The Influence of Virtual Idol Characteristics on Consumers’ Clothing Purchase Intention
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Basis and Research Model
2.1. Virtual Idol
2.2. Attitude
2.3. Hypothesis of the Relationship between the Characteristics and Purchase Intention of Virtual Idols
- (1)
- Idols’ high popularity has been directly reflected in larger consumer markets [26]. For example, the worldwide popularity of Hatsune Miku has led consumers from different countries to buy Hatsune Miku’s derivative products, such as figures, CDs, and concert tickets [27]. In endorsement advertising activities, virtual idols attract consumers’ attention to the brand by their high popularity, and impart a more positive attitude towards the brand, thus promoting product sale [6].
- (2)
- As a concept that is nuanced and complex, cuteness is a characteristic of a virtual idol that makes it appealing, funny, and desirable [28]. From appearance to functions, the cuteness of virtual idols is highly dependent on technology [29]. The cuteness of virtual idols can arouse consumers’ positive emotions, such as ease and pleasure, increase consumers’ alertness to the brand, improve consumers’ brand cognitive evaluation, and stimulate their purchase intention [7].
- (3)
- The anthropomorphism of a virtual idol reflects the dispositional, situational, and cultural integration of the consumers’ anthropomorphic cognition [30]. Given their high anthropomorphism, the use of virtual idols as an online marketing measure seems to generate much social engagement [31]. The findings illustrate that the anthropomorphism of intelligent personal assistants leads users to assign greater social attraction to them, which in turn reinforces cognitive or emotional attitudes towards assistants [32]. The anthropomorphic messages of brand products delivered by virtual idols can enhance consumers’ positive emotions, and establish the emotional connection between consumers and brands [21]. Consequently, this promotes their willingness to buy branded products.
- (4)
- The more attracted consumers feel towards the virtual influencer, the higher their intention to accept information [33]. In marketing activities, the attractiveness of virtual idols as information sources improves the effectiveness of communication between brands and consumers, and then improves the information recipients’ willingness to buy branded products [34]. For example, Lil Miquela uses the strategic cultivation of an audience to attain idol status through social media, the attractiveness of which ensures brand loyalty [35].
- (5)
- In Virtual Servicescapes, professionalism affects customer satisfaction [36]. As a virtual activist, Marta can improve the effect of brand marketing activities through her virtual charisma as a virtual influencer [37]. The professionalism of a virtual spokesperson increases the credibility of his or her image in the minds of consumers, which in turn improves their attitude toward the brand and awakens their motivation to buy [38]. Specifically, Virtual Tubers are better supported by consumers because they professionally use more expensive motion capture equipment to generate more realistic avatar movement, and have stronger promotion and marketing [39].
- (6)
- Different brands have taken advantage of this by adopting related virtual idols to represent their values to attract more customers and appear more reliable [40]. Virtual celebrities are convenient for brands—they are less needy, and speak any language you want, and virtual celebrities consistent with the brand image are the best for brands in need of a spokesperson [41]. Both qualitative and empirical analyses showed the influence of a strong match between virtual endorsers and brands on consumers’ attitudes toward brand; in addition, experiments have previously demonstrated that virtual idols with high relevance to the brand’s products promote the brand and enhance consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions [42].
- (7)
- When virtual idols have high homogeneity with consumers in character setting and value concept setting, consumers will enhance their emotional attitude and purchase intention towards virtual idol endorsement brands [42]. Take Xiaomi’s mobile phone, for example; Hatsune Miku’s exclusive color scheme is full of a sense of future technology, and here, the consistent promotion of products is based on consumer preferences for commercial success [43]. As a virtual idol, Lil Miquela attracts more followers who love fashion by posting pictures of the brand on social media [44].
