i

INFLUENCE OF BILLBOARD ADVERTISING ON THE PATRONAGE

OF COCA-COLA PRODUCT BY STUDENTS OF CARITAS UNIVERSITY

BY

ANUGWOM, GIFT GINIKACHUKWU

DEPARTMENT OF MASS COMMUNICATION

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
CARITAS UNIVERSITY, AMORJI-NIKE
ENUGU

NOVEMBER 2020

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TITLE PAGE

INFLUENCE OF BILLBOARD ADVERTISING ON THE PATRONAGE

OF COCA-COLA PRODUCT BY STUDENTS OF CARITAS UNIVERSITY

BY

ANUGWOM, GIFT GINIKACHUKWU

MC/2016/803

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR

THE AWARDS OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc.) DEGREE IN MASS
COMMUNICATION

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

CARITAS UNIVERSITY, AMORJI-NIKE, ENUGU

NOVEMBER 2020
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Declaration
I, Anugwom, Gift Ginikachukwu,with Registration Number MC/2016/803, under the supervision
of Justina N. Obi hereby declares that this research has been carried out by me and has not been
submitted anywhere for the purpose of acquiring a degree in Mass Communication.

………………………………. …………………..

Anugwom, Gift Ginikachukwu Date

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Certification
This research is an original work of Anugwom, Gift Ginikachukwu with the registration number
MC/2016/803. It satisfies the requirement for presentation of researchreport in the department of
Mass Communication, Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu.

……………………… …………………………
Justina N. Obi Date
(Supervisor)

………………… ………………………..
Dr. Ferdinand Obasi Date
(Head of Department)

……………………. ……………………..
External Examiner Date
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Dedication
This research is dedicated to Almighty God, and to my parents.
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Acknowledgements
Firstly, my sincere appreciation goes to the Almighty God, my creator, who has been the source
of knowledge and inspiration.

My sincere appreciation also goes to my project supervisor, Justina N. Obi, who in her busy
schedule carved out time to supervise this research, guiding and directing me. She made the
project writing simple, I am grateful ma. I also acknowledge my able lecturers in the Department
of Mass Communication, who have been imparting knowledge in me right from my first day in
Caritas University, from the Head of Department, Dr. Ferdinand Obasi. to Dr. Clifford Nwonu,
DamianAgboeze, Dr. Felix Ugwuanyi, Prof. I.S. Ndolo, Dr. (Mrs.) Virginia Eluwa and Dr.
Godwin Okoye. I also appreciate our technologist, Mr. Francis Ukaegbu, and the departmental
secretary, Miss Juliet Nwaru. Thank you all.

My profound gratitude goes to my loving parents, Jasper and Blessing Anugwom, who have
always been there for me. I appreciate the love and care of my siblings, friends, and family.
Thank you for the memories, love, and support.

To all those whose path I havecrossed at one time or another, I appreciate and celebrate you all.
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Table of Contents
Title Page..........................................................................................................................................i
Declaration......................................................................................................................................ii
Certification....................................................................................................................................iii
Dedication.......................................................................................................................................iv
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................v
Table of Contents............................................................................................................................vi
Abstract........................................................................................................................................viii
CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 2
1.3 Objectives of the Study 3
1.4 Research Questions 3
1.5 Research Hypotheses 3
1.6 Scope of the Study 4
1.7 Significance of the Study 4
1.8 Limitations of the Study 4
1.9 Definition of Terms 4
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE
2.0 Introduction 6
2.1 Review of Relevant Literature 6
2.1.1 Billboard Advertisement: An Overview 6
2.1.2 Consumer Percepti 11
2.1.3Role of Consumer Perception 12
2.1.4Stages of Consumer Perception 12
2.1.5Factors Influencing Consumer Perception of Advertising Media for Coca-Cola Products14
2.1.6Characteristics of Billboards versus Other Media 14
2.1.7 Factors Associated with the Success of Billboards 15
2.2 Theoretical Framework 16
2.3 Summary of Literature Review 18
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design19
3.2 Population of the Study 19
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3.3 Sampling Technique 19

