Decoding Virtual Influencers: A Systematic Review of Impulsive Consumer Buying Behaviour in the Middle East

Abstract

This study consists of a systematic review of recent, developing literature about virtual influencers with the purpose of examining how VIs have influenced and changed impulsive consumer buying behaviour, with particular emphasis on the Middle East, an area that has not been well-studied or explored. The revolutionising technological advancement and the increasingly intensive involvement in digital environments, have made virtual influencers, with their captivating visual effects and significantly rich content, evolve into powerful marketing agents capable of influencing consumers’ attitudes and purchasing behaviour. However, existing research has mainly scrutinised customers’ attitudes and engagement and neglected their immediate, affect-driven behavioural outcomes. In this study, a systematic literature review approach is adapted which uses peer-reviewed research to identify the key mechanisms through which virtual influencers are able to shape consumers’ purchasing behaviour. The study is based on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework, where the characteristics embedded in virtual influencers, such as appearance, storytelling, interactivity, and cultural symbolism, work as the external stimuli that shape consumer responses through the mediating role of semiotic interpretation. Also, there are consumer trust and cultural values, the moderating factors that give influential power to these relationships. In other words, the findings highlight that impulsive consumer buying behaviour caused by exposure to virtual influencers is driven not only by analysing symbolic cues, emotional engagement, and perceived authenticity but also through cultural alignment and building trust, which are found to be critical in enhancing consumers’ decision-making, particularly in high-context societies such as the Middle East. This study adds up to the existing literature by highlighting the fact that when semiotic, cultural, and credibility perspectives are combined under a unified framework, they present a more comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of virtual influencers. It also provides practical insights for marketers who seek to design culturally relevant and psychologically effective virtual influencer strategies that can work in digitally mediated environments.