Publicação
Perceived authenticity of virtual vs human in the context of influencer marketing
| Resumo: | This study investigates the perceived authenticity of Virtual Influencers (VIs) compared to Human Influencers (HIs), addressing the research question: when might Virtual Influencers be perceived as more authentic than their human counterparts? This comparison is made across various types of products and services. Adopting a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 social media users from diverse international backgrounds. The main results indicate that while VIs demonstrate potential in specific niches such as technology and visually-driven products like luxury items, fashion, and tourism, HIs are generally perceived as more authentic owing to their capacity for genuine emotional expression, lived experiences, and relatable personal narratives. Participants primarily linked authenticity to an influencer's honesty, consistency, and real-life product use, which in turn significantly influences purchase intentions, with a strong current preference for HIs, even though VIs human-likeness can enhance initial relatability despite underlying skepticism. Furthermore, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed at the end of this dissertation. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Yé, Tainara Pereira |
| Assunto: | Digital Marketing Social Media Influencers Instagram Influencer Virtual (VIs) Influencer Human (HIs) |
| Ano: | 2025 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Instituto Português de Administração de Marketing |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Instituto Português de Administração de Marketing |
| Resumo: | This study investigates the perceived authenticity of Virtual Influencers (VIs) compared to Human Influencers (HIs), addressing the research question: when might Virtual Influencers be perceived as more authentic than their human counterparts? This comparison is made across various types of products and services. Adopting a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 social media users from diverse international backgrounds. The main results indicate that while VIs demonstrate potential in specific niches such as technology and visually-driven products like luxury items, fashion, and tourism, HIs are generally perceived as more authentic owing to their capacity for genuine emotional expression, lived experiences, and relatable personal narratives. Participants primarily linked authenticity to an influencer's honesty, consistency, and real-life product use, which in turn significantly influences purchase intentions, with a strong current preference for HIs, even though VIs human-likeness can enhance initial relatability despite underlying skepticism. Furthermore, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed at the end of this dissertation. |
|---|