ABSTRACT
This study examined how message characteristics affect consumers’ preferences for selected noodles in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State. The specific objectives were to: ascertain the extent to which the novelty of the advertising message influences the preference for Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles in the study area; ascertain the extent to which the news worthiness of the advertising message influences the preference; determine the extent to which courteousness and the use of conversational tone in the advertising message influences the preference; find out the extent to which the conciseness, correctness and accuracy of the advertising message influences the preference; and determine the extent to which the clarity and precision of the advertising message influences the preference. To achieve the objectives of the study survey research design was adopted. The researcher adopted primary data through the use of structured questionnaire. The population of the study were made up of 44631 staff and sample were 200 after adopting simple random sampling. The hypotheses were tested with both simple and multiple linear regression analysis. Simple regression analysis was used to test hypotheses one and two while multiple regression was used to test hypotheses three, four and five. The findings revealed that novelty, news worthiness, courteousness and the use of conversational tone, correctness and accuracy and clarity and precision of the advertising message significantly influence the preference for Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles in the study area. The researcher concludes that, message characteristics of a product conveys core information about the product and aid the consumer make informed decision about the product as information is an integral of marketing activity. Message characteristics perform an important role in marketing communications at the point of sales. They are important elements of modern lifestyle and branding process. The researcher recommended that Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles should maintain novelty of the advertising message in order to enhance their level of consumer preference. Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles should also maintain news worthiness of the advertising message and avoid any form on message deceit that can hamper consume preference. The study further recommends that Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles should adhere to courteousness and the use of conversational tone of the advertising message for the purpose of attracting new customers and maintaining already existing customers.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables viii
List of Figures ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 5
1.3 Objectives
of the Study 7
1.4 Research
Question 8
1.5 Hypotheses
of the Study 8
1.6 Significance
of the Study 9
1.7 Scope
of the Study 10
1.8 Definition
of Terms 11
CHAPTER
2:
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Conceptual
Framework 12
2.1.1 Concept
of advertising message 12
2.1.2 Concept
of message content marketing 13
2.1.3 Concept
of message characteristics 15
2.1.4 Concept
of consumer preference 23
2.1.5 Concept
of product 28
2.1.6 Concepts
of consumers buying behavior 32
2.1.7 Customers
preference and competition on noodles products 35
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 38
2.2.1 Theory
of planned behavior 38
2.2.2 Rational
expectations intention theory 39
2.2.3 Communication
theory 40
2.3 Review
of Empirical Studies 41
2.4 Summary
and Gap in Literature 43
CHAPTER
3:
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research
Design 45
3.2 Area
of the Study 45
3.3 Population
of Study 45
3.4 Sample
Size and Sampling Technique 45
3.5 Description
of the Instrument 46
3.6 Validity
of the Instrument 47
3.7 Reliability
of the Instrument 47
3.8 Method
of Data Analysis 48
3.9 Model
Specification 49
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Data Presentation 51
4.2 Test
of Hypotheses 51
4.3 Discussion
of Findings 61
CHAPTER
5:
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
of Findings 64
5.2 Conclusion 64
5.3 Recommendations 65
5.4 Contributions
to Knowledge 66
5.5 Limitations
of the Study 66
References 68
Appendix 1 77
Appendix 2 83
LIST
OF TABLES
4.1 Distribution of questionnaire and
response rate 51
4.2 Novelty in the advertising message
influences the preference for Indomie,
Chikki, Mimi and
Golden Penny noodles in the study area 52
4.3 Novelty in Advertising message –consumer
preference 52
4.4 News worthiness in advertising message
influences the preference for
Indomie, Chikki,
Mimi and Golden Penny noodles in the study area 54
4.5 News worthiness – consumer preference 54
4.6 Courteousness in advertising message
influences the preference for
Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny
noodles in the study area. 56
4.7 Courteous and the use of conversational
tone and Consumer preference 56
4.8 Conciseness, correctness and accuracy in
advertising message influences
The preference for Indomie, Chikki, Mimi
and Golden Penny noodles 57
4.9 Conciseness, correctness and accuracy and
Consumer preference 58
4.10 Clarity and precision in advertising
message influences the preference for
Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny
noodles in the study area 59
4.11 Conciseness, correctness and accuracy and
Consumer preference 60
LIST
OF FIGURES
2.1 Conceptual
model 38
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
It
is a known fact, that the implication
of message characteristics on consumer preferences for products cannot be
overemphasised, because message characteristics for goods and services convey
core information about the products (goods and services) and consumers to make
informed decision about a particular product. Information is an integral part
of marketing activity (Oestreicher-Singer and Zalmanson, 2013). Message
characteristics perform a vital part in marketing integrated communications at
point of purchase or sales (Patricia, 2015). Message characteristics are significant
rudiments of modern lifestyle and branding process (Niyazi, 2017). Changing
lifestyle and increasing media education on product contents have placed
message characteristics as a vital tool to stimulate impulse purchase and
increase sales promotion (Suraj and Raveendran, 2012).
