Avatar-based marketing and its role in promoting RNPs

Conference: Academy of Marketing 2012

Dates: 2-5 July 2012

Abstract:

In this study, different product presentation formats (2D vs. 3D vs.

Avatar) will be examined in the context of promoting Really New Products (RNPs).

3D presentation is one of the Virtual Reality (VR) techniques, which can stimulate engaging experiences in a computer-mediated environment (Klein 1998, Li et al. 2001). Yet, according to social response theory, the more technology exhibits human-like behavior, the more users engage with the technology (Moon 2000, Nass et al. 1995). Hence, Avatars can act a s salespeople to create more realistic experiences and stronger seller-buyer relationships (Beatty et.al. 1996).

Sequential online experiments will be designed to study the effect of different presentation formats on RNP comprehension. Experimentation is referred to as “the chief method of choice for social psychology” (Aronson et al. 1998, p 100), which contains a high internal validity (Lee 2008). Due to the nature of this study, the experiments natural setting will be via the Internet. Online (web) experiments are becoming a mainstream method in psychology (Birnbaum 2004).

In this study we intend to measure consumer comprehension of RNPs and their purchase intention towards RNPs. Consumers’ learning will be studied within the framework of mental simulation and imagery information processing strategies (Phillips 1996, Shiv and Huber 2000, MacInnis and Price 1987).

Source: Manual

Preferred by: Mona Seyed Esfahani