Consumers' Responses to Placed Brands in 360° Video: The Impacts of Perceived Control and Presence, Moderated by Immersion

ABSTRACT This study focuses on product placement and examines its effectiveness in 360° video, considering its role as a digital asset. It is the first to research the influences of perceived control and presence in 360° video on consumers' cognitive, affective, and conative responses under two different immersion conditions (a 2D computer monitor vs. a head‐mounted display). A between‐subjects design experiment with a mixed‐method approach was employed ( n = 212), where the quantitative data were analyzed and juxtaposed with the qualitative results from a semi‐structured interview. The findings extend the theoretical understanding of product placement in 360° video by identifying immersion as a critical moderating stimulus in shaping consumers' responses. In interaction with immersion, presence demonstrates a dual role: while it has the potential to influence brand attitude positively, it is conflicted by its negative impact on brand recall in the high‐immersion condition with higher presence. Control emerges as a more favorable factor for consumers' responses, with controls being seamless across both immersion conditions, but more intuitive in high‐immersion settings. The results also show that brand attitude of placed brands in 360° video drives purchase intention. These findings deepen insights into how immersion, presence, and control interact to influence consumers' responses in 360° video and highlight the need for further research in this area. By understanding the impact of these factors, practitioners can develop appropriate strategies to achieve desired responses while avoiding unintended outcomes. As such, the findings offer valuable guidance on leveraging 360° video to meet commercial goals and drive real‐world consumption.