What causes social media users to engage and mimic virtual influencers? The role of self-congruity

  • Received November 9, 2022;
    Accepted December 10, 2022;
    Published December 13, 2022
  • Author(s)
    Lokweetpun Suprawan
    ORCID ,
    Sasipa Pojanavatee
    ORCID
  • DOI
    http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.18(4).2022.13
  • Article Info
    Volume 18 2022, Issue #4, pp. 148-160
  • TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯ
  • Cited by
    6 articles
  • 1408 Views
  • 355 Downloads

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Influencer marketing has been widely utilized in marketing communication. With the growing interest in virtual influencers, this study aims to investigate why social media users would interact with virtual influencers. The research model was developed based on the self-congruity theory. The data were obtained by questionnaires distributed to social media users using judgmental sampling (respondents were above 18 years old and actively used Instagram within the past six months). The questionnaire was posted on social media, and 230 responses were collected and analyzed using a covariance-based structural equation. Influencer-brand fit was found to have a weak direct effect on engagement (γ = 0.158, p < 0.05), but insignificant direct effect on mimicry desire (γ = 0.160, p > 0.05). Value homophily significantly affects both engagement and mimicry desire directly (β = 0.338 and β = 0.622, p < 0.01). Moreover, value homophily was found to fully mediate the virtual influencer-brand fit/mimicry desire relationship (B = 0.546, p < 0.01) and partially mediate the relationship of virtual influencer-brand fit/engagement (B = 0.229, p < 0.01). However, the mediating effect of mimicry desire on the virtual influencer-brand fit/engagement relationship was found to be non-significant (B = 0.065, p > 0.05). This study contributes to influencer marketing by highlighting value homophily as the most significant factor explaining why consumers respond to a virtual influencer when used as a message source in marketing communication.

view full abstract hide full abstract
    • Figure 1. Model fit of path analysis
    • Table 1. Reliability and convergent validity of the constructs
    • Table 2. Discriminant validity
    • Table 3. Total, direct, and indirect effects
    • Conceptualization
      Lokweetpun Suprawan, Sasipa Pojanavatee
    • Data curation
      Lokweetpun Suprawan, Sasipa Pojanavatee
    • Formal Analysis
      Lokweetpun Suprawan
    • Funding acquisition
      Lokweetpun Suprawan, Sasipa Pojanavatee
    • Methodology
      Lokweetpun Suprawan, Sasipa Pojanavatee
    • Project administration
      Lokweetpun Suprawan
    • Resources
      Lokweetpun Suprawan
    • Writing – original draft
      Lokweetpun Suprawan
    • Writing – review & editing
      Lokweetpun Suprawan
    • Visualization
      Sasipa Pojanavatee
Related Articles

  • Factors affecting users’ brand awareness through social media marketing on TikTok

    Cuong NguyenORCID , Thao TranORCID , Tien Nguyen doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.20(1).2024.11
    Innovative Marketing Volume 20, 2024         Issue #1         pp. 122-131 Views: 1788 Downloads: 501 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯ

    TikTok is increasingly influential in promoting brand awareness and boosting purchase intention. From a social media marketing perspective, brand awareness significantly influences consumers’ purchasing decisions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate and measure the factors influencing the brand awareness of TikTok users through social media marketing communications. The paper employs exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s Alpha test, and regression analysis to test the hypotheses. 24 observed variables were divided into six groups. Each variable was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The sample size includes 240 valid responses from TikTok users collected via convenience sampling. The questionnaire was distributed to TikTok users from Vietnam via the link on Google Forms. The collected data were processed by SPSS 20 software. The results suggest that six independent variables positively affect brand recognition via social media marketing on TikTok, with a 95% confidence interval at Sig. = 0.000 (0.05). Each of the six variables positively impacts initial expectations and is statistically significant at 1%. The results show that trends (Beta = 0.299) are the most decisive factors impacting brand awareness of TikTok users. Besides, electronic word of mouth (Beta = 0.242), influencer (Beta = 0.220), entertainment (Beta = 0.206), interaction (Beta = 0.200), and storytelling (Beta = 0.179) also positively affect the brand awareness of TikTok users. Limitations and further research suggest that marketers should investigate the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the consumer’s brand awareness-constructing process.

  • How chatbot e-services motivate communication credibility and lead to customer satisfaction: The perspective of Thai consumers in the apparel retailing context

    Akawut JansomORCID , Thaksaorn Srisangkhajorn , Wutticha Limarunothai doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.18(3).2022.02
    Innovative Marketing Volume 18, 2022         Issue #3         pp. 15-27 Views: 1597 Downloads: 585 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯ

    A Correction to this article was published on 13 July 2023

    Many apparel retailing brands use e-service marketing tools such as a chatbot (a system that is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) to increase their competitive advantage in today’s world of digitalization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, chatbots gained more power to serve as a communication tool that provides information and maintains customer experience. Therefore, this study is conducted to investigate the influence of chatbot e-service agents’ marketing efforts (involving interaction, entertainment, trendiness, and problem-solving) on Thai customers’ perceived communication credibility and satisfaction in apparel retailing, as research in this area is limited. In order to test the hypotheses, the paper employed structural equation modeling using Amos. In addition, an online survey of 400 Thai consumers who had previously used chatbots in the apparel retailing industry was conducted. The results showed that chatbot e-service marketing efforts, including interaction, trendiness, and problem-solving, affected customer satisfaction without entertainment elements. Beyond this, a chatbot, viewing interaction and entertainment, was found to have an insignificant effect on communication credibility. Thus, the coefficient value proved that information regarding communication credibility is more dominant in customer satisfaction. Therefore, the chatbot e-service marketing effort is essential in motivating communication credibility in customer satisfaction. These findings delivered managerial implications for understanding consumers in the field of digitalization.

  • Customer value and customer brand engagement: Their effects on brand loyalty in automobile business

    Sid TerasonORCID , Shixin ZhaoORCID , Pirayut PattanayanonORCID doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.21511/im.17(2).2021.09
    Innovative Marketing Volume 17, 2021         Issue #2         pp. 90-101 Views: 1432 Downloads: 677 TO CITE АНОТАЦІЯ

    The study investigates the extent to which customer value affected brand loyalty among mid-sized automobile customers in Thailand. It`s focused on assessing whether customer brand engagement acted as an intervening variable in the relationship between customer value and brand loyalty. A questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 380 current users of medium-sized passenger automobiles in Thailand; these participants were drawn from the list of automobile customers using a multistage sampling technique. The dealership customers were asked to complete an electronic survey using their cell phones. Structural equation modeling was applied to prove the theoretical model. All the model fit indices revealed that the model was reasonably consistent with the data. Results validated customer brand engagement composed of three dimensions using confirmatory factor analysis and its role as a mediator. The findings also provided novel insight into the interplay of the relevant variables and could be used as a guideline for managing automobile customers and promoting automobile marketing in the country.

Download Preview
Close
Innovative Marketing
Innovative Marketing