When is it effective to use avatars in metaverse advertising? The psychological mechanism of imagery fluency
Qi Jiang, Miyea Kim, Joonheui Bae, Kyo-Hong Jin, Kanghyeon Shin, Ju-Hyo Hwang, Eunju Ko, Kyung-Hoon Kim · International Journal of Advertising · 2025
The metaverse is a nascent advertising landscape, characterized as a virtual environment that can provide consumers with immersive visual information. However, studies on metaverse advertising are limited. This study hypothesized that the interplay between avatar presence (a fundamental component of the metaverse) and product type (avatar-wearable vs. non-avatar-wearable) will augment advertising effectiveness by allowing consumers to simulate a product’s real-world application more vividly. Two studies were conducted. Study 1 employed a co-occurrence analysis to investigate avatar- and product-centered advertising experiences by examining posts and photographs from Gucci World on Zepeto. Study 2 was a laboratory experiment on Korean university students to test whether the presentation of avatar-wearable products alongside avatars in the metaverse enhances brand attitude and whether this effect is mediated by imagery fluency. The findings provide insights into applying imagery fluency in metaverse advertising, demonstrating its potential for high effectiveness in this rapidly developing virtual landscape.