SMU Advertising Professor Studies the New World of Virtual Influencers

There’s no doubt that social media has made waves across all industries—including advertising and marketing.

A recent study co-authored by SMU advertising professor Dr. Quan Xie aimed to answer a question for the digital age: How can marketers effectively use virtual influencers in promoting socially responsible behaviors?  

Quan Xie is an assistant professor at the Temerlin Advertising Institute in the Meadows School of the Arts. She is passionate about advancing digital advertising education and is committed to helping students navigate the ever-changing landscape of digital media and marketing.

Xie’s recent research focuses on virtual influencers (VIs), computer-generated characters that leverage algorithms to perform tasks similarly to humans and maintain a significant presence on social media. VIs can be used by marketers to build deeper connections with consumers and drive meaningful social change.

“In the digital age, virtual influencers (VIs) hold great potential to enhance prosocial campaigns,” Xie says. “This research aims to identify effective strategies for using VIs to create a greater impact, build deeper connections with consumers, and drive meaningful social change.”

The study, titled “Prosocial Campaigns with Virtual Influencers: Stories, Messages, and Beyond,” was published in August in the International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction. The study examines the effectiveness of two types of virtual influencers—human-like virtual influencers (HVIs) and anime-style virtual influencers (AVIs)—across two messaging styles—narrative (storytelling) and non-narrative (informational).

“Focusing on Gen Z and younger millennials, the results showed that HVIs were more effective than AVIs in increasing support for the social cause and enhancing message credibility, especially when the message was non-narrative,” Xie says. 

Yet, when conveying narrative messages, the results shifted. The human-like virtual influencers didn’t prove to be any more or less effective than anime-like virtual influencers in terms of message credibility and intent to support the cause when storytelling was used.

“In other words, when virtual influencers presented their endorsements as stories or narratives, it didn’t matter if they looked more human-like or more animated,” Xie explains.

This research may have wide-reaching implications for marketers and non-profit organizations in their efforts to share prosocial messages through digital campaigns with virtual influencers.

As virtual influencers become an increasingly popular tool in marketing, understanding how to best use their image and messaging techniques can help drive meaningful social change.

About the Temerlin Advertising Institute

The Temerlin Advertising Institute for Education and Research (TAI) trains students to search for unique solutions in advertising, preparing them for work in advertising agencies, media firms, corporate marketing departments, design studios and more. TAI is located in a top-five media market that affords many opportunities for industry experience through internships and guest lectures, industry field visits, directed study and an annual lecture series.