Examining Virtual Reality and User-Generated Content Impact on Purchase Intentions in Brand Marketing: Based on Stimulus-Organism-Response model

Abstract

Abstract Nowadays in marketing industry, virtual reality (VR) and user-generated content (UGC) have become powerful tools, each enhancing consumer engagement in unique ways. VR provides an immersive experience, while UGC provides authenticity through consumer interaction. However, there are still few comparative studies on their impact on purchase intention. This study aims to explore the impact of the common technological experience and content quality of VR and UGC on consumers’ cognitive and emotional responses through immersion, and how these responses affect purchase intentions. This study utilizes the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model to examine the relative validity of these marketing tools. Through an experimental design involving 188 participants exposed to Wendy's marketing stimuli, we explored how immersion, content quality, and technical experience influence cognitive and emotional responses, ultimately affecting purchase intentions. Our findings reveal that both VR and UGC content quality significantly enhance cognitive and emotional responses, leading to increased purchase intention. While VR excels in immersion and emotional response, UGC performs better in social response. Interestingly, immersion alone does not directly influence purchase intention. This research sheds light on the effectiveness of VR and UGC in driving consumer behavior, suggesting VR's potential dominance in future marketing strategies. Marketers can use these insights to leverage emerging technologies and enhance consumer engagement.