INFLUNCE OF TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENT ON THE BUYING CHOICE OF SANITARY PAD BY STUDENTS IN ADO EKITI EKITI STATE

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BACKGROUND TO STUDY
The coming of television broadcasting to Nigeria expectedly prompted diverse
programmes which range from politics, socials to entertainment, business and education.
So, from the various programmes there was the need for television advertisement in
broadcasting.
Advertising is basically the dissemination of sales messages through purchased
space, time or other media (Arens and Bovee: 6). It is one of the marketing tools used by
businessmen and women to promote their goods and services.
Just as the media of social communication have enormous influence everywhere,
so does advertising which uses the media as a vehicle for persuasion as well as a
powerful force for shaping attitudes and behaviour in today’s world. Individuals are
exposed each day to a tremendous number of advertising stimuli. To cope with this
bombardment, our sensory organs select those stimuli to which attention is given (Wells:
242).
Advertising is not done by the management of a product just for the fun of it. It is
principally undertaken for persuasion or advocacy even apparently just giving us
information, using media that are paid to get through to the mass audience with the
identity of advertisers being clear(Arens and Bovee:7).
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‘Advertising has mandate to sell the advertisers’ goods and help the consumers to
shop wisely’’ (Okoro: 42). Advertising is important because it influences audiences by
informing or reminding them of the existences of a brand or alternatively by persuading
or helping them differentiate a product from others in the market (Fill: 486).
Advertising can reach a wide range of audiences with simple messages that
announce the availability and location of products express their quality and value, imbue
brands with personality and simultaneously define the personality of people who can buy
them (Arens and Bovee: 22).Some of the keys roles of advertising are; building
awareness, inducing dialogue and positioning or repositioning brands by changing either
perception or attitudes (Fill: 487).
Advertising through all media influences audiences, but television is one of the
strongest mediums of advertising and due to its mass reach and visual components; it can
not only influence individuals’ attitude, behaviour, lifestyle, exposure but can, in the long
run, even influence the culture of the country (Latif and Abideen:156).
Television advertisement came up in the society because it helps to showcase
goods and service. It also helps producers to sell their goods more, informs the public not
only about the product but also the qualities of the products than any other medium.
Advertising also serves as a means of raising huge revenue for the television house.
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However, there exists different advertisement of sanitary pad which is a
commodity that is widely used by women in the society. But among other sanitary pads
that are being advertised, Always is the most widely used because of it popularities
among users of sanitary pads and based on the assumption that its advertisement is so
dramatic and captivating that’s why every user of sanitary pad prefers it to other products
of its type.
This study is set to find out why most users of sanitary pad prefers Always to
other brands and also to find out how the advertisement of Always sanitary pad
influences the consumer in purchasing the products so that the assumption will become a
fact with reasonable evidence and theories backing it.
1:2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The research is to find out why ‘Always’ sanitary pad is the most popular
amongst female students and widely used in spite of the existence of other commodities
like Lady Care, Everyday, Joy etc that are used for the same purpose.
It has been observed that most female students in Ado Ekiti prefer ‘Always’ to
others mainly because of its quality, and particularly because of the role which TV
advertisement has played in popularising the product. So, this research is being carried
out to find out the reasons behind the preference of ‘Always’ sanitary pad.
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1:3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1 How has ‘Always’ sanitary pad advertisement influenced the choice of female students
that patronise it?
2 In what creative way has the ‘Always’ sanitary pad advertisement attracted its
consumers?
3 What other categories of people use ‘Always’ sanitary pad aside students?
4Why is ‘Always’ sanitary pad preferred to other sanitary pads in Ado Ekiti?
1:4 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
1 To determine the level of acceptance of ‘Always’ sanitary pad among consumers.
2 To examine critically the level of awareness that has been generated through the
advertisement of ‘Always’ sanitary pad.
3 To find out how television medium has helped to create better awareness of ‘Always’
sanitary pad amongst consumers.
4 To examine the role of drama or theatre in the television advertisement of ‘Always’
sanitary pad.
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1:5 SCOPE OF STUDY
The study shall focus on four secondary schools in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state. The
choice of these schools was made to reflect or represent different categories of students
particularly from the rich and poor backgrounds.
So, two schools were selected from the private sector and two from the public
sector.
The selected schools are; Tinuola Maximum Secondary School (private)
CAC Olaoluwa Secondary School (private)
Mary Immaculate Secondary School (public)
Christ Girls School Ado Ekiti (public)
1:6 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This research work is expected to help different categories of sectors in the
society. These include;
*The television stations.
*Producers of Always sanitary pad.
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*Students.
*The society.
THE TELEVISION STATIONS
The television stations are expected to gain a lot by projecting the producers’
image through the advertisement of ‘Always’ sanitary pad. The station is also likely to
have more viewers owing to the dramatic and entertaining way that the programmes are
being produced .Again; advertising helps the TV stations to raise money for other
projects in the television house.
Moreover, the TV house also stands to gain audience patronage if sales increase
through advertising.
PRODUCERS OF ALWAYS SANITARY PAD
The producers of ‘Always’ sanitary pad can use this research work to improve on
the quality of their products and services. This is possible if many of the adverts are more
dramatic, colourful, truth to life and captivating.
Also, the producers should improve in the concept of their advertisement and
improving on the product that will make both the old users and new users continue to use
the product.
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THE STUDENTS
The female students can also benefit by gauging their scale of preferences before
settling for a better and unique product. It is also possible for the students to know about
the product and its qualities.
Again, female students that have not started using Always sanitary pad will be
able to make a better choice of product to use, aside knowing why and how effective the
product is.
THE SOCIETY
The society can equally gain a lot from this research because the students, TV
stations, advertisement producers and manufacturers should know their responsibilities
and perform them with the hope of achieving developmental changes.
Again, advertising has an important role to play on a country’s economy society,
and culture. The importance of advertising to the economy as a whole can best be
demonstrated by the Abundance principle.
This principle states that in an economy that produces more goods and services
that can be consumed, advertising serves two purposes; it keeps consumers informed of
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their alternatives, and it allows companies to compete effectively for consumer capital.
Advertising stimulates competition and a healthy economy.
Advertising also helps to create financially healthy consumers who are well
informed, better educated and more demanding (Arens and Bovee: 34).
1:7 METHODOLOGY
This research shall make use of questionnaires interview and population study
method to gather relevant data. The questionnaire will gather quantitative data while the
interview will gather qualitative data.
A total of 240 questionnaires will be provided and 60 copies will be administered
in each of the four schools. Copies will be shared randomly amongst the female students
from SSS1- SSS2; the interview will then be conducted randomly with teachers, parents
and guardians of the students in each of the selected schools by selecting one teacher
from a private sector and another in a public sector, one parent from each school.
The researcher also carried out the population study in each school in their to
know the number of female students who have attained the age of puberty.
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1:8 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
INFLUENCE
Influence is a verb from a Latin word influere meaning to ‘flow in’. So, influence
is the capacity to have an effect on the character development, or behavior of someone or
something, or the effect itself.
Influence is the power to have an important effect on someone or something. If
someone influences someone else, they are changing a person or thing in an indirect but
important way. (google.com)
Influence according to Cambridge English dictionary means the power to have an
effect on people, things, or a person or thing that is able to so do. It also means to affect
or change how someone or something develops, behaves or think.