Product-independent or product-dependent: The impact of virtual influencers’ primed identity on purchase intention

Xueying Wang and Yuexian Zhang

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2025, vol. 84, issue C

Abstract: With the wide application of virtual influencers (VIs), consumers are increasingly exposed to VIs with different primed identities. However, research on how VIs influence purchase intention from the perspective of primed identity remains limited. This study introduces a novel classification for VIs from the perspective of primed identity, namely product-independent VIs and product-dependent VIs, and explores whether different types of VIs have different effects on purchase intention. Three online experiments involving a total of 1025 participants were conducted, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 26. The findings indicate that compared to a product-independent VI, a product-dependent VI generates higher purchase intention, and cognitive and emotional trust play mediating roles. Additionally, linguistic style and brand prominence moderate the relationship between VIs and purchase intention via cognitive and emotional trust. This research expands VIs studies from the perspective of primed identity and reinforces the importance of selecting the appropriate VIs, offering practical advice to marketers on how to choose VIs with different primed identities.

Keywords: Virtual influencer; Cognitive trust; Emotional trust; Purchase intention; Linguistic style; Brand prominence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:84:y:2025:i:c:s0969698924003849

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.104088

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