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The role of gender-identity congruity in cross-gender endorsement in the context of live streaming

Xiang Chen (School of Economics and Management, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, China)
Shuojia Guo (Department of Marketing, City University of New York-College of Staten Island, Staten Island, New York, USA)
Shuhua Han (School of Economics and Management, Huanghuai University, Zhumadian, China)

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing

ISSN: 2040-7122

Article publication date: 9 January 2024

Issue publication date: 11 November 2024

596

Abstract

Purpose

This paper critically examines the effectiveness of male anchor in cross-gender endorsements and questions whether it can truly deliver positive outcomes for advertisers in the context of live streaming. It explores the underlying mechanisms of this effect by examining the mediation effect of perceived gender-identity incongruence and the moderation effect of anchor presence.

Design/methodology/approach

Three experiments are conducted to examine the effect of cross-gender endorsement on purchase intention.

Findings

The findings from three experiments provide empirical evidence that the endorsement of female-gendered products by male anchors leads to a significant decrease in the evaluation of these products among female consumers. This negative effect is mediated by a sense of gender-identity incongruence experienced by female consumers. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that female customers exhibit higher purchase intent for female-gendered products endorsed by male virtual anchors compared to real anchors; however, the same pattern was not observed in the case of female anchors.

Originality/value

This paper empirically examines the possible negative effects of the male anchor endorsement in the live streaming context. It reveals the underlying mechanism of this negative effect, and how the virtual “presence” take a role in this underlying mechanism.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Henan Province Soft Science Research Project (Grant No. 2,3240,0410,198)

Citation

Chen, X., Guo, S. and Han, S. (2024), "The role of gender-identity congruity in cross-gender endorsement in the context of live streaming", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 18 No. 6, pp. 1001-1016. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-05-2023-0167

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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