Virtual Voices for a Sustainable Future: A Systematic Scoping Review on Virtual Influencers

As environmental challenges intensify globally, there is an urgent need for more effective environmental communication practices. In response, Virtual Influencers (VIs) have just recently started to emerge as influential voices in environmental messaging, aiming to foster environmental citizenship through more sustainable consumption patterns. However, despite growing interest, VIs represent a relatively new research phenomenon within the field of environmental sustainability. Aiming to consolidate the available empirical research, this study provides the first systematic scoping review in the emerging field of VIs for environmental sustainability. Using the Theory–Context–Characteristics–Methodology framework, this review synthesizes 19 studies. The analysis reveals that research in this field is largely driven by China and the United States and is characterized by a predominance of quantitative, experimental approaches based on social media-like stimuli. Sustainable consumption, especially eco-product purchasing, emerges as the most common environmental focus. This review proposes a conceptual framework that integrates antecedents, outcomes, and underlying mechanisms of environmental VI campaigns; individual characteristics; contextual and campaign-level moderators; and strategic anthropomorphism fit. While the emerging empirical base limits meta-analytical synthesis, this review consolidates current knowledge and outlines a forward-looking research agenda with theory-driven pathways to advance VI-led sustainability communication.