ABSTRACT
The title of this research project is the
effectiveness of advertising in the marketing of consumer oriented product (A
case study of 7up bottling company Nigeria Plc Ikeja Lagos). This project is
divided into five (5) chapters; chapter one talked about the introduction of
the topic, background of the study, significance of the study, research
questions, scope and definition of the terms while chapter two talked about the
review of related literature and its reference. Chapter three gives an insight
of area of study, population of the study, sample of the study, instrument for
data collection, validation of the study, distribution and retrieval of the
instrument and method of data analysis. Finally, chapter five talked about the
summary of research findings, the recommendation and conclusion, limitation of
the study and suggestion for further research.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The
need to study this topic, the effectiveness of advertising in the marketing of
consumer oriented product in Nigeria is very vital to identify the impact
advertising has on sales volume, especially the sales volume of 7up bottling
company Plc,a company in Nigeria which has a competitive market environment.
In the early 1960s the economy of
Nigeria was dominated by few well-known companies and competitive economy then
was more or less perfect. Advertising was therefore focused on top management
and in effect different kind of products were advertised including beverages.
The consumers had more money at their disposal for goods and services. However,
it was indeed and economy of surplus, lower process, subsidized goods and
higher disposable income. The economic recession of the 1980, had changed all
these and oil price dropped to a certain level and different kind of trade restriction
were introduced to restrict the economy. Firms as well as individuals started
feeling the impact of the recession, price of goods and services skyrocketed,
different fees and taxes were instantly imposed. Consumers’ disposable income
dropped and large amount of consumer oriented goods were not sold(e.g.) soft
drinks. Producers and manufacturers of soft drinks such as 7up bottling company
experienced low sales, profits and turnover. This gave rise to the importance
of advertising which objective is to create awareness of a particular product
and in this context consumer oriented goods like soft drinks of 7up bottling
company and impact more ledge and desire to persuade consumers to patronize
their product that will satisfy the need of which it is bought.
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
7up bottling company is a company in
Nigeria that has the sole right to bottled and distributes 7up products. One of
the most perspective multi-national companies, 7up is fully known as one of the
best soft drink producers in Nigeria.
In order that 7up is made, the first
is to select the bottles (both new and returned) and dispose of these with
defects. The bottles are closely scrutinized to ensure that they are hygienically
clean and not clopped. In order section of the plant, purifies sugar is added
to pure drinkable water to produce a solution called single syrup. In the next
stage, the syrup is passed through a filter bed to ensure its purity. This then
flow to a point where it is mixed with the undiluted 7up solution called
concentrate carbon (iv) oxide. A gas known as (Ho2) is added to give a
refreshing 7up soft drink.
Facts gathered suggest that Nigeria
drink about 9,000,000 (nine million) bottles of 7up soft drinks every day. 7up
products dominated the market share in early 1970s. Few soft drinks companies
were in existence then and competition among them were not keen and perfect.
Advertising played an important role
in the increase of sales volume of this company in question. It is through
advertising and other marketing activities that people get to know about 7up.
The advertising was done in over 20 (twenty) different languages in Nigeria. It
was as a result of this that there is an increase in sales volume of 7up
bottling company products.
The company devoted much importance on
advertising of their product and this recorded much profit yield for the
company. The company generated and annual turnover of about N 1.8 billion last
year. This turnover is limited to Lagos state which is my case study. The
company had also made some impact in the sponsorship to qualified candidate in
primary secondary and also institution of higher learning. The relevance of
this section relates to the fact that as early as the foundation of the
company, 7up has attended and created a reputable image for itself through
advertising.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
ADVERTISING:
This is a form of communication said for by and identified sponsor and it is
relayed by mass media. It is also a sort of paid non-personal communication
about a company and its product which is passed to the general public through
the mass media. A contains and good definition of advertising must contain
these features:
i.
It is paid form of communication
ii.
There is identified sponsors
iii.
It influence consumer to do something
iv.
It is transmitted through the media
v.
