Human or virtual: How influencer type shapes brand attitudes

As social media has grown, firms have increasingly sought endorsements from social media influencers rather than traditional celebrity endorsements. Technological advancements in computer-generated imagery have led to the emergence of a particular new type of social media influencer: virtual influencers. Virtual influencers offer advantages over human influencers because they have no physical limitations and their images are more easily controlled. It remains to be seen, however, whether virtual influencers can be as effective as human influencers in generating a positive brand attitude. Five experimental studies (N = 1,734) reveal that virtual influencers are not as effective as their human counterparts. The…