Human vs virtual influencers and message framing: enhancing environmental awareness, activism and sustainable purchase intentions through effective messaging

What is it about?

The dawn of virtual influencers (VIs) has altered digital marketing. These avatars crafted through digital animation and AI have become prominent in promoting products, brands, and social causes on various social media platforms. While VIs have shown potential in engaging younger, tech-savvy audiences, the impact of their environmental advocacy on their actual sustainable purchasing decisions remains underexplored. To address this gap, we compare the effectiveness of VIs with human influencers in conveying environmental messages and fostering pro-environmental purchase behaviours. The paper uses a 2x2 experimental design (virtual vs. human influencer) x (negative vs positive message frame) to examine how influencer type and message frame affect message effectiveness, environmental activism and sustainable product purchase intentions. Results show that a human influencer (HIs) has an edge over the VI as have negative message frames than positive message frames when it comes to message effectiveness of environmental communication over social media. Also, consequential awareness enhances environmental activism, leading to sustainable purchase intentions. The findings highlight the strategic value of HIs over VIs and negative message framing in promoting sustainable behaviors among target audience on social media platforms.

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