3.4 Measuring Instrument 20
3.5 Validity of Measuring Instrument 20
3.6 Reliability of Measuring Instrument 21
3.7 Method of Data Collection 21
3.8 Method of Data Analysis 21
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction 22
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis 22
4.3 Discussion of Findings 31
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 33
5.2 Conclusion 34
5.3 Recommendations 34
References
Appendix
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Abstract
The study investigated the influence of billboard advertising on the patronage of Coca-Cola
product. Billboards have been used as an advertising medium for more than a century and are
still used today. Since the work of Jared Bell in mid 1800s, where he presented a large circus
poster to the public, billboard advertising remains a top medium for brand outreach. The purpose
of the study was toexamine which of the Coco-Cola billboard advertisement, whether static or
changeable billboard is more effective in attracting consumer patronage of Coca-Cola product by
students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu. The study adopted the recency theory to
properly explain observable occurrences in the study. Survey research design was adopted. With
a sample size of 94; the researcher randomly selected the respondents. The questionnaire was
used as an instrument of data collection. The result of this study shows that respondents are
aware of billboards advertisement and that Coca-Cola billboards have influenced the decision of
most buyers. Also, changeable billboards are more effective than static billboards. Based on the
findings, the study recommended that Coca-Cola (and drink companies in general) should focus
more on billboard promotions for effectiveness as they doon other media advertisements on
radio, television, internet and so on. This will help enhance billboards as a form of promoting
products. The researcher also recommended that drink companies place billboards close to point
of sale since recency theory plays on the belief that billboard advertisements and promotions are
most effective when consumers are exposed to them close to the time of decision.
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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
An average Nigerian is exposed to somewhere between 500 – 2,000 advertisements every day
and no doubt,a good number of these advertisements are billboards. The term "billboard" is
derived from "billing board." Billboard advertising is the process of using a large-scale print
advertisement to market a company, brand, product, service, or campaign. Billboards are
typically placed in high traffic areas, such as along highways and in cities, so they are seen by
the highest number of drivers and pedestrians. Billboards have been used as an advertising
medium for more than a century and are still used today. Ever since Jared Bell presented large
circus posters to the public in the mid-1800s, billboard advertising remains as a top medium for
brand outreach (Nurlan, 2015).

In the past few decades, billboard has come to be one of the most effective means of
advertisement.Billboard advertising has assumed a wider and more prominent position in product
promotion in recent times in Nigeria. Despite electronic media, billboard advertising got product
promotion on the increase. Looking at how advertising has progressed, roadside advertising has
remained relevant since land transportation’s existence. Companies like Coco-Cola started using
roadside publicity nationwide in 1900 after the use of billboards became widely recognized
(Nurlan, 2015). Over the course of time, billboards remain a top medium in the advertising world
because of their power, compared to other popular marketing practices, their complex strategies
considered prior to creation, and their successful design and execution elements.

According to the Arbitron National In-Car Study, a study done on the effectiveness of billboard
advertisement on drivers and commuters published in 2009, 71% of Americans consciously look
at billboard messages while driving and many learn about an event or restaurant they later
attended, 37% look at an outdoor ad each or most of the time they pass one, and 58% learned
about an event or restaurant they were interested in attending by viewing a roadside billboard.

Fletch(1979), identifies the following determinants of the strength of a billboard advertising,

such as, the number of posters put in any given area, the size of the poster, the specific siting of
the poster and the length of the campaign. Because of the problem of the more boards in each
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area, the greater the problem of clutter, many authorities regulate the siting of boards to prevent
their indiscriminate location.Posters come in standard sizes referred to as sheets. The
dimensions of a single sheet are usually expressed in inches for easy handling and processing. A
single limit of sheet is usually 20 inches wide by 30 inches deep. The most commonly available
poster formats are 16 sheets, 32 sheets and 48 sheets.

