Virtual characters, virtual influence? Assessing the efficacy of virtual and human influencers and the influence of need for interaction and consumer envy

Virtual influencers are digital figures created to mimic human influencers' physical features and conduct. Brands are increasingly drawn to these figures for their possible advantages (e.g., control over their communication strategy and reduced communication costs) in attracting and maintaining large followings. However, research on this topic remains nascent: Few studies have investigated why consumers react differently to human vs. virtual influencers; consequently, the field may underestimate some individual traits that orient this mechanism. Given that gap, this paper presents three experimental studies that not only test how the type of influencer (i.e., human or virtual) affects consumers' perceptions and intentions, but also explore the moderating role of two consumer-related factors: the need for interaction and the inclination toward envy. The results reveal that human influencers generally elicit heightened perceptions of credibility and authenticity, which in turn affect consumers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., to spread positive word-of-mouth for or purchase the advertised product). Additionally, consumers characterized by higher levels of the need for interaction and/or lower levels of envy seem to prefer the human influencers. In short, our research offers useful insights for digital marketing scholars and practitioners aiming to incorporate influencers into their digital campaigns.