From Digital to Immersive Marketing: Determinants of Metaverse Adoption among Marketing Professionals in an Emerging Economy

This paper highlights the arguments and counterarguments in the scientific discussion on adopting metaverse technology in the evolving landscape of digital marketing. The main purpose of the research is to identify the factors that influence the intention of digital marketing executives in Bangladesh to adopt the metaverse in their marketing strategies. Systematization of the literature and approaches to solving this problem indicates that, while various marketing paradigms have evolved from traditional to AI-based marketing, the metaverse represents a novel and immersive frontier that blends digital and physical experiences. The study used a descriptive research design and a structured questionnaire with a 7-point Likert scale. A snowball sampling technique was used to identify 400 digital marketing executives across Bangladesh, of whom 211 provided valid responses, which were analysed using structural equation modelling in SmartPLS 4.0. The object of research is digital marketing executives in Bangladesh, because they represent the forefront of adopting and implementing new marketing technologies within organizations. Results showed that awareness of the metaverse significantly enhances perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, which, in turn, positively influence attitude towards the metaverse. Furthermore, industry influence emerged as the most impactful factor shaping attitudes, while organizational culture did not demonstrate statistical significance. Additionally, perceived trust and security were found to negatively moderate the relationship between attitude and behavioural intention to use the metaverse. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that both individual and external organizational factors significantly drive metaverse adoption in marketing. The results of the research can be useful for marketing practitioners seeking to integrate immersive technologies into their strategies, as well as for academicians aiming to develop further the theoretical foundations of digital marketing transformation in developing countries.