There are many elements to consider when creating a successful billboard such as the design
features, geographical placement, target audience, and the goal of the campaign. The assembly of
these elements to form an effective billboard for travelling consumers is formidable,Nonetheless,
many brands do so in a successful, creative way. However, the fulcrum of this research will be to
examine the influence of billboard advertising on the patronage of Coca-Cola products by
students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

After the circus posters of Jared Bell to the public in the mid-1800s, billboard advertisement has
taken different dimensions andmany companies adopted this as one of the major means of
advertising their products.With the research work of Arbitron National In-Car Study in 2009,it is
evident that consciously or unconsciously we tend to look at billboards and read these billboards
before we return to our previous train of thought.

Outdoor Advertising Association of America (Nurlan, 2015) posits that, “Billboards stretch the
boundaries of creativity to heighten advertisement awareness and grab consumer’s attention.
Seventy-one percent of travellers often look at the messages on roadside billboards and more
than one-third report looking at an outdoor advertisement each or most of the time they pass one”
(Williams, 2009.) A successful billboard designer puts many things into consideration while
designing billboards, such as the geographical location of the billboard, the language, the target
audience, the goal of the campaign, etc.

As with the key advantages of outdoor advertising there have been many discussions of strategic
and executional factors related to the success of billboards, but little systematic investigation of
the underlying factors that drive successful billboard advertising. This is what the research
intends to investigate. In view of the above, this research will examine the influence of billboard
advertisement on patronage of Coca-Cola products by students of Caritas University and will
focus on which type of billboard advertisement between static and changeable,influence more
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patronage.Static billboards are the typical advertisements you’ve seen. They are made on a large
printed vinyl and stretched over the face of the billboard. Changeable signs, including digital,
electronic or roller bar signs are simplified versions of video advertising as they present a limited
number of images that change at specified times remaining in passive mode most of the time.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The overall objective of this research will be to examine the influence of billboard on the
patronage of Coca-Cola by students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike. However, specific
objectives will be:

1. To examine which of the Coco-Cola billboard advertisement (static or changeable

billboard) is more effective on consumer patronage of Coca-Cola products by students of
Caritas University, Amorji-Nike.
2. To evaluate to what extent the inclusion of price on Coca-Cola billboards influences
patronage of the product.
3. To assess in what manner students of Caritas University, Amorji- Nike read Coca-Cola
billboards.
4. To find out if billboard advertising is increasing the product intake among the students of
Caritas University

1. 4 Research Questions
The research questions that will be used in this research work are:

1. Which of the billboard advertisement between static and changeable types is more
effective on the students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu?
2. To what extent does the inclusion of price on Cocoa-Cola billboards influence the
patronage of the product among the students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike?
3. In what manner do students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike read Coca-Cola
billboards?
4. In what ways do billboard advertisement increase intake of Coca-Cola by students of
Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H1: Changeable Cocoa-Cola Billboards attract more readers than static Coca-Cola billboards.
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H0: Changeable Cocoa-Cola billboards do not attract more readers than static Cocoa-Cola
billboards.

H2: Strategically placed larger Coca-Cola billboards attract more readership than smaller ones.

H0: Strategically placed larger Coca-Cola billboards do not attract more readership than smaller
ones.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This research work will cover the relationship between Cocoa-Cola billboard advertisement and
patronage of Coca-Cola.

1.7 Significance of the Study

This work will professionally equip marketers with tools to design billboards that will be
readable by more consumers. Academically, this work will fill the gap in knowledge as it will
enlighten thescholars on the influence of billboards, how changeable and static billboards affect
consumer patronage of the product, which will increase the knowledge on billboard
advertisement.

1.8Limitations of the Study

Every study or research has its limitations that tend to prevent the researchers from achieving
their desired goal or objectives. The same is applicable in this study as the researcher
encountered some problems while carrying out this research work. First, was the worldwide
lockdown as a result of the pandemic (Covid-19) these slowed down the research academic work
which was suspended during the period.

Secondly, as a result of the pandemic the time allowed for this study was very short making it
difficult for the researcher to combine her academic work (exams, lectures, assignments,
seminars etc.) with the project writing especially during the field work. Another visible
limitation was financial constraint which the researcher had to battle with is the course of
carrying out this study.

