The Influence of Virtual YouTuber on Japanese Consumers’ Behavioral Responses on YouTube

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the influence of virtual YouTubers' product placement on the behavioral responses of Japanese consumers, focusing on demographic characteristics which are gender, age, and marital status. It specifically focuses on demographic characteristics such as gender, age, and marital status. The research method used is quantitative research and online surveys conducted on 200 Japanese consumers aged 20 and above who have experience watching YouTube videos from Tokyo and its suburbs. The study utilized multivariate regression analysis to examine the impact of attitudes toward virtual YouTubers on Japanese consumers' behavior. The results showed that male consumers were most responsive to recognizing the benefits of product placements in advertisements (β = 0.563, p = 0.001), while female consumers exhibited the highest behavioral response towards enjoyment (β = 0.562, p = 0.001). Additionally, consumers aged 20-39 and 40-59 years old, single consumers or those without children, and consumers with other marital statuses showed significant behavioral responses to enjoyment (β = 0.530, p = 0.001) and (β = 0.525, p = 0.001) respectively. This research provides valuable insights into understanding attitudes towards virtual YouTubers' product placement and can help formulate effective marketing communication strategies for Thai products in Japan.