The authentic virtual influencer: Authenticity manifestations in the metaverse

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Koles, Bernadett, Audrezet, Alice, Guidry Moulard, Julie, Ameen, Nisreen and McKenna, Brad ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2219-7508 (2024) The authentic virtual influencer: Authenticity manifestations in the metaverse. Journal of Business Research, 170. ISSN 0148-2963

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Abstract

Virtual influencers (VI) are fictional entities operated by third parties (freelance creators, digital agencies, or brands). Despite their increasing popularity, the way people approach these often human-looking yet entirely fictitious creations, and whether they view them as ‘authentic’, remains unclear. Existing conceptualizations of authenticity in the VI literature do not offer sufficient depth and richness to understand this complex phenomenon. Building on the Entity-Referent Correspondence Framework of Authenticity, this paper aims to explore different manifestations of authenticity in the context of VIs. We draw on interviews with consumers (64) and industry experts (11) to unveil different perspectives. Our findings demonstrate how the three types of authenticity—true-to-ideal (TTI), true-to-fact (TTF) and true-to-self (TTS)—apply to and manifest in a virtual influencer context. We conclude with theoretical contributions, with particular attention to the uncanny valley theory, managerial recommendations, and areas for future research.

Item Type: Article
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Social Sciences > Norwich Business School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Innovation, Technology and Operations Management
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 14 Oct 2023 00:53
Last Modified: 18 Mar 2024 13:30
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/93287
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.114325

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