The Component Indicators of Virtual Characters as Personal Brand on Social Media
Keywords:
Virtual Personal Brand, Component Indicator, Delphi Technique, Confirmatory factor analysis, Generation ZAbstract
The objective of this research is to develop the components that indicate and contribute to the overall effectiveness of virtual personal brands on social media. The study was divided into three phases. The first phase involved a review of theoretical concepts and related research to synthesize a framework consisting of basic indicators for the study. These indicators were categorized into three domains and used to create a questionnaire for the Delphi technique in the second phase. In the final phase, after the component indicators were approved and developed through the Delphi technique, second-order confirmatory factor analysis was conducted using a sample of 352 respondents (n=352) who are Generation Z, knowledgeable about the relevant topics, and regular social media users. The findings showed that, among the 23 indicators across the three domains, the domain that best predicted the effectiveness of virtual personal brands on social media was the one representing attributes of effective brand elements, which consisted of 10 component indicators. This was followed by the domain representing the attributes of effective brands and personal brands, which consisted of 7 component indicators. The least effective domain was the one representing the attributes of effective virtual characters, which consisted of 6 component indicators. Overall, the standardized regression weights of each indicator in all domains suggest that visible external elements, such as appearance, outward look, and attire, are crucial. The visual design elements must be easy to understand and clearly express uniqueness and persona. In terms of interaction with the audience, although the direction must align with the defined identity, there is no need for the appearance or emotional expressions to resemble those of a human, nor does it need to be realistic.
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