Anthropomorphic Characters as Communication Agents in Mobile Banking:
Tseng-Ping Chiu, Guo-Ruei Huang · Quarterly Journal of Marketing · 2026
This research examines how anthropomorphic characters can function as communication agents in mobile banking interfaces.Study 1 surveyed 485 users across Generations X, Y, and Z to compare their expected and actual mobile banking experiences.The results revealed substantial expectation gaps in security, professionalism, service fluency, and convenience, with Generation Z generally demonstrating greater unmet expectations regarding seamless and engaging service experiences.Study 2 conducted an exploratory eye-tracking experiment with Generation Y and Generation Z users to compare plain-text and character-assisted messages across utilitarian and hedonic mobile banking tasks.The findings suggest that usersʼ attention was primarily guided by task relevance.Anthropomorphic characters attracted limited attention when used as peripheral interface elements but became effective communication agents when directly associated with concise, task-relevant messages.Character-assisted communication showed a preliminary pattern of greater visual salience in hedonic task contexts.Together, the findings provide exploratory evidence that the value of anthropomorphic characters lies not merely in visual appeal but in their capacity to support customer communication at appropriate moments in the service journey.This research contributes to mobile service experience and anthropomorphic communication research and offers practical guidance for designing generationally responsive financial interfaces.