Brand Exploration in Metaverse: Effects of Avatar Resemblance on Brand Attitude

Abstract

Recently, the metaverse (i.e., a virtual world with avatar interaction) has been widely used as a marketing tool in various fields to enhance user engagement. However, few studies have examined the effects of avatar-self resemblance on user attitude and intention in the metaverse. In this sense, this study examines the mechanism by which avatar-self resemblance influences brand attitude and virtual item purchase intentions in the brand-oriented metaverse. In particular, we identify the role of virtual item purchase intention as a mediator and the number of concurrent users as a moderator. The main venue for the experiment is Zepeto’s ‘Ralph Lauren brand world.’ This research provides several implications. Theoretically, this study complements the adoption of the metaverse as a virtual technology in the marketing field. As a practical implication, this study also provides marketing managers with valuable insights for designing an effective brand-oriented metaverse.