CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The Nigeria marketing environment today is one of aggressive and unfriendly

competition among both manufacturers and service providers. Most companies adopt various

marketing strategies in order to maintain or increase profit margin market shares or sales volume

of their products or services. In this effort quite a fortune is spent on advertising by which the

organizations hope to achieve these objectives.

Advertising is one of the most effective tools that manufacturing companies can utilize to

create more demands for their product on account of it’s capacity to reach a large number of

people at a relatively short time and cost. It involves the creation of demand for products and

services with use of written printed spoken words picture and diagrams.

Not only that skillfully planned and directed advertising not only at home but also

abroad overcome prejudice combat foreign competition establish new habit build good will

creates employment increase productivity multiply sales and thus lay a solid foundation for

sustained economic development of any country. One contends that advertising is one of the

most powerful socializing forces in culture.

Advertising sells more than product. It sets image value goods and concepts of who we

are and who we should be. It shapes our attitudes and our attitudes shape our behavior. Ahunaya

(2004 P. 70).

According to the Encyclopedia Americana (204) Advertising began around 3200 BC.

When the Egyptian stenciled inscription the names of kings on the temple being built. Later they

wrote run away slave announcement on papyrus. Signboards were placed outside doors in

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Greece and Egypt around 1500BC. Perhaps the most important event in history of advertising

was the printing of the Gutenberg Bible about 1450 to 1455 the first time that Western man used

the principle of moveable type. In about 1477 in London the first printed advertisement in

English announced a prayer book sale. The first newspaper advertisement appeared on the back

paper of a London newspaper in 1625.

Advertising has since then been seen to help in economic development in ways of

creating jobs sponsoring sports and the art helps to provide affordable media which encourages

competition improves product keep price low and enable people to make informed buying

choices. Eluwa (2004 P.44).

The impact of advertising does not stop at the economy but also has influenced the social

behaviour of youths greatly by way of sensitization social interaction modification and other

wise. Using ESUT students as an example advertising makes students too materialistic. Advert

affects their value system and social behaviour because it suggests to them that the means to a

happier life is the acquisition of more things. Baran (390).

Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) is located at the heart of

Enugu State capital.

Advertising have influenced students of Enugu State University of Science and

Technology (ESUT) by making them think that life is just about the acquisition of more things

instead of spiritual or intellectual enlightenment. Advertising creates opportunity of striving to

attain high materialistic status in students.

- Advertising creates in students liking and preference for a product.

- Advertising stimulates thought about a new product to its consumer’s.

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- Advertising makes sure that all information about a product is communicated to its consumer

like the features and location of sales of the product.

- Advertising with its persuasive nature builds brand preference and loyalty in its consumer’s.

Ozoh (1998 P. 13).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Like other promotional techniques advertising informs persuades and reminds. It can

change consumer’s beliefs attitudes images and behavior.

Here the reason for advertising is that advertising is an important instrument of

communication as far as commerce is concerned. Once the advertiser has captured the attention

of his audience he holds their interest long enough to make them aware of the production being

offered. Successful advertisements do not merely entertain but try to persuade the audience to

buy. This is where the problem lies. People tend to have the belief that this persuasive quality of

advertising has an impact on the social behavior of its audience especially students because they

are still within the age of being influenced by the media. Hence the essence of this study.

The problem therefore is what impact has Gulder advertisement on the social behaviour

of students of ESUT.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of this study are as follows;

1. To examine whether Gulder advertisement impact on the behaviour of students of ESUT.

2. To examine the nature of impact Gulder advertisement has on the social behaviour of

students of ESUT.

3. To determine the level of impact Gulder advertisement has on the social behaviour of

students of ESUT.

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1.4 Research Questions

The study has the following research questions:

1. To what extent has Gulder advertisement impacted on the social behaviour of students of

ESUT?

2. What is the nature of impact Gulder advertisement has on the social behaviour of students of

ESUT?

3. To what level has Gulder advertisement impacted on the social behaviour of students of

ESUT?

1.5 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is to examine the impact of Gulder advertisement on the social

behaviour of students of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The importance of this study is that it will help researcher’s carryout similar study. It will

also add to the level of knowledge on the impact of Gulder advertisement. This study will help to

identify the impact of Gulder advertisement on the social behaviour of students of Enugu State

University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu.

Finally it will provide the basis for stakeholder’s in planning advertising message.

1.7 Operational Definitions of Significant Terms

1. Impact: - Based on the study it means that the researcher would look at how Gulder

advertisement influences the social behaviour of Enugu State University of Science and

Technology (ESUT) Students. The researcher would also look at the powerful effect that

Gulder advertisement has on the students.

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2. Gulder Advertisement: - This is the act or means of making people aware of the product

Gulder Ultimate beer in order to encourage them to buy or use it. The researcher’s interest

here is on the advertising message and the influence it has on its audience especially ESUT

students.

3. Social Behaviour: - This is a behaviour influenced or controlled by other persons or by

organized society. Here the researcher would look at how the social behaviour of ESUT

students is been influenced by Gulder advertisement.

4. Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Students: - This is the

researcher’s area of focus in the study.

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