2.4. Hypothesis of the Moderating Relationship of Idolatry Involvement
2.5. Hypothesis of the Relationship between Adult Playfulness and Attitude
3. Research Design
3.1. Selection, Definition and Measurement of Variables
3.2. Questionnaire Design and Collection
3.3. Quasi-Replication Method
3.4. Descriptive Statistical Analysis
3.5. Reliability and Validity Test
4. Empirical Research Results Analysis
4.1. Empirical Analysis of the Characteristics of Virtual Idols and Consumers’ Willingness to Buy Branded Clothing
4.2. Regulatory Effect Test
4.3. Moderating Effect Test
4.3.1. Test of the Moderating Effect of Idolatry Involvement
4.3.2. Test of the Moderating Effect of Adult Playfulness
5. Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA)
5.1. Calibration
5.2. fsQCA of Clothing Purchase Intention
5.2.1. Necessity Analysis of Clothing Purchase Intention
5.2.2. Configuration Analysis of Clothing Purchase Intention
5.3. fsQCA of Attitude
5.3.1. Necessity Analysis of Attitude
5.3.2. Configuration Analysis of Attitude
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1. Summary of Findings
6.2. Managerial Implications
7. Limitation and Future Research
7.1. Limitations of Data Collection
7.2. Further Research
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Clothing Brand | Virtual Idol | Marketing Case |
---|---|---|
Louis Vuitton | Hatsune Miku | In 2013, Hatsune Miku wore LV dress in the opera. |
Lightning | Lightning shoots LV campaign in 2016. | |
Lil Miquela | Lil Miquela lived show to fans in 2018. | |
K/DA | In 2020, K/DA wore LV clothes in a music video and appeared in the fashion magazine named Dazed. | |
Prada | Lightning | Lightning wore Prada clothes in men’s fashion magazine named Arena Homme + in 2012. |
Lil Miquela | Lil Miquela endorsed Prada and promoted the brand on her Instagram account. | |
Aimee | Aimee appeared on Tmall App wearing Prada in 2020. | |
Givenchy | Hatsune Miku | Hatsune Miku wore Givenchy fashion in 2016. |
Gucci | Tennis Clash | Gucci’s official website sold the same clothes of the game character Tennis Clash in 2020. |
Dimension | Index | Source | Dimension | Index | Source | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | Popularity | Capacity to influence consumers | Gommans R et al. (2017) [51] | X7 | Homogeneity | Similar to consumer personality | Masuda H et al. (2022) [42] |
Fame and prestige | Consistent with consumer values | ||||||
Familiar | Similar to consumer hobbies | ||||||
X2 | Cuteness | Cute appearance | Mize J et al. (2008) [52] | Z | Cognitive attitude | Impressing brand | Hwang et al. (2011) [25] |
Favorable | Distinctive brand | ||||||
Humorous | High-quality brand | ||||||
X3 | Anthropomorphism | Appearance | Zhang Shengliang et al. (2022) [53] | Worth | |||
Action | Emotional attitude | Happy | |||||
Expression | Interesting | ||||||
Mood | Authentic | ||||||
Personality | |||||||
Communication | T1 | Idolatry involvement | Acceptable | Aoyagi H et al. (2021) [54] | |||
X4 | Attractiveness | Otherness | Masuda H et al. (2022) [42] | Like | |||
Interesting | Discuss | ||||||
Novel | T2 | Adult playfulness | Hobby | Shen X et al. (2021) [55] | |||