Earlier,
message characteristics of products were regarded as mere information tool but
today they are considered an important component of marketing process (Niyazi,
2017). Nowadays message characteristics are being regarded as first salesmen
that effect the decision to purchase or not to purchase. Most consumers who
have gained media education will always consider the message feature / characteristics
of any given product before placing demand for such product. This is because of
the increasing fake products in most markets today (Patricia, 2015). Underwood
(2003) asserted that message characteristics have either intrinsic or extrinsic
attributes based on certain features they possess. Vazquez, Bruce & Studd
(2003) added that in recent days the pack, including the info about goods and
services necessity appear necessary point of sales, in order to represent the
sales personnel. Thus, message characteristics are significant elements in
marketing, today.
The
consumer preferences are reliant on the packaging wraps and its features such
as the advertising message and characteristics. Consumers preference are
positive motivation, expressed by the affective compatibility towards a goods
and service or trading form. We’re not dealing with an internal bodily
function, but a quality of objects that aims to fulfil our needs, quality
acquired within the connection between man and the merchandise able to fulfil
these needs. Preferences for a product are mostly triggered by characteristics related
to the tangible material substance of goods (size, print color, shape, taste,
colour, package, consistency etc.); variables such as name, label, instructions
for the use of products accompany the product; the granted statute to the customer
owning and consuming that particular goods and services (products) (Suraj and Raveendran, 2012).
Theoreticians, at some points, had the tendency to limit the preference to the
concept of choice; however, choice and preference are two radically different
entities: the first one is an action and the other one, a state of mind. Preferences are the result of long-term relationship
between the brand and the consumer, as the consumer learns to associate the
brand with a symbol and perceive it as valuable (Valerie and Gerald,
2014). Following these profound connections formed over time, a robust passion
is established which bacons on preferences, remaining present even when there
is no friendly symbol or of any other component feature (Lotte et al, 2011).
Message
characteristics like background image, font style and printed information are considered
as predictors. Due to ever increasing self-services obtained and continuous changes
in consumers’ way of life, concern over message characteristics as a mechanism
of promotion and stimulator of impulsive purchasing preference is growing
extensively (Mitul and Bhavesh, 2012).
Therefore, message characteristics perform vital role in marketing as a
communications tool, especially at the point of sale. The message
characteristics could be addressed among the major or core variables affecting
consumers’ preferences on consumption of noodles in Umuahia, South Local
Government Area of Abia state. Contents
in the advertising message may include cartoon, endorsements, direction for use
products, information on nutrition value of products, information on
ingredients make-up of products, information on expiration date etc, while its
characteristics may include novelty, humour, newsworthiness, clarity and
precision, conciseness, correctness and accuracy, courteous and conventional
tone usage, comparison messages etc.
Message
characteristics become decisive retailing proposition inspiring impulsive
choice over any given product, it leads to increase in market share and reduce promotional
costs of operation (Mitul and Bhavesh, 2012).
