Avatar marketing: a study on the engagement and authenticity of virtual influencers on Instagram

Avatar marketing gained momentum as a brand endorsement strategy. However, there is a lack of studies encompassing the benefits, risks, and operational mechanisms regarding avatar-based influencer marketing. Thus, we aim to understand the influencer marketing strategy exerted by avatars with anthropomorphic appearance. To this end, this paper is grounded on a mixed, exploratory and case study research approach. Data were collected from the HypeAuditor platform and from avatars Instagram profiles through the online non-participant observation technique. They are analyzed through descriptive statistics and semiotic analysis of still image. In short, we concluded the main element to generating a connection between avatars and followers, conferring credibility and authenticity, is the congruence of their posts (with and without endorsement) with their lifestyle, personality, and narrative of their personal stories. Moreover, we reveal that avatars are effective endorsers who generate engagement through a spectrum of strategies ranging from humanization to robotization/metaverse. From our results, we delineated several theoretical contributions, such as the typology to identify avatars according to their creation purpose and the risks, benefits, and operational mechanisms of avatar marketing. Thus, the present research offers novel insights into the influencer marketing literature and provides managerial guidelines for decision-makers and avatar developers.