Green Open AccessTo smile or not to smile? Emoji-enhanced chatbots, brand coolness, and behavioral intention
Journal
Journal of Marketing Communications
ISSN
1352-7266
1466-4445
Date Issued
May 26, 2026
Abstract
Based on the Computers-as-Social-Actors (CASA) framework, this paper explores how emojis in chatbot conversations and perceived brand coolness interact with consumers’ attitudes toward the e-shop (Ae-shop) to influence their behavioral intention (BI) to follow chatbot recommendations. Two online, 2 (brand coolness: low vs. high) ×2 (chatbot with emojis usage: with vs. without) between-subjects experiments with 208 and 296 Greek Gen Z consumers, respectively, were conducted, while measuring the moderating effect of the Ae-shop. The findings indicate that a positive Ae-shop strengthens the emojis → BI and brand coolness →BI relationships, while a less positive Ae-shop turns them to negative, highlighting the ‘double-edged’ role of emojis and brand coolness in this context. BI also mediates the relationships among emoji usage, brand coolness, and purchase intention. These outcomes provide fruitful insights for both theory and practice, indicating that Ae-shop constitutes an essential boundary condition for effectively establishing cool brands in online contexts and integrating emojis in chatbot communication.
Scopus Subject Areas
Business and International Management
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Marketing