Pixels vs. People: The Battle for Consumer Trust in Influencer Marketing

Picture this: You’re scrolling through Instagram and you’re suddenly captivated by a dazzling influencer showcasing the latest must-have widget. You’re ready to click “buy now” when a thought hits you — is this person even real?

Welcome to the brave new world of virtual influencers, where computer-generated characters with picture-perfect looks and carefully crafted personalities are giving their flesh-and-blood counterparts a run for their money. But can these virtual characters really influence our purchasing decisions as effectively as human influencers?

University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications researchers Fanjue Liu and Yu-Hao Lee, Media Production, Management, and Technology associate professor, set out to answer this question by examining the effectiveness of virtual influencers compared to humans in affecting brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Their study, involving 352 Instagram users, revealed some surprising insights into the world of virtual influence.

First, they discovered that authenticity matters. The study found that virtual influencers are consistently perceived as less authentic than human influencers, regardless of the type of product they’re promoting. This lack of perceived authenticity leads to less favorable brand attitudes and lower purchase intentions.

The researchers also discovered that the type of product being endorsed plays a crucial role in determining how effective a virtual influencer can be. When it comes to functional products — think gadgets and gizmos that serve a practical purpose — virtual influencers can hold their own against human influencers. However, for symbolic products (status symbols that act as means for consumers to express their identity) and experiential products (products that elicit feelings, emotions and sensations during their consumption), human influencers still have the upper hand.

The study introduces the concept of “product-endorser fit” — essentially, how well the influencer’s image aligns with the product they’re promoting. This fit significantly impacts the effectiveness of the endorsement, especially for virtual influencers. In other words, if you’re going to use a digital persona to sell your product, make sure their carefully crafted image matches what you’re selling.

So, what does this mean for the future of influencer marketing? While virtual influencers might not be ready to completely replace their human counterparts, they’re carving out their own niche. Brands looking to leverage these digital trendsetters should focus on pairing them with functional products or emphasizing the functional aspects of other product types.

For marketers, the key takeaway is clear: whether you’re working with flesh-and-blood influencers or their pixelated peers, authenticity and product-endorser fit are crucial. Brands need to carefully consider which type of influencer aligns best with their products and target audience.

The original paper, “Virtually authentic: examining the match-up hypothesis between human vs virtual influencers and product types,” was published in the Journal of Product and Brand Management on February 7, 2024.

Authors: Fanjue Liu, Yu-Hao Lee

This summary was written by Gigi Marino.