X5 | Professionalism | Clothing marketing ability | Mize J et al. (2008) [52] | Psychology | |||
Clothing expertise | Personality | ||||||
Clothing marketing experience | Behavior | ||||||
X6 | Relevance | Reasonable representation of clothing brands | Garretson J A, et al. (2004) [56] | Immersion | |||
Appropriate representation of clothing brands | Y | Clothing purchase intention | Search for brand clothing | ||||
Images related to clothing brands | Accept to buy brand clothing | Yang S J et al. (2019) [57] | |||||
Personality related to clothing brands | Preferential purchase of brand clothing | ||||||
Recommended purchase of brand clothing | |||||||
Repurchase brand clothing |
N | % | N | % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender | Male | 239 | 52.1 | Education level | Master or higher | 135 | 29.4 |
Female | 220 | 47.9 | Occupation | Student | 255 | 55.6 | |
Age | ≤18 | 11 | 2.4 | Business | 188 | 41.0 | |
19~25 | 361 | 78.6 | Public sector | 5 | 1.1 | ||
26~30 | 69 | 15.0 | Private sector | 11 | 2.4 | ||
31~44 | 18 | 3.9 | Monthly income level (RMB) | ≤5000 | 308 | 67.1 | |
≥45 | 7 | 1.5 | 5001–8000 | 95 | 20.7 | ||
Education level | Junior high school or lower | 8 | 1.7 | 8001–12,000 | 42 | 9.2 | |
High school | 14 | 3.1 | 12,001–20,000 | 9 | 2.0 | ||
Some college | 302 | 65.8 | ≥20,001 | 5 | 1.1 |
λ | DE-α | α | CR | AVE | λ | DE-α | A | CR | AVE | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | X11 | 0.876 | 0.720 | 0.819 | 0.893 | 0.735 | X72 | 0.762 | 0.633 | ||||
X12 | 0.838 | 0.778 | X73 | 0.826 | 0.524 | ||||||||
X13 | 0.857 | 0.749 | Z | Z11 | 0.703 | 0.729 | 0.787 | 0.912 | 0.564 | ||||
X2 | X21 | 0.802 | 0.630 | 0.718 | 0.842 | 0.640 | Z12 | 0.616 | 0.776 | ||||
X22 | 0.845 | 0.547 | Z13 | 0.783 | 0.697 | ||||||||
X23 | 0.75 | 0.701 | Z14 | 0.763 | 0.726 | ||||||||
X3 | X31 | 0.724 | 0.840 | 0.857 | 0.894 | 0.584 | Z21 | 0.798 | 0.799 | 0.850 | |||
X32 | 0.804 | 0.823 | Z22 | 0.745 | 0.830 | ||||||||
X33 | 0.817 | 0.820 | Z23 | 0.808 | 0.784 | ||||||||
X34 | 0.759 | 0.831 | Z24 | 0.776 | 0.816 | ||||||||
X35 | 0.74 | 0.836 | T1 | T11 | 0.845 | 0.753 | 0.812 | 0.889 | 0.727 | ||||
X36 | 0.735 | 0.837 | T12 | 0.873 | 0.703 | ||||||||
X4 | X41 | 0.81 | 0.667 | 0.744 | 0.855 | 0.662 | T13 | 0.839 | 0.762 | ||||
X42 | 0.784 | 0.703 | T2 | T21 | 0.734 | 0.699 | 0.759 | 0.839 | 0.516 | ||||
X43 | 0.846 | 0.600 | T22 | 0.723 | 0.706 | ||||||||
X5 | X51 | 0.863 | 0.636 | 0.774 | 0.869 | 0.689 | T23 | 0.784 | 0.684 | ||||
X52 | 0.806 | 0.731 | T24 | 0.796 | 0.674 | ||||||||
X53 | 0.821 | 0.710 | T25 | 0.519 | 0.776 | ||||||||
X6 | X61 | 0.797 | 0.765 | 0.811 | 0.876 | 0.638 | Y1 | Y11 | 0.825 | 0.868 | 0.890 | 0.919 | 0.694 |
X62 | 0.785 | 0.772 | Y12 | 0.827 | 0.868 | ||||||||
X63 | 0.811 | 0.755 | Y13 | 0.833 | 0.866 | ||||||||
X64 | 0.803 | 0.760 | Y14 | 0.835 | 0.865 | ||||||||
X7 | X71 | 0.768 | 0.626 | 0.689 | 0.829 | 0.590 | Y15 | 0.846 | 0.862 |
X1 | X2 | X3 | X4 | X5 | X6 | X7 | Z | T1 | T2 | Y | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | 0.857 | ||||||||||
X2 | 0.447 | 0.800 | |||||||||
X3 | 0.456 | 0.562 | 0.764 | ||||||||
X4 | 0.385 | 0.527 | 0.553 | 0.814 | |||||||
X5 | 0.407 | 0.498 | 0.496 | 0.507 | 0.830 | ||||||
