Impact of Virtual Influencers on Brand Attachment: A Multigroup Analysis

This study explores the impact of virtual influencers on brand marketing by examining their unique attributes—identity appeal, persona identification, AI-generated content, and interaction quality—on consumer brand attachment. Using data from 358 Chinese followers,multigroup analysis(MGA) reveals that identity attractiveness and perceived anthropomorphism enhance persona identification, while content and interaction quality drive parasocial interactions. However, persona identification does not significantly influence brand attachment. These findings fill a gap in virtual influencer literature, providing practical insights for marketers to leverage virtual influencers more effectively in brand strategies to boost consumer engagement. Keywords: Virtual Influencer; Brand Marketing; Brand Attachment; Multigroup Analysis