It must be non-personal
Advertising
helps in the creating of awareness to the public and the consumer on the
arrival of a new product and how such product is being used. Manufacturer
produces a new product, but the consumer will not know how to use it, then
advertising help in telling them how to use the product and create in them the
knowledge of the new product. Advertising leads to and induces repeat purchases
and greater sales volume. It therefore inducting greater output and cheaper
cost per unit, apart from giving information about the existence of a product,
it also afford the company the opportunity of explaining the differential
advantage of the product to the target market over the competitors own.
CONSUMER:
This is the individual who pays or obtains and uses such good for his own final
consumption. Industrial users however, are those persons or institutions that
purchase individual product or machine for the purpose of further production.
Without advertising, these consumers of different group will not know the
available product but when this information is relayed to them through
advertising, the producers will sell and the consumers will as well buy.
7up bottling company unlike other
companies, is facing some problems in advertising, but the research work is
specifically on the advertising problem of 7up bottling company.
For instance the best advertising
medium to be used, some have argued that there is no best medium to use in
advertising of their product to the specific target market while others said
that not every prospect or consumer have the capability to purchase a
television set and that is now a problem that need to be tackled. Another
problem according to research is the ability of the advertising manager to
determine the best advertising budget to be used. Whether to use affordable
method, competitors expenditure, or percentage of sale method.
Another problem facing 7up bottling
company is what kind of advertising to use.
Finally the best advertising agency
will service their account well.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to find out the effect of advertising in marketing of
consumer oriented product. It is an obvious fact that this study is promoted to
identify the different advertising media employed by 7up bottling company in
promoting the 7up products they manage, making radical effort to make sure the
message gets to the respective target market. Another objective of this study
is to find out among all the existing advertising media which one does 7up
bottling company sees as the best. By this selection it enable 7up bottling
company to determine which of these advertising media make the most impact on
the company’s sales volume.
This study is also interested to know how 7up
bottling company is making use of advertising to improve their old market,
capture new and create new ones and winning new customers. Also among these
objectives of the study is to determine the level at which 7up bottling company
carries out advertising or is making use of it to correct bad image and to
create an image that would appeal to the consumer or the target market to
create goodwill. It is also set out to find out whether promotional mix strategies
are making impact or are more efficient ways to promotion of 7up product than
advertising.
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTION
The
following research questions brought answers for obtaining information for
advertising observed events to this study:
1. Which
department is involved in taking charge over the sales officers and the cadre?
2. How
can the product of advertising on sales be improved?
3. What
reaction do the consumers take on the advertising of a product?
4. How
does the advertising of a product get to the consumer?
5. How
effective is advertising on the sales volume of 7up bottling company?
6. Does
advertising increase the cost of a plant?
7. Is
advertising better than other promo tools?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This
study signifies or entails that advertising helps to increase sales volume of a
product. In other words advertising encourages repeat purchase.
Advertising
also serves as an employment opportunity to make it clear when you want to
advertise your product you must employ one or more people in one way or the
other. This research therefore will be meaningful to all consumer oriented
marketing companies. This study will be beneficial to them since it will expose
both favourable factors towards the effectiveness of advertising in marketing
of consumer oriented product especially 7up bottling company.
1.6 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
The
researcher is restricted to 7up bottling company Ikeja and its products like
7up, pepsi and mirinda.
1.7 DEFINITION
OF THE TERMS
Advertising:
It is defined as any form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas,
goods and or services by an identified sponsor through a medium or media.
Marketing:
It is a social process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need
and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging products and services
of value with others.
Disposable Income:
Money that is available for use and free to spend after paying taxes.
Consumers:
They are individuals and households buying for personal use, i.e. they buy in
order to enjoy the satisfaction the product offers.
Producers:
They are individuals and organizations buying for the purpose of producing i.e.
for furthering production.
Marketing Environment:
Is a set of diverse, dynamic and uncontrollable forces that impinge on an
organization’s marketing operations and opportunities.
Promotional/Mix:
Consist of four (4) main tools viz; personal selling, advertising, sales
promotion and publicity.
Sales Volume:
This is used to measure the amount, usually in cartoons/crates, etc, of the
product being sold at a given point in time.