How do virtual influencers persuade consumers’ purchase intention in luxury branding? The interactive role of anthropomorphism, realism and coolness

Abstract

ABSTRACT As virtual influencers become more common in fashion and luxury marketing, brands need clearer guidance on which design features make them persuasive. This study examines how anthropomorphism and realism shape consumer responses to virtual influencers in luxury branding. A 2 × 2 online experiment was conducted with 1,438 Generation Y and Generation Z consumers. The results show that anthropomorphic design increases perceived interactivity and influencer coolness, which in turn increases purchase intention. Realism plays a conditional role, its moderating effect was not significant in the initial model. However, a significant effect was later found when income was included as a covariate, suggesting that purchasing power may influence when realism strengthens the effect of anthropomorphic design. The findings show that consumers respond not only to how human a virtual influencer appears but also to how interactive and culturally relevant it seems. This study contributes to fashion marketing research by explaining how anthropomorphic and realistic design cues work together to support consumer engagement and persuasion in luxury contexts.