Asia Marketing Journal | 2026
Authors: Song Y.J.; Choi S.M.
DOI: 10.53728/2765-6500.1672
Journal: Asia Marketing Journal
Year: 2026
Publisher: Korean Marketing Association
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
As virtual influencers (VIs) increasingly function as prominent intermediaries in brand–consumer interactions, there is a critical need for systematic investigation into their impact on consumer behavior. This study empirically explores how specific attributes of VIs—competence, warmth, and eeriness—shape consumer perceptions, attachment, and brand engagement. Results indicate that competence and warmth significantly enhance VI attractiveness, whereas eeriness diminishes attractiveness and weakens consumer responses. Furthermore, attractiveness emerges as a primary determinant of consumer attachment to VIs, while actual self-congruence shows a significant negative effect on this attachment. Notably, stronger consumer attachment fosters more positive brand attitudes, which subsequently elevate purchase intention. These findings deepen theoretical understanding of the persuasive mechanisms underlying virtual influencer effectiveness and offer actionable insights for brands seeking to strategically optimize VI characteristics to maximize consumer attachment and drive brand engagement. 2765-6500/ © 2026 Korean Marketing Association (KMA). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Attachment; Persuasive effect; Self-congruence; Virtual influencer (VI)