Unveiling the potential of digital human avatars in modern marketing strategies

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Oliveira, F. G. d., Belitski, M., Kakabadse, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9517-8279 and Theodorakopoulos, N. (2024) Unveiling the potential of digital human avatars in modern marketing strategies. International Marketing Review. ISSN 0265-1335 (In Press)

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To link to this item DOI: 10.1108/IMR-12-2023-0339

Abstract/Summary

Purpose: To develop a theoretical framework that marketing practitioners and scholars can adopt to enhance their understanding of how firms can effectively deploy and use digital human avatars as part of their global digital marketing strategy. By doing so, we inform investors of ongoing digital transformations of marketing practices that will equip marketeers to provide scalable, tailored, reliable, and relevant digital self-service interactions to users, consequently improving the user/customer experience. Design/methodology/approach: Thematic analysis was used to discover factors to enable the successful implementation of digital human avatars, drawing on in-depth interviews with fourteen executives of digital human avatars developer companies worldwide and analysis of ten podcasts and webinars with artificial intelligence (AI) experts. Findings: Digital human avatars revitalise the international dynamic marketing capabilities (IDMCs) of firms by integrating advanced technologies that transform user interactions, improve engagement, and facilitate knowledge acquisition, dissemination and usage across various sectors and business units globally. This integration promotes a dynamic approach to international brands, customer relationships, and marketing knowledge management capabilities, offering profound value to users and firms. Originality/value: The novelty of our study lies in exploring the characteristics of technologies and practical factors that maximize the successful adoption of digital human avatars. We advance and contribute to the emerging theory of avatar marketing, (IDMCs), and absorptive capacity by demonstrating how digital human avatars could be adopted as part of a firm’s global digital marketing strategy. We focus specifically on six dimensions: outcomes and benefits; enhancements and capabilities; applications and domains; future implications; foundational elements; and challenges and considerations. This framework has direct implications for innovators and marketing practitioners who aim to adopt digital human avatars in their marketing practices to enhance the effectiveness of international marketing strategies.

Item Type:	Article
Refereed:	Yes
Divisions:	Henley Business School > Business Informatics, Systems and Accounting Henley Business School > Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
ID Code:	119012
Uncontrolled Keywords:	digital human avatars, global digital marketing strategy, international dynamic marketing capabilities, digital transformation, generative AI, absorptive capacity
Publisher:	Emerald

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