가상 인플루언서를 활용한 브랜드 액티비즘 연구 - 일반 인플루언서와의 차별적 특성을 중심으로

Along with the radical diversification of society and media, consumers are expanding their presence as subjects of social change. Brand Activism, with its direct action to seek solutions to various social issues and promote social change in solidarity with consumers, is now becoming an essential element for sustainable brands. Although marketing using a virtual influencer is actively underway worldwide, academic research on linking with Brand Activism remains insufficient. Therefore, brands should pay attention to ways to vitalize Brand Activism through research related to the brand model, which is a relay of communication with consumers. The purpose of this study was to provide implications for the direction of video content production when developing a Brand Activism campaign in the future through an analysis based on the differential characteristics of virtual influencers derived from a comparison with general influencers, and to verify how the differential characteristics of virtual influencers derived based on related prior research affect Brand Activism development and intention to participate. As a result of an online survey and research conducted on SNS users, three of the four hypotheses about Brand Activism were adopted as meaningful hypotheses, and both hypotheses about participation intention received positive evaluations. Among the four characteristics of virtual influencer, attractiveness had a positive effect on Brand Activism and participation intention, and Brand Activism using a virtual influencer had a positive effect on participation intention. This will provide significant value at the level of subsequent research on Brand Activism according to technological advances expressed by this researcher in previous studies. Therefore, the results here are meaningful in the search to find new directions for vitalizing Brand Activism in the future by using virtual influencers as video content models that will serve as mediators of strengthening engagement and communication between brands and consumers at the center of enhancing brand value and leading to positive social change.