1.9Definition of Terms
Billboard: The process of using a large-scale print advertisement to market a company, brand,
product, service, or campaign.
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Advertising:Advertising is the no personal communication usually paid for and usually

persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors through the various
media (Taflinger, 1996).

Promotion: This refers to the publishing and the advertising of tangible or intangible products,
that is, the placement of Coca-Cola drink in strategic places in Enugu metropolis.

Product: This refers to a bundle of utility offered to this consumer by a profit and non-profit
organization, in other words, it refers to the average number of productions advertisement that
are placed on billboard in various strategic places in Enugu metropolis.
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CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE

2.0Introduction
This chapter reviews the relevant literature relating to the research topic. It discusses what
advertising and billboard advertising is, consumer perception, roles and stages of consumer
perception, factors influencing consumer perception, as well as characteristics of billboard
advertising versus other media. Furthermore, it examines the factors associated with the success
of billboard advertising, assesses theoretical framework and summarises literature review.

2.1 Review of Relevant Literature

2.1.1 Billboard Advertisement: An Overview
An organization cannot dream to become a known brand until it invests in promotional
campaigns which consumer markets have been controlling through advertisements (Hussain et
al., 2008). In the dynamic world of today, it becomes almost impossible for companies to share
their information with the consumers without using any form of advertising. Certainly, this is
because of accessibility of thousands of viewers of hundreds of channels of this era. Billboards
are one form of advertising your product/brands and communicating your message effectively
and with cheaper rates (Hussain &Nizamani, 2011).

Mitchell (1986) argued that the advertisements of 2 products having same attributes can have a
different impression. The combination of the exact picture, colour and the text in an
advertisement makes an ad different from others. The visualsare associated with the emotions
and these emotions come from social needs generated by culture and from biology of the
individuals. The visual part of an ad has two main duties, one is to draw the attention and make
feeling good. It is believed that individuals translate visual elements of ad design into verbal
information of the product (Messaris, 1996).

It is important to understand that design is a combination of colours, shapes and lines on a piece
of paper and adding up these elements makes a visual information. What is important is how
well the design captures the eyes (Messaris, 1996). There are many elements in designing an ad.

 Picture: this includes a model which endorses product or a picture of product/brand itself.
Model itself has some characteristics like age, gender, fame, style and nationality.
 Appeal: this includes themes like fantasy, sex, slice of life, humour or rationale etc.
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 Text: this includes attributes colour, font and size

 Colour: this includes colours& groups of colours like cold and warm and black & white.

Till &Busler(2000) exposed a strong effect of attractiveness of the endorser on the attitude of
respondents towards the product/brand and the intention of their purchase. Research conducted
by Kahle&Homor, (1985) has also shown that the recall rates of a brand are higher when
endorser is attractive as compared to unattractive one. The celebrity endorser is a person who
enjoys recognition of public and uses that recognition on behalf of a consumer good by
appearing in advertising.

Studies by Bhargava &Donthu, 1999;Donthu et al. 1993; Meurs&Aristoff, 2009; have shown the
effectiveness of outdoor media marketing in terms of advertising message and awareness.
Donthu et al. (1993) have selected ten outdoor billboards in American settings to check the
attention of the passenger/customer passersby. Two of them were posted on smaller streets while
8 were posted on main highway roads where traffic was comparatively higher. In America,
drivers on right hand side were found to be more attentive to the billboards than people on left
hand side and billboards on small streets were less recalled.

