Study: Human Qualities of Virtual Influencers Can Affect Trustworthiness in Parasocial Relationships

Wednesday October 23, 2024

A new study has found that consumers rely on distinct criteria at different relationship stages to evaluate the trustworthiness of virtual influencers. The findings by University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) graduate student …

Study: The Advantage of Virtual Influencers in Commercial Marketing May Not Enhance Their Role in Advocacy for Social Causes

Wednesday August 14, 2024

A new study has found that the advantages of virtual influencers in commercial marketing do not necessarily enhance their role in advocacy for social causes. The findings by Miami University Assistant Professor Leping You, Ph.D. 2020, and University of …

How Audiences Perceive Gender Presentations by Virtual Influencers

Friday March 1, 2024

Social media influencers have become economic and social capital powerhouses. But now virtual influencers, computer-generated characters, who, despite not actually being alive, are also engaging with audiences using persona-focused personal brands. But how effective are they?

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Study: Virtual Influencers are Perceived as Less Effective in Comparison with Human Influencers

Wednesday February 7, 2024

A new study has found that virtual influencers are perceived as less authentic across all product types. The findings by University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) doctoral student Fanjue Liu and UFCJC Media Production, Management …

Yu-Hao Lee Co-Authors Articles on Moral Balancing in Video Games and Virtual Influencers and Gender Identity

Wednesday September 6, 2023

A new study shows that issue congruency may be a factor that determines whether players behave consistently or engage in moral licensing and moral cleansing after committing a moral or immoral behavior in a video game. The findings by Yu-Hao Lee, University …

Who’s Responsible for Brand Success or Failure When the Endorser Isn’t Human?

Monday May 15, 2023

Brands are increasingly using virtual influencers for promotion, which results in multilayered ads. The virtual influencer, the company behind the influencer, and the brand could all be seen as responsible for the success or failure of an endorsement by the consumer. So, what does this mean for consumers and brand advertisers?

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Video: Doctoral Student Yoo Jin Chung Discusses AI-Enabled Virtual Influencers on Social Media

Friday September 10, 2021

Doctoral student Yoo Jin Chung discusses her research on AI-enabled virtual influencers on social media, and how social media users react to virtual vs. human influencers.

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