X6 | 0.468 | 0.501 | 0.531 | 0.580 | 0.641 | 0.799 | |||||
X7 | 0.371 | 0.448 | 0.492 | 0.383 | 0.453 | 0.521 | 0.768 | ||||
Z | 0.446 | 0.418 | 0.453 | 0.405 | 0.478 | 0.499 | 0.482 | 0.751 | |||
T1 | 0.472 | 0.328 | 0.327 | 0.289 | 0.351 | 0.402 | 0.409 | 0.579 | 0.853 | ||
T2 | 0.404 | 0.412 | 0.456 | 0.420 | 0.456 | 0.432 | 0.435 | 0.510 | 0.530 | 0.718 | |
Y | 0.470 | 0.318 | 0.314 | 0.314 | 0.317 | 0.391 | 0.378 | 0.641 | 0.595 | 0.469 | 0.833 |
Y | Z | Y | Y | |
---|---|---|---|---|
(1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | |
X1 | 0.353 ** | 0.147 ** | 0.239 ** | |
(0.05) | (0.045) | (0.041) | ||
X2 | (0.085 | |||
(0.056) | ||||
X3 | 0.121 * | 0.079 | ||
(0.058) | (0.049) | |||
X4 | 0.061 | |||
(0.058) | ||||
X5 | 0.023 | |||
(0.059) | ||||
X6 | 0.123 * | 0.254 ** | 0.057 | |
(0.066) | (0.056) | (0.046) | ||
X7 | 0.196 ** | 0.269 ** | 0.030 | |
(0.05) | (0.0466) | (0.044) | ||
Z | 0.628 ** | 0.545 ** | ||
(0.036) | (0.044) | |||
R2 | 0.26 | 0.357 | 0.395 | 0.440 |
F | 22.694 | 63.003 | 298.295 | 89.264 |
Z | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(5) | (6) | (7) | (8) | (9) | (10) | (11) | (12) | (13) | |
X1 | 0.125 ** | 0.123 ** | 0.103 * | 0.115 * | 0.145 ** | 0.145 ** | 0.119 ** | 0.119 ** | 0.123 ** |
(0.045) | (0.045) | (0.045) | (0.046) | (0.045) | (0.045) | (0.045) | (0.046) | (0.045) | |
X2 | 0.098 | 0.093 | 0.087 | 0.104 * | 0.087 | 0.087 | 0.095 | 0.104 * | 0.103 * |
(0.051) | (0.051) | (0.051) | (0.051) | (0.051) | (0.051) | (0.051) | 0.051 | 0.051 | |
X3 | 0.02 | 0.024 | 0.047 | 0.012 | 0.078 | 0.078 | 0.024 | 0.026 | 0.024 |
(0.053) | (0.053) | (0.053) | (0.053) | (0.055) | (0.055) | (0.053) | (0.053) | (0.053) | |
X4 | 0.022 | 0.027 | 0.019 | 0.027 | 0.025 | 0.025 | 0.025 | 0.025 | 0.026 |
(0.053) | (0.053) | (0.052) | (0.053) | (0.052) | (0.052) | (0.053) | (0.053) | (0.053) | |
X5 | 0.166 ** | 0.17 ** | 0.182 ** | 0.175 ** | 0.147 ** | 0.147 ** | 0.172 ** | 0.166 ** | 0.165 ** |
(0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | (0.054) | |
X6 | 0.128 * | 0.126 * | 0.118 * | 0.129 * | 0.113 | 0.113 | 0.139 * | 0.131 * | 0.132 * |
(0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | |
X7 | 0.243 ** | 0.24 ** | 0.249 ** | 0.247 ** | 0.244 ** | 0.244 ** | 0.243 ** | 0.241 ** | 0.235 ** |
(0.046) | (0.046) | (0.045) | (0.046) | (0.045) | (0.045) | (0.046) | (0.046) | (0.046) | |
X1 × T1 | −0.036 | ||||||||
(0.035) | |||||||||
X5 × T1 | 0.113 ** | ||||||||
(0.033) | |||||||||
X6 × T1 | 0.076 * | ||||||||
(0.036) | |||||||||
X7 × T1 | 0.055 | ||||||||
(0.035) | |||||||||
X1 × T2 | 0.092 ** | ||||||||
(0.028) | |||||||||
X5 × T2 | 0.061 | ||||||||
(0.031) | |||||||||
X6 × T2 | 0.037 | ||||||||
(0.032) | |||||||||
X7 × T2 | 0.05 | ||||||||
(0.033) | |||||||||
R2 | 0.38 | 0.381 | 0.395 | 0.386 | 0.383 | 0.395 | 0.385 | 0.382 | 0.383 |
F | 39.463 | 34.66 | 36.789 | 35.339 | 34.959 | 36.657 | 35.225 | 34.719 | 34.919 |
X1 | X2 | X3 | X4 | X5 | X6 | X7 | Z | T1 | T2 | Y | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
full membership | 4.667 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4.667 | 4.750 | 4.667 | 4.600 | 4.400 |
crossover | 3.667 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3.667 | 3.750 | 3.667 | 3.800 | 3.400 |
non-membership | 2.333 | 3 | 3 | 2.667 | 2.667 | 3 | 2.333 | 2.750 | 2 | 2.800 | 2 |
Consistency | Coverage | Consistency | Coverage | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | 0.744 | 0.801 | ~X1 | 0.554 | 0.608 |
X2 | 0.654 | 0.771 | ~X2 | 0.617 | 0.623 |
X3 | 0.660 | 0.766 | ~X3 | 0.617 | 0.631 |
X4 | 0.708 | 0.743 | ~X4 | 0.578 | 0.652 |
X5 | 0.692 | 0.764 | ~X5 | 0.593 | 0.636 |
X6 | 0.702 | 0.770 | ~X6 | 0.575 | 0.620 |
X7 | 0.761 | 0.769 | ~X7 | 0.529 | 0.622 |
Z | 0.742 | 0.859 | ~Z | 0.542 | 0.556 |
T1 | 0.750 | 0.858 | ~T1 | 0.556 | 0.577 |
T2 | 0.731 | 0.799 | ~T2 | 0.544 | 0.589 |
M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | M7 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ⊗ | ● |
X2 | • | • | • | • | • | ⊗ | |
X3 | • | • | ⨂ | ● | ● | ⨂ | |
X4 | • | • | • | ⊗ | ⊗ | • | ⊗ |
X5 | • | • | • | ⊗ | ⊗ | ⊗ | • |
X6 | • | • | ● | ⊗ | ⊗ | ● | |
X7 | • | • | ● | ⨂ | ⨂ | ● | |
Z | ● | ● | ● | ⊗ | ● | ● | ● |
raw coverage | 0.435 | 0.395 | 0.394 | 0.222 | 0.205 | 0.198 | 0.254 |
unique coverage | 0.034 | 0.006 | 0.005 | 0.021 | 0.007 | 0.011 | 0.010 |
consistency | 0.949 | 0.949 | 0.943 | 0.931 | 0.971 | 0.961 | 0.951 |
solution coverage | 0.522 | ||||||
solution consistency | 0.924 |
Consistency | Coverage | Consistency | Coverage | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | 0.778 | 0.724 | ~X1 | 0.569 | 0.539 |
X2 | 0.726 | 0.739 | ~X2 | 0.614 | 0.535 |
X3 | 0.747 | 0.749 | ~X3 | 0.605 | 0.534 |
X4 | 0.787 | 0.713 | ~X4 | 0.567 | 0.552 |
X5 | 0.785 | 0.747 | ~X5 | 0.574 | 0.531 |
X6 | 0.784 | 0.742 | ~X6 | 0.573 | 0.533 |
X7 | 0.831 | 0.725 | ~X7 | 0.523 | 0.531 |
T1 | 0.786 | 0.776 | ~T1 | 0.559 | 0.500 |
T2 | 0.798 | 0.752 | ~T2 | 0.541 | 0.505 |
M1 | M2 | M3 | M4 | M5 | M6 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
X1 | • | • | • | • | • | |
X2 | ● | ● | • | ● | ● | |
X3 | ● | ● | • | ● | ● | • |
X4 | • | • | • | • | • | |
X5 | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
X6 | • | • | • | • | ● | |
X7 | • | • | • | • | • | |
T1 | ⊗ | ⊗ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
T2 | ● | ● | ● | ● | • | |
raw coverage | 0.284 | 0.296 | 0.428 | 0.420 | 0.414 | 0.434 |
unique coverage | 0.008 | 0.020 | 0.027 | 0.018 | 0.013 | 0.033 |
consistency | 0.914 | 0.909 | 0.945 | 0.940 | 0.950 | 0.948 |
solution coverage | 0.544 | |||||
solution consistency | 0.906 |
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Huang, Q.-Q.; Qu, H.-J.; Li, P. The Influence of Virtual Idol Characteristics on Consumers’ Clothing Purchase Intention. Sustainability 2022, 14, 8964. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148964
Huang Q-Q, Qu H-J, Li P. The Influence of Virtual Idol Characteristics on Consumers’ Clothing Purchase Intention. Sustainability. 2022; 14(14):8964. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148964
Chicago/Turabian StyleHuang, Qian-Qian, Hong-Jian Qu, and Pei Li. 2022. "The Influence of Virtual Idol Characteristics on Consumers’ Clothing Purchase Intention" Sustainability 14, no. 14: 8964. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148964