To help companies which advertise through this medium, it is important to know which segment
of the audience is more attentive.Barry and Jane (2019), when comparing the effect of different
types of roadside advertising signs on drivers’, observe that it has been demonstrated that
changeable roadside advertising signs catch the attention of passengers more than static
roadside advertising signs (Beijer et al., 2004; Decker et al., 2015;Herrsted et al.,
2013;Missokefalou and Eliou, 2012). Indeed, a recent study demonstrated that static roadside
advertising does not affect situation awareness of passengers (Young et al., 2017). This has been
primarily attributed to the movement involved in changeable roadside advertising signs, which is
more likely to capture the attention of the passenger (Missokefalou and Eliou, 2012). A recent
study using on-road testing suggested that rapid light onsets of changeable roadside advertising
signs could result in a sudden shift of visual attention (Belyusar et al., 2016). Additionally, it has
been found that a passenger gaze duration is longer and occurs more often when looking at
changeable signs compared to static signs (Chattigton et al, 2009;Dukicet al.,2013;Belyusar et al,
2016;Decker et al., 2015). A potential explanation for this is that passenger might anticipate the
change. When passengers opinions of this distraction have been investigated, it has also been
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found that passengers perceive videos, special effects and animation on roadside advertising, to
be more distracting (Yellappan et al., 2016;Smiley et al., 2005). Therefore, changeable roadside
advertising (i.e., active) has been shown to have a stronger effect on driver distraction compared
to static roadside advertising (i.e., passive).

The location and physical attributes of the roadside advertising are associated with the level of
attention given by a passenger. As described by Wilson and Casper (2016), the proximity to the
passenger’s window of attention and location of the roadside advertising are the most important
variables for predicting attention, i.e., roadside advertising signs are more likely to be noticed if
they are closer to the road, have a centre approach, have a longer amount of time in which it is
visible to those who pass by it, and are larger in size.

Findings ofHussain &Nizamani (2011) have revealed that size of boards, colours used in the
board, locations and the images selected in the boards matter for gaining the attentions of the
audience/customers.

Not all billboards are artist’sbillboards." even if they have been created by artists. The difference
between the two lies in the intention behind their use. Billboards are most used for advertisement
of political propaganda or pure decoration by the corporate industry or by governmental and
political organizations. Often disguising themselves in the trappings of advertising Artists'
Billboards are Trojan Horses, slipping into the built environment almost unnoticed, then
springing their messages on us." By filling in the space expected to be reserved for advertising,
the artist infiltrates the public space in an unexpected way, triggering different kinds of thought
stream in the viewer than an Ad would, and generating a different kind of dialogue between the
billboard and the viewer, regardless of its content. Peggy Diggs, an American artist, in December
2008 writes: "Billboard art often instigates a process, a questioning of an argument about an
issue or value that often goes unquestioned or unresolved in the public mind."

Secondly, Artists Billboards can take the form of roadside billboards, bus, or subway billboards
(and posters), bus stop shelters posters, etc. Some artists use parts of advertisement billboards to
build paintings, collages or other art objects; that is the case, for example of some of the
followers of the art movement "Nouveau Realisme" that flourished in France in the 1960s and
1970s, who literally "Tipped off public advertisements as a way of protesting against the reality
of commercialism and reused them to create another reality." We will not consider these
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artworks Artists Billboards unless they are located outdoors in a public space as billboards.
Artists Billboards may contain only text, only images, or a combination of both. They can be
made in a variety of mediums (painting. drawing, printing. projection) with digital printing and
projecting technologies gaining predominance in the field. New technologies, particularly
advances in fiber optics, have led to new forms of expression (in both advertising and billboard
art). Some are starting to resemble TV screens, with changing images and new lighting
technologies can even turn a whole building into a billboard (some examples of this were
observed in Washington D.C. as part of "Fotoweek").

