More Realistic, More Better? How Anthropomorphic Images of Virtual Influencers Impact the Purchase Intentions of Consumers

A growing number of enterprises are using virtual influencers on livestreaming e-commerce platforms to extend the duration for which live streamers stay online. This article uses the uncanny valley phenomenon to investigate the effects of the level of anthropomorphization of images of virtual influencers on the purchase intention of consumers. We divided the images of virtual influencers into three categories according to their level of anthropomorphization: cartoon images (low), medium-realistic images (medium), and hyper-realistic images (high). We identified a U-shaped relationship between the level of anthropomorphization of images of virtual influencers and consumers’ purchase intention. Virtual influencers represented by cartoon images and hyper-realistic images enhanced the purchase intentions of consumers, while streamers with medium-realistic images reduced them. Algorithmic aversion was found to play a mediating role in this relation. In addition, self-efficacy had an inhibitory effect on the inverted U-shaped relationship between the anthropomorphism of the image of the virtual influencer and algorithmic aversion. When the virtual influencer had a medium-realistic image, consumers exhibited the strongest algorithmic aversion, the lowest purchase intention, and the most significant inhibition in self-efficacy. This work provides guidance for designing images of virtual influencers for marketing-related activities on livestreaming e-commerce platforms.