The Power of Virtual Idol Appeal and Brand Connection in Shaping Purchase Intention

The purpose of this study is to examine if an idol’s attractiveness influences whether consumers intend to purchase their goods . In particular, the study focuses on the narrative attractiveness of virtual idols, and how consumers’ self-brand connection mediates this relationship. This study adopted a quantitative approach that utilized a structured survey. The results were as follows: First, contrary to expectation, visual attractiveness did not significantly influence purchase intention, while narrative attractiveness emerged as a highly influential factor. Second, brand-self connection was found to mediate the relationship between narrative attractiveness and purchase intention. Third, familiarity with virtual idols moderated the relationship between narrative attractiveness and brand-self connection. These findings suggest that, idol narratives and storytelling play a critical role in consumer engagement, more so than external appearance. In particular, the stronger the perceived connection between the consumer and the virtual idol, the higher the intention to purchase goods. These findings offer practical implications for the entertainment industry as it continues to find new ways to enhance brand loyalty and merchandise sales through character-based storytelling.