By their very nature, Artists' Billboards are ephemeral and usually destroyed when taken down.
In this respect they belong to the category of artistic expressions where the materiality of the art
object is of lesser or no importance compared to the idea, concept, message, or effect given to the
viewer. In cases where billboards are repeated and placed in innumerable locations, a kind of "re-
materialization" occurs, as happened with Victor Burgin's "Possession" described below. Apart
from the duration of the billboard display, its location is key to determine viewing time. On the
road for example, the billboard is usually seen from a moving vehicle, so the experience for the
viewer is different from that for stationary viewers, who become captive audiences for a while.
The effect on the viewer also varies depending on whether there is visual competition (say, many
other ad billboards in a busy urban environment) or not (for example, in a lonely road in the
countryside). In a bus, it is the image and not viewer that moves. Given this temporality, the
billboard must capture the viewer's attention, sometimes in the time frame of a passing glance.
For that reason, Artists' Billboards (same as ad billboards) have the characteristic of using
reductive text and/or images to express expansive ideas. Therefore, the idea is prioritized over
the process or object. This short time-frame to perceive the message also makes Billboard art
suitable for questioning art's dependence on notions like authorial origins and institutional
placement "The temporary art work... requires a comprehension of value based on ideas and
content rather than on lasting forms, a flexibility of procedures for making and placing art, and a
more inventive and attentive critical process (Phillips, 1992).

Some artists target audiences consciously and choose locations accordingly.Others do not. The
meaning of the piece can change dramatically depending upon location. Alfredo Jaar's Billboard,
"A Logo for America" (1987), for example, was displayed in Times Square, NYC with no
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notorious public reaction, while it generates a great deal of controversy in Miami, giving the
local tensions between Hispanic and Anglo populations. Similarly, different time historic
contexts can have different effects or generate different readings of the same message. The
themes developed by billboard artists vary considerably, and are basically the same themes that
characterize art since the 1960s; mainly the issues explored by the Pop Art movement,
conceptualism and neo-conceptualism and postmodernists after the 1980s the majority of
billboards made by artists address social issues.

Concerned with the cumulative effects of the invasion of commercial images, many artists have
developed the issue using the strategies of Pop Art using the same language and images of
advertising. Venturing into the site of advertising, they call the viewer to decode the messages
and challenge the pre-coded assumptions associated with them. Like Andy Warhol, (1928-1987,
American artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement
known as pop art) they do it in a public way, open to different interpretations. Some postmodern
artists have consciously or unconsciously embraced commercialism and not without a great deal
of irony, have used the advertisement site to sell themselves or their work

Effective billboards must have a clear, concise message and attractive illustrations and visual
appearance. They need to be as clutter-free as possible and easy to read. They only receive about
2-4 seconds of a customer's attention, so the message needs to be easily digested. Assessing the
value and effectiveness of billboard advertising is challenging. There are many methods of
advertising which produce results that are easier to evaluate such as newspaper ads and direct
mail campaigns. The difference with billboard advertising is that it is exposed to the masses but
there is no real way to evaluate who really absorbs the message. Methodologies have been
applied to evaluating effectiveness, but they are weak in demonstrating validity.

Billboards are not typically utilized by small companies to promote a particular product or
service. Viewers don't have time to jot down a phone number or other information. That's why
billboards are more often used by large companies promoting their brand and image, Major
corporations such as insurance, beer, or soft drink companies have money to put into billboards
to promote brand awareness. A picture is truly worth a thousand words on billboard advertising
for this purpose. Rather than focus on the effectiveness of billboards as a single component of a
company's marketing and promotional campaign, it is more important to see it as part of the
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entire campaign. The benefits of billboard advertising which cannot be specifically measured in
dollars and cents include: Instilling brand recognition,emphasizing a specific image,keeping
brand name in front of the masses,filtering to the subconscious for future recall when purchasing
products,supporting revenue growth when combined with other advertising strategies and giving
a "feel good" feeling about a product or service.Marketing campaigns deploy a variety of
advertising tools focused on engaging new customers. They bombard the senses with
information about the specific product and billboards are one tool in the toolkit. When billboard
advertising is combined with proven strategies for revenue growth, they can enhance a
company's market position and overall image thus contributing to the success of the marketing
campaign (Stern et al., 2006).

The research concluded that advertising is now moving towards modern trends with rapid
growth, therefore the variables such as size, locations, images used in the board and colour
schemes of the billboards that have a positive impact on attention should be used adequately.
Thus, the research provides the evidence that as a cheaper, moreconvenient, and more accessible
medium, billboard advertising comes out to be one of the most attractive ways to the target
market.

