CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study.

Advertising has come a long way expanding its coast in principles and practice. It is

gaining more recognition increasing its application and usage. Since the advent of

technology and within the different forms of information communication technology it has

become a toast of in the life of manufacturers products and services consumers advertising

agencies and the media. In short advertising means a lot to different people. It has given

many people something to think about. In one way it could be what the people do with

advertising and in another way what advertising do with the people and for the people. The

people here are the manufacturers or advertisers who through advertising are creating

awareness for their goods and services. Another set of people are the public the consumers

who are desperately in need for certain goods and services. The advertising agencies are not

left out. They are willing to create the enabling ground for the advertisers for their products

and services and the target audience through a medium or media of communication.

Advertising helps the advertising agencies to showcase their creativity. The media cannot do

without advertising. Apart from the revenue they get from placing such advertisements; it

attracts more viewership readership or fellowship of the channel. And of course the teachers

and students of advertising are part of this component. The teachers are busy expanding the

scope and application of advertising adjusting the old form to adapt to the new technologies

the students are left with the issue of coping understanding and assimilation and later

application.

Nevertheless Bovee and Arens (1992:309) say advertising is a “non-personal

communication of information usually paid for and usually persuasive in nature about

products services or ideas by identified sponsors through various media”. Along the line the

Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) in Ozoh (1998:1) posits “advertising

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as a form of communication through media about products services or ideas paid for by an

identified sponsor”.

Advertising as a business competitive strategy is aimed at creating awareness of the

existence of a product through the communication media. Television advertising has effect on

buyers and potential buyers.

Television advertising has earned an excellent consistent and successful track record

of promoting product and services. Television advertising has many advantages for local

regional and national business. In urban area like Enugu television provides the most

spectacular way in which an advertiser can reach the greatest number of people at a time as

they posses television sets.

Television advertising is an exciting dynamic and challenging enterprise. Its often

pervasive fascinating and materialistic nature makes it an object of criticism and

misunderstanding. It is a form of communication through the media about product services

ideas personalities or organizations paid for by an identified sponsor. If advertisements have

no effect companies would not spend so much money on them. Advertising help us to

discover much about what appeals to us as consumers and investigate how advertisers

manipulate this to their benefit.

According to Rouse and Rouse (2002) building a strong image or brand requires

high impact advertising that has high visibility. Television has such characteristics. It is a

highly prestigious form of advertising.

Sybil and Obah (1987) say this form of advertising play on the emotions of

consumers and exploit their desire with intensive persuasion .Advertising aim at promoting

goods and services like relaxer. Benson Eluwa (2005:3) Advertising does more than sell

product. It makes mass marketing possible by making prospective customers aware of the

availability and unique qualities of specific goods and services. It shapes our attitude and our

attitudes shape our behavior Ahunaya (2004:70).

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According to Benson Eluwa (2005:44) the influence of advertising does not stop at

the economy but also influence the youths greatly by way of sensitization social interaction

modification for example caritas students. Advertising has influenced female

undergraduates by making them to be materialistic it affects their value system makes them

think that life is just acquisition of more things. Advertising creates opportunities and brings

changes in the attitudes of undergraduates by making them change products not minding the

effect of those products shapes students tastes and habit.

A researcher Alvan (2004) in his write up said that „‟Advertisements like our age

are hedonistic image management and fashion driven they glorify the individual idealize

consumption as the route to personal fulfillment and affirm technological progress as the

motive force of destiny” there must be various brands of hair relaxer in the shops market

stall and in hawkers barrows the ability for each to sell depends on the brands exposure to

and persuasive power of advertising messages on the buyer as well as the quality of such

brand and finally the availability of the brand.

Some of the brand had long established their names while others are still coming up

into the market example Ozone Dallas Ebony and La-sheen cream relaxer. This is why the

purpose of advertising hair relaxer seems to be geared towards not only informing its

prospective buyers about its arrival but also persuading on efficiency and efficacy.

Television seems to be the best media used to advertise these products. Television has

this partial monopoly perhaps because of its power to positive music of the advertisement

and the color. Music can heighten the emotional or dramatic impact of the commercial. The

idea of positioning music as unique selling point is to reinforce the recognition of

advertisement. Advertising is a very small aspect of marketing mix one cannot ignore.

Most people in advertising try to ask whether advertisement really work by

influencing consumers choices of product. Although researchers and data on advertising

have added over the years the evidence of its success has not been conclusive. The

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effectiveness of advertising and how it generates sales does not mean that progress has not

been made on the product.

Researchers have come up with principles that test the relationship in advertising

exposure and its effectiveness. These principles in advertising which are base on product

selection by consumers were evaluated in this research and it is hoped this will provide

insight into the study of whether advertisement does influence consumers‟ preference of

competitive products. There are a whole lot of ideas on what advertising is and works. It can

be seen as a promotional instrument that persistently creates awareness of goods and services

with the objective of persuading this target audience to patronize or take action.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The problem of this study is to investigate the influence of television advertising on

the choice of hair relaxer among female undergraduates in Caritas University.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The following are the objectives of the study:

1. To find out if television advertisement has influence on female undergraduates choice

of products.

2. To find out if ladies go for what they see advertized on television.

3. To know if female undergraduates make choice of hair relaxer based on their texture.

4. To find out whether female undergraduates choose hair relaxer based on the quality of

the brand.

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1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions are found relevant to the study

1. How does television advertisement influence female undergraduates on the choice of

hair relaxer?

2. To what extent do female undergraduates make choice of hair relaxer based on what

they see advertised on television?

3. Do you think that the female undergraduate‟s choice of hair relaxer is based on their

hair texture?

4. How do female undergraduates choose their hair relaxer quality of brand?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following hypothesis were formulated for the study

H

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. Female undergraduate‟s make choice of hair relaxer based on what they see and hear

advertized on television.

H

2

. Female undergraduate‟s choice of hair relaxer is based on their hair texture.

1.6 Significance of the Study

This study is relevance in equipping manufacturers on product design and advertisers

on the most appropriate selection of channel to disseminate information about product

consumption.

It will enlighten female undergraduates more on relaxer products that suit their hair texture

and also an important guide to future students who undertakes researches on similar studies.

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1.7 Scope of the Study

This study is centered on female undergraduates especially caritas university female

students who relax their hair and watch NTA Enugu television advertisement on hair relaxer.

1.8 Assumptions of the Study

The researcher assumes that:

1. The respondents watch television advertisements on hair relaxer.

2. Television advertisements should be informative.

3. Television advertisement influence female students on the choice of hair relaxer.

4. The quality of advertisement message determines the choice of brand.

1.9 Operational definition of significant terms

In these research works the variables used were operationally defined the meaning reflect

how the researcher wants the variables to be understood in the context of the work.

1. Advertising: A group of activities aimed at dissemination of information many paid

on personal formation concerning an idea product or service (both new brand and old

products) to compel action in accordance with the intent of an identified sponsor.

2. Television: This is an electronic device that has both visual and audio effect with the

aid of electro-magnetic wave.

3. Female Undergraduates: Young ladies who are still undergoing the process of higher

education or learning.

4. Hair Relaxer: A cream that makes the hair easier to straighten and manage.

5. Choice: Act of choosing out of multiple items or brands of products.

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