As stated by Rundh (2005) message characteristics attract customers’ attention
to a certain brand, it also enhances the image of a product, and influences
consumers’ insights towards the product. Also, message characteristics impart
unique value to products (Silayoi and Speece, 2004), it acts as a instrument or
manual for differentiation, i.e. helps product users to make rational choice
from varieties of similar products, and stimulate customers purchase behaviour
(Wells, Farley and Armstrong, 2007). In this context, seeking to maximize the efficacy
of message characteristics in the buying place, product manufacturers explore
various ways of designing products with advertising information that is
self-explanatory and persuasive, and their impact on consumers’ preferences
became relevant issue. However, the consumer perception challenge is the initial
and greatest hurdle that advertisers must cross. Preference guides all
activities of the consumers from the people they associate with to the product
he buys.. In the commercial world, it has always been what people say about
goods or service, why the choice of a particular goods or services over another
product, against what the marketer says (Suraj and Raveendran, 2012). How a consumer perceives different
brands in a category, determines which brand he chooses (preference) (Dokyun,
Chang, Hueiju and His-Peng, 2015). So many companies devote so much money on
advertising, sales promotion, point of sales displays and other integrated marketing
communications only to discover that many people do not even remember the
product (goods and services) or the promotion (Ogidi, 2014). However, whether
consumers ultimately prefer a product’s brand also depends on whether the
promotion and marketing communication variables (advertising message and
characteristics) facilitate purchasing. Message characteristics have huge role
to play in the positioning of consumers preference for any given product.
Message characteristics shape consumer perceptions and preference and can act as
the deciding factor in point-of-purchase decisions which characterize the
majority of shopping occasions.
In
recent years, the marketing situation has turn out to be increasing, complex
and competitive and media education has help to enlighten consumers about the
possibility of getting value for their money from each product they purchased
by considering the advertising message characteristics of products. As firms
increase their product advertising activity, the significance of promotion
message has increasingly become important in the recent business environment.
Advertising message seek to convey information that engage targeted users and also
energies the preferred goals of the dealers from the promotion campaigns
implemented. Sometimes, it may not necessarily be out of place to witness
preference of a low-quality product with a sound message characteristic to a
high-quality one with poor promotion message and characteristics. The most significant
point of concern is for the advertising message to communicate, engage and apprehend
the thoughtfulness of consumers. Another reputation of good advertising message
for goods and services that, it is capable of inducing consumers to search for
more relevant information about products.
Though pitching ideas, beseeching transactions
and directing business conferences are most operative in a face-to-face setting,
in some cases experts are asked to leave a message particularly in the pack of
a product. Advertising message for a product must be persuasive and convincing
in other to achieve the consideration of the consumers. Consumer will prefer products
with persuasive and convincing advertising message where face-to-face setting
is mostly not possible than products with less convincing characteristics.
Advertising message are effective in encouraging and convincing consumers if
they possess such characteristics as being presented in a courteous and
conversational tone, concise, correct and accuracy, written in clarity and
precision, and concrete.
Noodles is among the most imperative
staple food items in all part of Nigeria, since the late 90s (Ibeleme, 2015).
The fastness of preparation makes it number one choice especially among
children, adolescence and young adults since the introduction of these products
in Nigerian market. Majority of the noodles brands like the Indomie which was the
first to introduced to consumers in Nigeria by De-united Ltd. Indomie has now become
the household name since the late 90s that even a child of 2years of age could
pronounce it so fluent amidst other brands competing in the market like Tommy
Tommy, Chikki noodles, May & Baker Mimi noodles, ‘O’ noodles, and now the
latest of them all, the Golden Penny noodles of Flour Mills Plc. With these variety
of competition of the products, large amount of money are budgeted for advertising
because of its necessity for the noodles brand and message characteristics on
noodles products make the difference in consumers’ preferences for the
products. Therefore, it is a necessary to explore more details of message
characteristics of noodles product in order to understand how to influence consumers’
preferences in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria for
selected noodles products.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Message characteristics are significant
elements that stimulate consumers’ impulse to purchase a given product. The necessity
of message characteristics are observed in their role as sales promotion
mechanism for organizations; and consumers’ preference of a given product are
also stimulated by the features of the advertising message such as
having courteous and conversational tone, being concise, being correct and
accuracy, being written in clarity and precision, and being concrete. Thus, the response of buyers to any given
products depends largely on the prospects of its advertising message
characteristics.
