When Virtual Influencers Succeed: An Explanation of Consumer Control and Sensory Experience

Compared to human influencers, virtual influencer marketing has garnered widespread attention due to certain advantages. However, because they are intrinsically created and operated through computer programs, virtual influencers also face inherent limitations. This means their effectiveness has boundary conditions that require careful consideration. While there have been numerous reports of both successful and failed cases, academic literature still lacks a systematic theoretical framework to explain these outcomes. This study addresses the gap by constructing a model that integrates consumer control and sensory experience to explain how virtual (vs. human) influencers influence continuous purchase intentions. Results show that virtual influencers enhance consumers’ perceived behavioral and cognitive control, which in turn boosts continuous purchase intention. Interestingly, this positive effect is stronger for products with geometric attributes (e.g., electronics) but weaker for material-attribute products (e.g., clothing, perfume). The findings provide both theoretical insights and practical guidance on matching product types to influencer characteristics.