ABSTRACT
This study examines the role of advertising in brand building taking Nigeria Bottling Company Plc. as a case study. Four research questions were formulated, these are: how important is advertising to brand building? Are they any relationship between advertising and brand building? Is there any negative effect of advertising on an organization? What roles does advertising play in promotional strategy? In other to obtain data for the study, 50 questionnaires were administered which all were retrieved, and interviews were conducted among selected heads of departments. This was analyzed using simple percentage. This study found out that advertising is very vital in building one’s brand but with the right marketing mix. It also found out that advertising helps in increasing sales and very profitable in an organization.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study There are numerous definition of advertising, there is no one generally accepted definition due to its wide nature. For Albert Lasker, who has been labeled the father of modern advertising “Advertising is salesmanship in Print” he could be right based on the fact that he gave this definition when all adverts were in print. (Arems Williams 2009, Pg. 3) Frank Jefkins (2007; Pg. 17) min his book “Advertising Made Simple”, says “advertising is the most persuasive possible selling message to the right prospects for the product or service at the lowest possible cost”. Olu Falemo (2007; Pg. 18), defined advertising as “mainly pad communication, the ultimate aim in which is to make the target audience form a good image about a product or services and induce action beneficial to the advertiser in the form of sale or product or services” For the purpose of this study however, advertising in my own words “is a form of communication for marketing which is used to encourage, persuade or manipulate on audience (viewers, readers, listeners, or sometimes a specific group) to continue to take some new action. Advertising however, in this study would be considered to include all above the line and below the line advertising. Above the line advertising refers to: advertising exposed through the major media such as radio, television and billboards. On the other hand, below the line advertising has to do with advertising done on such thing as: bulletins, calendar, T-shirt, caps, gift item and other point of sales materials. (kieval J. kumar 2008 Pg. 117-120). Advertising as defined by the advertising practitioners council of Nigeria (APCON) “is a form of communication through the media about product, services or ideas paid for by an identified sponsor with the aim of imparting information about the product, services or opinion. (APCON, 2005; PP 17-20). Advertising can be considered an institution within the social, ethnical, economic and legal environment. Some would argue that the institute exercises social control but has a social responsibility making people accept what advertising offers rather than giving the complete information on all that is available (David Schmer, 2002 Pg. 8). However, advertising’s purpose is to promote the sale or use of goods and services. The conception of brand has marked a turning point in business whether its regard as brands identify, brand equity, or brand loyalty (Hart and Murphy, 2008 pg. 12). The brand now places a first impression in the product market. It set what people consider and also determines whether the business will succeed or even fail. A brand therefore is the most important part of the business because the success of brand is identical to the business success. A brand is not a product. It is more prominent than a product itself. It leads company in the way to differentiate product from competitors. The competition in specific direction is the key issue that brand is facing nowadays. Thus brand is a challenge for the company to become globally competitive in this globalization zone. (kafferer 2007, pg. 18). In essence, it is safe to say a brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as “Cultural accessories and personal philosophies”. A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concept so that it can easily communicated and usually marketed. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name. Branding can be applied to the entire corporate identity as well as to individual product and service names. For an organization to achieve its set target it must attempt to effectively manage the element of marketing mix, product, price, place and promotion activity is part of the communication elements (Michelle 2008, Pg 12). Advertising is intended to make the product known to the consumers. It is used to inform the consumers’ original impression about the product. There is therefore an argent need for the manufacturer to centrally reveal what the people (consumer) want (product) how they want such a product or service. They are willing to buy such product.