One of the problems that motivated this
research is the matter of consumers’ preference in terms of response to
products based on advertising message characteristics. Poor advertising message
used by most organizations are distasteful and do not catch consumers’
attention en-route for the product brand or their image. Consumers’ preference
is influenced by advertising message which convey distinctive value to
products. Message characteristics serve as an instrument for differentiation,
and help consumers to differentiate the product from wide range of parallel
products. Several researchers attempt to examine all potential message
characteristics and their effect on consumers’ preference decision elsewhere
but none of these studies have been carried out in Umuahia South Local Government
Area of Abia State. Poor message characteristics on products have influence on
consumers’ choice, when multiple and different choices are available.
Several companies that produce noodles
products leave message on the package of the products as means of persuading
and attracting more customers for their products in their absence. Message
characteristics convey distinctive value to products and serve as instrument
for product differentiation (Suraj and Raveendran, 2012). Consumers decision to prefer a given product from a wide range of
parallel companies selling the same products. Consumer decision do not depend
solely on the advertising message for the products but also depends on the
characteristics of the message such as courteous and conversational
tone, being concise, being correct and accuracy, being written in clarity and
precision, news worthiness, novelty, endorsement and being concrete and how it influences
consumers’ sensory response in buying such products, creates more product
awareness and preference, motivates consumers, captures consumers attention,
persuade consumers, etc.
These are other problems that motivated this study.
Most companies that produce noodles products
with poor advertising message often loss their customers to those with better
message characteristics irrespective of the quality of the product. This has
made some companies to boom more than their counterparts and to last longer in
existence than some. Some companies loose their market share as a result of
poor patronage necessitated by poor products advertising message. Against this
backdrop, this study addressed these aforementioned problems by broadly
investigating the effect of message characteristics on consumer preference of
selected noodles products in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
main objective of this research was to analyse message
characteristics and consumers’ preference for selected noodles in Umuahia
South Local Government Area, Abia State.
The noodles selected for this study were Indomie noodles, Chikki
noodles, Mimi noodles and Golden Penny noodles. The specific objectives of the
study were to:
i. ascertain
the extent to which the novelty of the advertising message influences the preference
for selected noodles in the study area;
ii. ascertain
the extent to which the news worthiness of the advertising message influences
the preference for selected noodles in the study area;
iii. determine
the extent to which courteousness and the use of conversational tone in the
advertising message influences the preference for selected noodles in the study
area;
iv. find
out the extent to which the conciseness, correctness and
accuracy of the advertising message influences the preference for selected
noodles in the study area; and
v. determine
the extent to which the clarity and precision of the
advertising message influences the preference for selected noodles in the study
area.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The
following research questions guided this study:
i. in
what ways does the novelty of the advertising message influences the preference
for selected noodles in the study area?
ii. how
does the news worthiness of the advertising message influences the preference for
selected noodles in the study area?
iii. how
does courteousness and the use of conversational tone in the advertising
messages influences the preference for selected noodles in the study area?
iv. in
what ways does conciseness, correctness and accuracy of the advertising message
influences the preference for selected noodles in the study area?
v. how
does clarity and precision of the advertising message influences the preference
for selected noodles in the study area?
1.5 HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
The
following hypotheses guided the study:
Novelty of the
advertising message does not significantly influence the preference for
selected noodles in the study area.
News worthiness of the
advertising message does not significantly influence the preference for selected
noodles in the study area.
