THE INFLUENCE OF AKWA IBOM STATE BROADCASTING CO-OPERATION (AKBC) RADIO ADVERTISEMENT,ON CONSUMERS CHOICE OF CHAMPION BEER IN UYO URBAN
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
The (British) Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) defined advertising thus. “Advertising presents the most persuasive possible selling message to the right prospects for the products or service at the lowest possible cost”. Jefkin (1998:7).
According to Arens (2002:7), advertising is the structured and composed non-personal communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature, about products (goods, services and ideas) by identified sponsors through various media. Advertising present the most persuasive possible selling message through the creative skills of copywriting, illustration, layout, typography, scripturing and video-making based on them or copy platform to win converts to a product, services or idea.
One peculiar feature of all advertisements is the identification of the sponsors. This is to ensure that somebody takes responsibility for whatever happens as a result of the exposure to the advertisements. An advertising medium is any paid means used to present an advertisement to its target audience. The media include radio, television, newspapers, magazines etc. the choice and use of media to achieve maximum results at minimum cost will make the advertising cost effective.
The medium used in the presentation of advertising is another essential variable that will affect the message. According to Klepper (2007:144) the advertising must make a conscious attempt at identifying severability, both geographically and inters of audience quality or type. To a large extent, the advertising message plays a dominant role in informing and motivating consumer buying action. Other variables a such as the consumers, social and preference group, literacy level, and of course, the elements of the marketing mix namely: product, price, distribution channels and personal selling are also factors that determine the purchase behaviour of the prospect/consumers.
Presently, due to advancement in technology, today’s audience are more enlightened and exposed. They tend to apply a more advanced and critical approach towards what is presented to them in the media whether radio, television, newspaper etc. the advertiser using the radio as a medium looks for maximum exposure, to the advertising message broadcast. A radio commercial impulses in potential customers, informing and influencing people generally but products, particular brand names, specific services and the companies that stand behind the goods and services offered for sale.
The advantage radio advertising offers any business stems from its unique combination of high reach, high targetability and low cost when combined wit the database approaches of traditional direct markets and broadcast direct-response advertising techniques that drive response and deliver new customers, radio advertising can be and is for many clients, the main engine for growth and profitability for business.
Since it is a well know fact that radio gives advertiser the opportunity of high reach and is also cost effective, the crux of the matter however is therefore whether consumers pay attention to radio advertisement and if they do, does the advertisements influence their choice of the product and to what extent does the radio advertisement influence their choice of the product. It is based on this premise that this study is undertaken to ascertain the influence of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) radio advertisement on consumer choice of Champion bee in Uyo urban.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
One of the functions of advertising as a marketing tool is to build brand presence and loyalty towards a product. A simple advertising message that is informative and persuasive would inform the prospect consumers on a particular products benefits.
There are lots of products, which utilize advertising to enhance their market penetration. Among the beer brands, champion lager Beer has been and still is a common feature in the major advertising medium of radio and Akwa Ibom State Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) radio to be specific it has been observed that consumers are used to purchasing Champion beer more often than other drink in Uyo urban. The question of what makes Champion beer a strong brand over other competing brands in the beer market in Uyo urban has largely remained unanswered.
Though some have attributed its preference over brands to its unique taste, affordability. But these characteristics cannot be totally absent in the marketing objectives of competing brands in the market yet, champion beer has always remained a strong favourite among beer consumers in Uyo urban. Some have also attributed this to the use of advertising to improve their market penetration while others attribute this to the fact that the company is state-owned hence its high patronage in Uyo urban.
It is against this background that this work set out to examine whether Champion Beer consumers pay attention to radio advertisement of Champion beer, and to what extent does the advertisement influence their choice of the beer.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study include:
- To find out if consumers pay attention to Champion beer advertisement on Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) Radio.
- To find out whether consumers choice of Champion beer is influenced by the advertisement of Champion Beer in AKBC Radio.
