Exploring different virtual influencer types in green marketing: The roles of anthropomorphism, warmth, competence, and discomfort

This study explores how different visual types of virtual influencers (VIs) – realistically human, anime-style, and non-human – shape perceptions of warmth, competence, and discomfort in the context of sustainable brand endorsements. Grounded in the Stereotype Content Model, the paradigm of computers are social actors and the uncanny valley theory, the study investigates how a VI’s anthropomorphism affects consumers’ social judgements of the VI and in turn, brand attitudes and purchase intention. Results suggest anthropomorphism can directly increase purchase intention, while only having an indirect effect on brand attitude via perceptions of warmth and competence. On the other hand, perceived discomfort is increased by the VI’s anthropomorphism level, but it does not significantly influence brand attitudes and purchase intention. Interestingly, this study found that non-human VIs, like a bee, are perceived as the most warm and competent among other VIs, while eliciting the least discomfort, which offers novel insights for green marketing strategies and VI research.