Courteous and the use of
conversational tone of the advertising message do not significantly influence
the preference for selected noodles in the study area.
Conciseness, correctness
and accuracy of the contents of advertising message do not significantly
influence the preference for selected noodles in the study area.
Clarity and precision of
the contents of advertising message do not significantly influence the
preference for selected noodles in the study area.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
study would be significant to the following group of people; business managers,
manufacturers, consumers, scholars and researchers.
Business
managers would benefit immensely from this study because the findings will give
them an idea on how consumers will accept or reject their products based on
their decisions on combination of marketing messages. This would make them to
create a strong advertisement department or machinery on developing the most
attention capturing and persuasive marketing messages that will attract more
consumers for their products. Advertisement is an important economic instrument
and the nature of message a manufacturer leaves for its product consumers is
one of the core determinants of consumers preference decision. This study will
benefit all in the business and consumers of noodles products. It will not only
make money for the producers/manufacturers of these products, but will help
them to satisfy the demands of consumers. This will translate into increased
volume of trade and money in the Nigerian economy if the work is being
published in a journal or textbook, to reach the masses.
The
manufacturers will benefit from the findings of this study as it will provide
them with information on the extent their product’s advertising message and its
characteristics could change consumers preference towards their products. As
captains of industries they will know the kind of marketing message to leave
for customers concerning their products and the medium to be used for effective
and efficient market information. This will enable them make necessary
modifications or changes towards their advertisement strategies in order to
attract and retain more customers to their products.
The
findings of the study would be beneficial to consumers like marketing lecturers/
teachers, manufacturers, business executives and others in food production and
consumption. The work will be made available to these groups of beneficiaries
through seminars, workshops, conferences, publications in journal and
textbooks. It will also help the
consumers to make the right choice on what informed people’s preference for a
brand of noodles product than
the others based on the proper information gathered from this
study.
Scholars
will benefit from the findings of this work. The findings from this work will
help both students and lecturers to understand the various message that
influences consumer preference. The findings of this study will also educate
scholars on the influence of message characteristics on consumers’ preferences.
The findings of this study would give clue to other researchers who may want to
carry out research in the related area by informing them on how best message
characteristics influence the consumers preference for noodles products.
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
Content
scope: The study is designed to analyse message characteristics and consumers
preferences for selected noodles. The study focused more on the extent to which
the novelty of the advertising message influences the preference for Indomie,
Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles in the study area; the extent to which
the news worthiness of the advertising message influences the preference; the
extent to which courteousness and the use of conversational tone in the
advertising message influences the preference; the extent to which the
conciseness, correctness and accuracy of the advertising message influences the
preference and determine the extent to which the clarity and precision of the
advertising message influences the preference for Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden
Penny noodles in the study area.
Geographical
scope: The study was conducted in Umuahia South LGA, Abia State, Nigeria. The
consumers of noodles (Indomie, Chikki, Mimi and Golden Penny noodles) in
Umuahia was used as unit of analysis for the study.
1.8
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Consumer Products: Consumers product refers to any tangible product
disposed for sale to person or household usage and not for business purposes. It
encompasses products that are purchased for consumption by the average
consumer. They are alternatively regarded final goods, and are the end result
of production and manufacturing and are what a consumer will see on store
shelf. Examples include food, jewellery and clothing.
Consumer satisfaction: Consumer
satisfaction is a term that measures how products or services supplied by a
company meet or surpass a customer’s expectation. Customer satisfaction is
important because it provides marketers and business owners with the metric
that they can use to manage and improve their businesses.
Advertising message: This is
primarily informational message,
typically intended to be explicit, literal, and unambiguous and reflecting an
instrumental communication style that communicates the intentions of a product
manufacturer to the consumers where the manufacturer explaining the contents
and value of its product face-to-face to the consumers.
Advertising message characteristics:
This is defined as the vital component any marketing message possesses in other
to induce a response from the recipient.
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