Influence of Product Advertising on Consumers’ Behaviour (A Study of Selected Towns in Enugu State)

Abstract

In a bid to produce and market their goods and services in the most successful manner, most business organizations resort to the use of promotional tools, especially advertising to realize their goals and objective. Such businesses rely heavily on the advertising industry because of their conviction that advertising has become the leading communication platform and communication arrowhead that gives meaning and the required bite or teeth to modern marketing. This approach has proved successful for some business organizations while for others, it failed to generate the required or anticipated response from consumers or customers. This study thus, focused on the motives, the drives as well as all the other factors that combine to influence consumers in their buying decisions. It surveyed the behaviour of consumers and the effects product advertising exerts on the m, identifying both the negative and positive attributes. The research was conducted empirically involving the use of questionnaire which provided primary data. Secondary data was obtained through various authoritative books and other publications. A thorough analysis of the data was made and the result tabulated using 100 percent as the base for the measurement of frequency to analyze the figures. The hypotheses which are mere formulated assumptions were tested, using the expected and observed frequencies to draw inferences and conclusions. The study observed the great role advertising perform in shaping the decisions of consumer in their choice of products. It identified the need to strengthen the creation of enough awareness for products through advertising, especially, new products, bringing out the unique selling points of such products enough to influence consumers’ loyalty toward such advertised products. Apart from recommending clarity of advert messages and objectives, the research warned against false claims and other unwanted elements in advertisements messages with the intention of swaying consumers loyalty toward the products so advertised pointing out the consequences resulting from such action. The study also stressed the need for the embracement of the new paradigm shift in advertising approach. Christened; Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) or the new advertising, the approach by this form of advertising is based on synergistic integration of all available promotional and marketing communication tools in the design and implementation of an advert campaign, properly blending them and running the campaign with this mix for greater effectiveness. Finally, it has been observed that consumers’ buying behaviour is made up of the perceived and real image they (Consumers) configure about an organization and its products and or services. Consumers’ perception of a company and its offerings and a synthesis of the bundles of the messages they receive from and about the organization through all conceivable communication media. It is therefore, imperative for manufactures and advertisers to adopt this modern philosophy of advertising with a holistic and synergistic approach if at all, they intend to achieve efficiently in the discharge of the marketing function.