Virtual influencer marketing and consumers' well-being: Understanding how social power works

This study investigates how virtual influencers contribute to consumers' eudaimonic well-being in the context of China. Drawing on social power theory and the Computers as Social Actors framework, it examines how social power shapes perceived authenticity and need satisfaction, and how these mechanisms influence well-being. Using an online cross-sectional quantitative survey design, data were collected from 334 respondents and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling and combined importance-performance map analysis in SmartPLS. The results show that expert power (β = 0.114, p = 0.033), informational power (β = 0.342, p < 0.001), and referent power (β = 0.326, p < 0.001) positively affect perceived authenticity, while legitimacy reciprocity power does not (β = 0.050, p = 0.268). All four power bases significantly enhance need satisfaction, with referent power (β = 0.334, p < 0.001) and legitimacy reciprocity power (β = 0.297, p < 0.001) showing particularly strong effects. Perceived authenticity (β = 0.340, p < 0.001) and need satisfaction (β = 0.425, p < 0.001) positively influence eudaimonic well-being. Self-discrepancy significantly weakens the authenticity-well-being relationship (β = -0.145, p = 0.001), but not the need satisfaction-well-being relationship (β = -0.040, p = 0.204). The cIPMA results identify need satisfaction as the most influential factor for improving eudaimonic well-being. These findings offer implications for virtual influencer design and well-being-oriented marketing strategies.