- To assess what extent the AKBC radio advertisement has influenced their choice of the brand.
- To determine the level of exposure of consumers to Champion beer advertisement on Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) radio.
- To ascertain the influence of other factors on consumers choice of champion beer.
1.4 Research Questions
- Do consumers pay attention to Champion beer advertisement on Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) radio?
- How often are consumers exposed to champion beer advertisement on AKBC radio?
- Does the advertisement influence consumers choice of champion beer?
- To what extent does the AKBC radio advertisement influence their choice of the beer?
- Do other factors influence consumers choice of champion beer?
1.5 Significance of the Study
A major objective of many advertisers is to produce brand loyalty, which come directly from the habit of repurchasing. However, achieving brand loyalty today is more difficult than before due to increased sophistication of consumers and stiff competition from other existing brands, as well as the different media of advertising.
Many companies do not understand the fact that there is a product life circle that serves as yardstick for measuring the performance and sustainability of products in the market place. Rather, they think that putting a product in the market will automatically cause consumers to buy. They also do not consider that there are product elements that influence consumer patronage. This is due to the consideration that undertaking a thorough research before embacking on the entire exercise will be capital intensive and could add to cost.
In Nigeria, a number of beer brands are exposed to the potential consumers through advertising messages and champion beer is one of the brands that have succeeded in becoming a household name among consumes. However it is pertinent to ascertain whether radio advertisement (especially AKBC Radio) of this brand plays a major role in influencing consumers choice of the brand or whether there are other factors that are responsible for influencing consumes choice of the brand.
Considering this situation, this study is necessary because its findings will further inform advertisers on the relationship and importance of advertising to consumers choice and purchasing decision. This study will further give them insight in to areas they did not know well and aspects that much attention may be required. Above all, findings from this study should also serve as reference for subsequent studies in the area of product advertising and influence on choice and purchase decision of consumers.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
As much as the research would have wanted to increased the range of this study outside Uyo urban, her demanding deadline make it impossible. The boundaries of Uyo urban as defined by Uyo Capital City Development Authority (UCCDA) stretches from Ikot Ekpene Road to Itam Peace Column, from Aka Road to Udo Udoma Avenue from Wellington Bassey Way to Government House, from Nwaniba Circus to University of Uyo Permanent Site and Oron Road to Nsikak Eduok Ring Road. Respondents were drawn from these areas based on the conviction that urban and semi-urban residents with moderate socio-economic standing can afford to drink beer.
Also, this study is restricted to the influence of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) radio advertisement of Champion Beer on the consumers choice. It does not however invalidate any generalization about the influence of content, taste, quantity and other elements on the influence of consumers choice. But may influence of its kind though recognized, remained outside the scope of this study and was therefore not examined.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
This work though effectively accomplished, was not without some limitations.
Perhaps because of consumers ignorance of the relationship between advertising and product choice, administering the questionnaire to respondents was extremely burdensome. Also due to time, expenses and co-operation factors, the sample size utilized for the research was not as much as the researcher would have wanted. Therefore, this work does not claim to be extensive as it would have been germane to measure the comparative consequence of other significant factors such as taste quality etc.
Also, the measuring instrument was not discriminatory enough to assign values to each of the factors studied separately. However, it was considered adequate to view all of them as a whole since what was of concern was the influence of advertising on consumer choice.
But in all these limitation, the study was successful executed and the essential facts that improved its success were gathered.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Advertising: For the purpose of this study the phrase will be used to refer to the use of speech, film, writing, picture, etc. In the media to persuade people to buy something.
- Brand Loyalty: The natural tendency to stick to a particular brand.
- Consumer: A person who satisfies his/her want by using a product.
- Consumer Behaviour: The buyer’s predisposition towards a product.
- Influence: The power of the advertisement to affect consumers behaviour or choice through advertisement.
- Motivation: A state within an individual that drives he/her behaviour towards a certain goal.
- Patronage: This means consumers support through the purchasing and consumption of a product.
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