• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2023

Social networking is gaining speed and has grown indispensable as technology develops. As a result, social media, particularly Facebook, Instagram, and influencer marketing, are replacing conventional marketing trends. The top 15 search terms for Mongolian women between the ages of 18 and 34 in 2019 on Facebook were cosmetics and shopping. Companies use social media, the main tool of social media, to promote their products while simultaneously increasing productivity at a minimal cost. In Mongolia, finding out about cosmetic brand products on social media is rather usual. The impact of social media influencers on the purchasing of cosmetic brands must thus be researched. We aimed to find out the relationship between attractiveness, authenticity, communication ability, and influence, which are characteristics of beauty influencers, on product purchase intention and identification between consumers and followers (information acceptance, purchase intention). Communication ability and influence appeared to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect on identification. On the other hand, attractiveness, communication ability, and influence all showed a statistically significant positive (+) effect on information acceptance. Identification and information acceptance has s significant positive effect on purchase intention.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2022

Recently, in platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, virtual characters resembling human life become the main characters, produce various contents, breathe with the public, and create the era of virtual humans. For example, existing game characters appear as virtual characters with unique AUs, or AI characters created by reflecting the public's preferences are actively communicating with the public through advertisements and SNS activities. As the consumption of video content through smart devices increases significantly in the post-corona era, virtual influencers are being used as all-round entertainers because there is little risk of personality controversy or production cost. there is a trend In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the case of being active as an influencer among the activities of a virtual character, and how the interactive aspect of the influencer appears by identifying the current situation through major cases. Combining this, based on the analysis of the influence of virtual influencers, the parts that producers should recognize are derived, and the differentiated characteristics of interactive virtual influencers are summarized. In addition, the difficulties of virtual influencers were investigated and problems were identified, and for the development of the content industry, a more favorable method for interaction was presented and suggestions were made to secure inner sincerity.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.159-175
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• 2021

This study attempted to analyze the relationship between influencer's characteristic factors such as professionalism, authenticity, and interactivity and content quality factors consisting of accuracy, completeness, and diversity on brand attitude and purchase attitude through trust and self-consistency. To reveal the structural relationship between main variables, a survey was conducted on 201 users. An EFA, CFA, and reliability analysis were performed to confirm reliability and validity. And structural equation was conducted to verify hypothesis. The main results are as follows. First, it was found that professionalism and interactivity had a significant positive effect on trust. And, accuracy, completeness, and variety were all found to have a significant positive effect on trust. Second, in the relationship between individual characteristic factors and self-consistency, it was found that professionalism and authenticity had a significant positive effect on self-consistency. In addition, in the relationship between content quality and self-consistency, accuracy, completeness, and diversity were found to have a positive effect on self-consistency along with trust. Third, in the relationship between trust and self-consistency on brand attitude and purchase intention, both trust and self-consistency were found to have a statistically significant positive effect on brand attitude. It was found that only self-consistency and brand attitude had a statistically significant positive effect on purchase intention. These findings showed that when users perceive professionalism and interaction with influencer, trust increases, and professionalism and progress increase self-consistency with influencer. In addition, in the case of content quality, it was found that trust and self-consistency responded positively when perceived content quality through content accuracy, completeness, and diversity. Also, trust and self-consistency increased attitudes toward brands and could influence consumption behavior such as purchase intention. Therefore, for effective marketing performance using influencer's influence in the field of influencer marketing, which has a strong information delivery on products and brands, not only personal characteristics such as professionalism, authenticity, and interactivity, but also quality of content should be considered. The above research results are expected to suggest implications for marketing strategies and practices as one available basic data to exert the expected effect of marketing using influencer.

• The Journal of Economics, Marketing and Management
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.41-51
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• 2024

Purpose: This study explores the distinctive characteristics of virtual influencers compared to human influencers and examines how parasocial relationships with human consumers affect brand attitude. The hypothesis suggests that virtual influencers can overcome social distance barriers, emphasizing their role in fostering engagement. Research design, data and methodology: A structural model based on the source credibility model and unique traits of virtual influencers analyzes these dynamics. An online survey conducted in April 2024 garnered responses from 286 participants. Results: Findings reveal that virtual influencers positively impact parasocial interactions, which in turn enhance parasocial relationships and brand attitudes. However, the proposed effect of novelty on brand attitude through parasocial interaction was not statistically supported. Conclusions: This study highlights the unique attributes of virtual influencers, such as anthropomorphism, empathy, and novelty, which enhance consumer engagement through parasocial interactions and influence brand attitude. It provides a comprehensive framework for leveraging virtual influencers in marketing, offering significant advantages in maintaining consistent brand messaging and reducing risks associated with human influencers.

• Journal of Venture Innovation
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.23-39
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• 2022

