Virtual or human, male or female? exploring the gender effect of virtual influencers on consumers’ purchase intentions for emerging brands

Key Points

• Purchase intentions were influenced by the gender of virtual influencers, indicating the significance of gender representation in marketing.
• Key evidence showed that both male and female virtual influencers have distinct impacts on consumer behavior, particularly for emerging brands.
• Observational analysis assessed consumer responses to male versus female virtual influencers on emerging brand appeal and purchase intentions.
• Implications suggest marketers may need to tailor influencer strategies based on gender and virtual presence to maximize effectiveness.