Persuasive avatars: The effects of customizing a virtual salesperson's appearance on brand liking and purchase intentions

Transformed social interaction (TSI) suggests that virtual environments have unique advantages over traditional forms of interpersonal communication. Recent research has demonstrated that a persuasive speaker can use these advantages to create a more persuasive message. However, little has been done to establish how a receiver of a persuasive message in a virtual, interactive environment might also use these advantages. Giving individuals the ability to customize a persuasive source may empower them and affect their perceptions of the persuasive message. In a 2(forewarned or not) x 2(customize source or watch customization) experiment, participants were forewarned or not forewarned that they would be hearing a persuasive message about buying a new energy drink. Participants were then allowed to customize (or watch someone customize) the appearance of the speaker's avatar before the sales pitch. Participants who had the opportunity customize the speaker's appearance liked the product more and had higher purchase intentions than those who did not have control, regardless of forewarning. Findings suggest a new application for TSI, and that both users and sources may benefit when users have the power to customize the appearance of a virtual salesperson. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.