Although virtual influencer marketing is emerging in tourism, few studies have demonstrated the influence of using virtual influencers on brand personality and how to enhance their endorsement efficacy. Across five experimental studies (n = 1,914), findings show that virtual influencers are judged to be less sincere but more exciting than their human counterparts. Such perceptions transfer to the tourism brands, making consumers view a brand endorsed by a virtual influencer as less sincere but more exciting than one endorsed by a human influencer. However, the disparity in sincere perception can be attenuated when virtual influencers are depicted as having empathy. In addition, aligning a virtual (vs. a human) influencer to brands that have an exciting (vs. sincere) personality enhanced endorsement effectiveness. The study extends downstream understanding of influencer endorsement on tourism brands and sheds light on how they can leverage virtual influencers to build favorable brand associations.

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您的公司有合适的影响者吗？影响者类型和旅游品牌个性


尽管虚拟网红营销在旅游业中兴起，但很少有研究证明使用虚拟网红对品牌个性的影响以及如何提高他们的代言效果。在五项实验研究 （n = 1,914） 中，研究结果表明，与人类影响者相比，虚拟影响者被认为不那么真诚，但更令人兴奋。这种看法转移到旅游品牌上，使消费者认为由虚拟影响者代言的品牌不如由人类影响者代言的品牌真诚但更令人兴奋。然而，当虚拟影响者被描绘成具有同理心时，真诚感知的差异可以被削弱。此外，将虚拟（相对于人类）影响者与具有令人兴奋（相对于真诚）个性的品牌保持一致可以提高代言效果。该研究扩展了下游对影响者对旅游品牌的认可的理解，并阐明了他们如何利用虚拟影响者建立有利的品牌关联。