Design Elements for Brand Representation in Conversational Agents

Our research explores design elements for brand representation in conversational agents (CAs) through the computers as social actors (CASA) paradigm and brand personality theory. Organizations increasingly seek effective strategies for brand representation through interactive systems, yet current research provides limited guidance for designing CAs as brand ambassadors. Through a systematic literature review of 133 papers, we identified and categorized design elements across 12 categories, that influence user perceptions of CAs. Drawing on the CASA paradigm and brand personality theory, we explain how informed design decisions can transform CAs into effective brand representatives. Our interdisciplinary approach contributes to information systems research by incorporating marketing theory to address a critical gap in CA design for brand representation. The findings expand the understanding of digital brand representation beyond traditional marketing communications.