This study was conducted to empirically analyze the factors influencing the intention to continue using live commerce, which was active as digital contacts become more prevailed due to the progress of the 4th industrial revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic. A research model was established by paying attention to the characteristics of influencers among various influencing factors. Influencer characteristics were subdivided into attractiveness, professionality, awareness, and entertainment. In addition, the dual mediating effect of interaction and trust was also tested between influencer's characteristics and the intention to continue using of live commerce. To this end, a survey was conducted targeting people who have experience using live commerce, and 300 valid samples were analyzed. The empirical analysis utilized SPSS 25.0 and Process Macro 4.0. As a result of the empirical analysis, it was found that attractiveness, professionality, awareness, and entertainment derived from the characteristics of influencers all had a significant positive (+) effect on the intention to continue using live commerce. The impact of the influence of variables that directly affect the intention to continue using was in the order of entertainment, awareness, professionality, and attractiveness. On the other hand, as a result of examining the dual mediating effect of interaction and trust, it was found that they all tested a mediating role between attractiveness, professionality, awareness, entertainment, and intention to continue using live commerce. Based on these research results, the academic and practical implications of this study were presented.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.179-190
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of influencers on generation Z (Gen Z) in the online environment. This article has applied the theories of source credibility, TAM, IAM, and TPB to identify influencer characteristics that affect the purchasing behaviors of Gen Z customers. This research was conducted using a Google Form survey with 24 pre-designed questions. A total of 464 valid questionnaires from Gen Z Vietnamese were collected between November 2020 and January 2021. Data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 3 software. The analysis results confirmed that the components of influencer credibility have a positive impact on Gen Z's purchasing behaviors under the mediated influence of argument quality, perceived usefulness, and social influence. Surprisingly, for Gen Z, the influencers' attractiveness has the strongest impact on their online behavior. More specifically, attractiveness plays the most important role in the perceived usefulness and social influence of Gen Z customers, while influencers' expertise has the strongest impact on argument quality delivered to customers. This study provides evidence of a change in the way Gen Z responds to marketing activities. They are more drawn by the attraction of influencers than their expertise.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.33-46
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• 2024

As YouTube is rapidly growing as an information platform, we investigated practical impacts of YouTube knowledge content and creator characteristics on viewer satisfaction and purchase intention. In so doing, an empirical survey was conducted among the viewers of <Chekgrim>, one of representative book YouTube channels in Korea. A total of 641 valid samples were analyzed. This study aims to understand the impact of knowledge contents on YouTube, and creator characteristics on viewer satisfaction and purchase intention. Specifically, for the study, content characteristics were divided into three sub-factors: entertainment, information, and interactivity, and the creator characteristics were divided into two sub-factors: intimacy and professionalism. Viewing satisfaction and purchase intention were set as dependent variables. The results of various analyses confirm that creator characteristics have direct and indirect effects on viewers' purchase intentions, and in particular, intimacy has the greatest influence on purchase intentions. This is expected to be a meaningful empirical analysis for future influencer marketing strategies and effective communications between content creators and consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.1093-1106
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• 2021

This study attempted to investigate the influence of a beauty influencer's characteristics on makeup behavior and color cosmetics purchase intention against young female consumers in their 20-30s, who are a primary target for beauty influencer marketing. It aimed to provide basic data which are helpful in promoting marketing and expanding markets for color cosmetics through beauty influencers. For this, a questionnaire survey was conducted. Among a total of 563 questionnaires distributed across Seoul and capital region, 531 copies were used for final analysis, and the results found the followings: In terms of age, factors affecting beauty influencers' characteristics differed depending on reliability and expertise. Specifically, reliability and communicative competence had a positive effect(+) on all makeup behavior while expertise revealed a positive influence on base makeup only. In color cosmetics purchase intention, a positive effect was observed in reliability, communicative competence and attractiveness. In particular, reliability showed the largest influence. Therefore, there should be continued efforts to maintain a long-term relationship with consumers through communication based on beauty influencers' characteristics and by delivering more diverse makeup and color cosmetics-related information in an open and honest fashion.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.217-232
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• 2021

This study analyzed the characteristics of generation Z leading the trend of the fashion industry through the creative activity of Virgil Abloh. A literature review and case study were conducted together with detailing the research methodology. As a result of research, generation Z is conceptualized as a "digital native" who grows in digital technology environment with excellent visual sense. They are "SNS creators" who have influence on Social Networking Services (SNS). They are also characterized as "social activists" who reject social conventions and prejudices. They are a "leading creators" who seek to differentiate with creativity. The characteristics of generation Z in the creative activities of Virgil Abloh have a feature of digital native in that they seek visual originality. In terms of communicating with generation Z through SNS and influencer marketing, it has the characteristics of SNS creators. It expresses social activists in providing consumers with diversity, and social perceptions of differentiation. In terms of providing content that encourages consumers to express their personality, it has a feature of leading creators. It is meaningful in that it contributes to the understanding of the market change and marketing strategy according to the consumer development and the activity of the fashion designer.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2024

Virtual influencers, who are emerging as new players in digital marketing, impact consumers' purchase intentions. They promote positive perceptions and mimetic consumption of specific brands or products through interactions with followers. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of the characteristics of virtual influencers on the purchase intention for fashion products through the consumers' mimetic desire. As characteristics of virtual influencers, five factors were set: reality, attractiveness, professionalism, trustworthiness, and curiosity. Data for analysis were collected through an online questionnaire from the 8th to the 15th of August 2023, and 268 data points in total were analyzed using SPSS and Process Macro 4.3. The results of the study showed that the characteristics of virtual influencers all positively affected mimetic desire and purchase intention for fashion products. Moreover, it was found that mimetic desire has a mediating effect between the five characteristics of virtual influencers and the purchase intention for fashion products. Mimetic desire fully mediates the relationship between reality and the intention to purchase fashion products, and partially mediates the relationship between attractiveness, professionalism, trustworthiness, and curiosity and the purchase intention for fashion products. These findings further enhance the understanding of the relationship between virtual influencers and consumer behavior and identify the relationship between virtual influencers, mimetic desire, and fashion product purchase intentions. Consequently, leveraging virtual influencers strategically in digital marketing, the fashion industry can amplify positive brand perceptions, drive consumer engagement, and ultimately foster increased purchase intent.