Exploration of Engagement and Interaction Patterns with Virtual vs Human Influencers: A 24-Month Comparison of Two Breton Personalities

Virtual influencers, defined as computer-generated personas operated by creative teams, are reshaping influencer marketing, yet their reception compared to human influencers remains uncertain. While studies conducted in several countries suggest that novelty may stimulate engagement, evidence from the breton context, where authenticity and proximity are central evaluative criteria, remains limited. This exploratory study compares, over a 24month period, the performance of a virtual influencer and a human influencer with comparable audience size and thematic focus. Results show no statistically significant difference in engagement, including likes, comments and interaction rate. However, user interactions with the virtual influencer display slightly more polarized reactions, although negative comments remain extremely rare overall. These findings suggest that virtual influencers may integrate into the Breton digital landscape without clearly outperforming or underperforming human influencers. The study contributes to contextualizing virtual influencer effects in Europe and highlights the need for controlled experimental research to further examine the roles of authenticity and technological innovation.