With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI), a new form of brand spokesperson has emerged. The pioneering makeup company, NARS Cosmetics, has recently introduced their own virtual brand ambassadors known as the NARS Power Players. Given the recency of this phenomenon, existing literature has left unanswered questions concerning the attributes of virtual entities that can shape consumer responses. From this unexplored research domain, the study aims to investigate the impact of credibility, attractiveness, congruence, and human-likeness of NARS Power Players as virtual brand ambassadors on consumers’ attitudes. The theories employed in this research include the Stimulus-Response Theory, Source Credibility Model, Source Attractiveness Model, Match-Up Hypothesis, and Uncanny Valley Theory. This research has a quantitative methodology, which involves distributing an online questionnaire to 112 respondents. The findings reveal that the credibility, congruence, and human-likeness has a positive and significant influence towards consumers’ attitudes, whereas attractiveness does not exert a significant influence towards consumers’ attitudes. Future researchers could explore this topic further by conducting investigative qualitative research about consumers’ perceptions and comparative analysis with human and non-human endorsers.
Keywords: Virtual, Brand Ambassadors, Credibility, Attractiveness, Congruence, Human-Likeness, Consumers’ Attitudes.