Virtual Influencers and Sustainable Brand Relationships: Understanding Consumer Commitment and Behavioral Intentions in Digital Marketing for Environmental Stewardship

Yu Diao, Meili Liang, ChangHyun Jin and HyunKyung Woo ()
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Yu Diao: Department of Industrial Design, Kyonggi University, Suwon-si 16227, Republic of Korea
Meili Liang: Department of Business Administration, Kyonggi University, Suwon-si 16227, Republic of Korea
ChangHyun Jin: Department of Business Administration, Kyonggi University, Suwon-si 16227, Republic of Korea
HyunKyung Woo: Graduate School of Technology Management, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-29

Abstract: This investigation examines the psychological mechanisms governing human–virtual influencer relationships and their consequential impact on environmentally-conscious consumer behavior within digital marketing ecosystems. Employing theoretical frameworks from computer-mediated communication and social psychology, this study scrutinizes how algorithmically generated social media personalities cultivate para-social relationships that drive sustainable consumption patterns. The research operationalizes five core virtual influencer characteristics—expertise, similarity, attractiveness, familiarity, and para-social interaction—as predictive variables influencing relationship commitment and subsequent eco-conscious brand engagement. Consumer innovativeness functions as a moderating variable within this theoretical model. The data collection encompassed 677 respondents demonstrating active engagement with sustainability-focused virtual influencer content, analyzed through structural equation modeling (EQS 6.4) and the PLS-SEM methodology (SmartPLS 4.0). The empirical analysis reveals significant positive correlations between virtual influencer characteristics and relationship commitment, with similarity and attractiveness demonstrating the strongest predictive validity. Relationship commitment emerged as a significant mediator influencing sustainable brand attitudes, which subsequently affected purchase intentions for environmentally responsible products. Consumer innovativeness demonstrated positive moderating effects across all virtual influencer characteristics, with particularly robust effects observed for attractiveness and para-social interaction within sustainable brand contexts. This research advances the human–AI interaction literature by elucidating the psychological mechanisms through which virtual influencers facilitate consumer relationship formation and drive behavioral outcomes toward sustainable consumption practices. The findings provide empirically validated strategic frameworks for marketers developing virtual influencer campaigns that promote environmental stewardship, emphasizing the cultivation of perceived similarity and attractiveness while incorporating audience innovativeness as a critical segmentation variable in sustainable marketing initiatives.

Keywords: virtual influencer; para-social interaction; relationship commitment; sustainable brand attitude; purchase intention; consumer innovativeness; environmental stewardship; sustainable marketing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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