When digital celebrity talks to you: How human-like virtual influencers satisfy consumer's experience through social presence on social media endorsements

Abstract

Retailers are employing non-human endorsers as alternatives to traditional celebrities in digital marketing. We seek to identify the aspects of human-like virtual influencer endorsements that create a positive consumer experience. Using a survey of 364 female Instagram users in South Korea, we find that virtual influencers’ perceived anthropomorphism positively influences satisfaction. Social presence does not mediate the association between perceived anthropomorphism and satisfaction. Further perceived enjoyment, perceived usefulness, flow, and credibility play a significant role in the relationship among perceived anthropomorphism, social presence, and satisfaction. This study offers practical insights into collaborative advertising for retail marketers utilizing virtual celebrities. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd