Recent advances in generative artificial intelligence have accelerated the development of virtual influencers across social media and short-form platforms. These digital agents are widely used to enhance user engagement and improve brand communication outcomes. As their marketing role expands, research has shifted from whether they attract attention to how content mechanisms shape users’ psychological responses and behavioral intentions. Drawing on Narrative Transportation Theory (Green & Brock, 2000), this study conceptualizes virtual influencer content as digital storytelling. Through narrative structure and emotional expression, such content induces immersion, reduces cognitive resistance, and strengthens affective connections. However, limited research has examined how different types of virtual influencers activate distinct narrative mechanisms and translate them into behavioral outcomes. To address this gap, a mixed-method design was adopted. Study 1 employed netnography on Instagram, analyzing 20 virtual influencer accounts, 1,705 posts, and 34,132 comments over 11 months (May 2025–March 2026). Findings show that human-like influencers evoke responses through aesthetic evaluation, whereas animal-like influencers activate cuteness perception, triggering caregiving tendencies and emotional comfort. Advertising disclosure produces differentiated effects. For human-like influencers, aesthetic expressions declined by 63%, with an 86% drop in likes. In contrast, cuteness-related expressions for animal-like influencers increased by 140%, with only a 35% reduction in likes. Overall, effectiveness is driven not by realism but by the ability to activate low-defensive emotional responses (Tang et al., 2025), offering implications for virtual character design, short-form content production, and brand storytelling.

Authors:
Yutian Wu, Kyung Hee University, South Korea
Sujin Bae, Kyung Hee University, South Korea
Ohbyung Kwon, Kyung Hee University, South Korea

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Sujin Bae is presently a Research Professor at School of Management, Kyung Hee University (KHU). She received a Ph.D. at the department of Big Data management in KHU in 2021. She is presently a lecturer in KHU. She received MS at Graduate School

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