Virtual reality is so cool! How technology innovativeness shapes consumer responses to service preview modes

Today's hospitality brands often gain a competitive advantage through being cool and employing cutting edge technologies. Virtual Reality (VR) is one of the most novel tools to advertise brands, introduce new products/services, and draw customers. Despite the marketing potential of VR, there is scant research revealing the psychological processes associated with the use of VR as a cool technology. To bridge the gap in the current literature, this research examines how consumers with different degrees of technology innovativeness respond to marketing of hospitality brands through three main service preview modes: VR, static images, and 360 degrees tour. The findings from a lab experiment show that as consumers' technology innovativeness increases, VR boosts selfbrand connection that consequently elevates their visit intentions toward the hotel brand. The findings from this study would help hospitality marketers better target their efforts at a specific consumer segment.

Automated summary

This research examines how consumers with different degrees of technology innovativeness respond to marketing of hospitality brands through various preview modes, including VR. The findings suggest that as consumers' technology innovativeness increases, the use of VR enhances self-brand connection and visit intentions towards the hotel brand. These results could help hospitality marketers target their efforts more effectively towards specific consumer segments.