of virtual influencers on customers and whether there is a direct impact on human influencers due to the rise of virtual influencers in the industry. The study employed a questionnaire-based survey method to collect and analyse responses from a sample of 357 participants. The questions focus on trust, credibility, expertise, and contribution to purchase intention by the virtual influencers. The results indicate that customers are increasingly attracted to virtual influencers and that virtual influences are perceived as more trustworthy, credible, and relevant to customers’ preferences, leading to an increase in purchase intention. The study also discusses the implications of these findings for managers designing marketing campaigns.

Virtual influencers, digitally-created characters with realistic human-like appearances, have emerged as a distinctive type of virtual humans prominently featured in various virtual environments, with a notable presence on social media. They emulate human behaviors, including displaying emotions, to enrich their narratives. Yet, limited research has assessed how users interpret these virtual influencers' emotions as well as whether these emotional cues affect users' perceptions and attitude towards these virtual entities. To address these research gaps this research draws upon the Computers as Social Actors (CASA) paradigm. In study 1, sentiment analysis of a life-like virtual influencer's Instagram posts (N = 1196) conveyed a higher frequency, proportion, and intensity of positive (vs. negative) emotions. Study 2 utilized a U.S.-based Generation Z and Millennial sample from a large online platform to conduct a between-subjects online experiment (N = 142), examining whether Instagram posts conveying a virtual influencer's emotion (vs. no emotion) impacted users' attitude towards the virtual influencer. Findings indicate that the virtual influencer's perceived emotional intelligence, anthropomorphism, and authenticity are significant and serial mediators of the relationship between the virtual influencer's display of emotions in the social media posts and users' attitude towards the virtual influencer. Further, when looking at individual emotional effects (happiness vs. sadness vs. love vs. lust vs. no emotion), the expression of happiness in the virtual influencer's social media posts is greatly recommended for high perceptions and a positive attitude towards the virtual influencer while the display of sadness and lust are recommended to be avoided. • The virtual human's Instagram posts conveyed a higher frequency and intensity of positive (vs. negative) emotions. • Perceived emotional intelligence, anthropomorphism and authenticity mediated the relationship stimulated by emotional cues. • Users responded more favorably when the virtual human displayed happiness (vs. sadness and lust) in Instagram posts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent wave of artificial intelligence-based innovations, Virtual influencers (VIs) are one of the newest and most promising innovations. Despite their indisputable potential, still little is known about users' reactions to non-human endorsers. Our experimental study investigates users' perceptions of VIs engaged in sponsorship activities on Instagram, examining the impact of the influencer's nature (human vs. virtual) and possible interaction effects of the type of message conveyed (hedonic vs. utilitarian) on the influencer and brand-related variables. In line with the idea that individuals apply human social rules when interacting with computers, as established in the CASA paradigm, our results from an online sample (N = 238) show that disclosing the synthetic nature of a fully anthropomorphized virtual persona does not affect influencer and brand perceptions. Despite virtual influencers' objective lack of capacity to perceive and feel affective and sensorial information, their acceptance by the users is not hindered by an emotion-based communicative style. The research provides social and business implications for companies aiming to implement virtual influencers successfully. • Perceptions toward influencers and brands do not change when users are informed about the artificial nature of the endorser. • Brands can rely on human-like VIs as brand endorsers as their artificial nature does not trigger users' negative reactions. • There is no interaction between virtual vs. human influencers and the type of message conveyed on users' perceptions. • Despite VIs' objective lack of capacity to feel , their acceptance is not hindered by an emotion-based communicative style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Shanghai Physical Education Institute / Shanghai Tiyu Xueyuan Xuebao is the property of Shanghai Physical Education Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)