The Internet, along with its new face in the form of the metaverse, constitutes a virtual universe that offers individuals a digital life experience. This virtual world is increasingly being utilized by people, which, in turn, has attracted the attention of businesses seeking innovative ways to reach potential customers. One such innovative marketing approach employed by businesses is avatar marketing, also referred to as avatar-based marketing. Avatars, which are graphical or 3D characters used by individuals in virtual worlds to represent their identities, are leveraged by businesses for marketing purposes, a practice known as avatar marketing.

In this study, firstly the concept of the virtual universe and its development were discussed, then the concept of avatar and avatar types were evaluated. In the next part of the study, the concept of avatar marketing was discussed in detail; the effect of avatars on consumer behavior was examined. The study also presents application examples for businesses to use avatars for marketing purposes.