2.1.2 Consumer Perception

Consumer perception refers to the process, by which consumers select, organize, and interpret
stimuli into a meaningful, consistent, and coherent picture of a product. Consumer perception has
strategy implication for marketers because consumers make decisions based on what they
perceive rather than based on objective reality. Consumer stimuli from the environment are
based on the interaction of their expectations and motives with the stimulus itself. According to
Chris Blank (2008) consumer perception applies to the concept of sensory perception to
marketing and advertising. Just as sensory perception relates to how humans perceive and
process sensory stimuli through their five senses. Consumer perception pertains to how
individuals form opinions about companies and the product they offer through the purchase they
make. They also use consumer perception theory to develop marketing and advertising strategies
intended to retain their customers and attract new ones.
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2.1.3 Role of Consumer Perception

Consumer perception plays roles in advertising which are as follows:

1. Influencing Perception: Consumers continually combine all the information they have
gathered about a company to form decision about whether the company offers value.
More so, consumer perception approximates reality “consumer behaviour”. Companies
attempt to influence the perception of reality, sometimes through playing tricks and
manipulation but often just by presenting themselves in the best possible light. For
example, advertising often trumpet the quality and convenience of a product, hoping to
foster a consumer perception value, which can pay off with increased sales.
2. Reaching Consumers: The key factor in influencing consumer perception is exposure,
the more information consumers have about a product, the more comfortably they can
buy the product. As a result, companies do all they can to publicize their offering. To
influence consumers' perception, a company must not only expose its product to
consumers, it also makes its product stand out from others.
3. Risk Perception: Consumer risk perception is another factor a company must take into
consideration when trying to encourage buying behaviour. The riskier a proposition is,
the more difficult it gets to the consumers to act. If consumers are not familiar with a
brand of product, they cannot assess the risk involved.
4. Customer retention: Successful companies do not relax once a customer makes
apurchase, but they continue to foster the perception that results in profitable behaviour.
Once a consumer has tried a product, the task becomes to maintain a good reputation and
establish brand loyalty. Offering superior customers' service is an effective tactic because
it maintains the perception that the company cares about its customers' best interest.

2.1.4 Stages of Consumer Perception

There are four distinct stages of consumer perception:

 Sensation: Sensation describes what occurs when a person's senses are initially exposed
to the external stimulus of a product or brand advertising. The sensory receptors of a
consumer are engaged by product or brand cues through sight, sound, taste, and texture.
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 Attention: Attention occurs when a person lingers and gives mental processing capacity
to the external stimulus from a product or brand. Selective attention is when a consumer
focusses his attention to messages that are consistent with his or her attitudes, beliefs and
needs. When a product is not consistent with these stages, the consumer will withdraw
attention.
 Interpretation: Interpretation comes when a person assigns a meaning to the sensory
stimulus from a product brand. Understanding is aided by expectations and familiarity. A
consumer keeps his memory to retrieve previous experience with the brand.
 Retention: The consumer perception process is the retention stage. It is marked by the
storage of a product or brand information in long-term and short-term. The advertising
goal is to provide positive stimulus in the proceeding stages that translate into the
consumers storing the information about the product or brand into long-term.

Billboard advertising plays an important role in the commercial world. Businessmen and women
in the world pay great attention to the use of billboards in advertising their products and services
to the esteemed public and consumers.

Okon (1998) sees billboards as a large outdoor printed design aimed at disseminating useful
information about the use of products or services by a company or business outfit. They are
placed strategically at specific locations to attract the attention of the public to the
advertisements. Billboard advertising considers a clear and impactful advertisement in
marketing. What makes research into use of billboards unique is that it attempts to explore the
status of this form of advertising, whether it is still an effective medium which the company
should trust to invest in or not.If yes, it identifies the current factors that are still relevant and
may contribute to success.

Billboard advertising plays an important role because it is the best way for introducing or
advertising business products,being an easy marketing tool to communicate with different
people. It uses brand image and celebrityto draw the customers’ attention. In most cases, they are
placed in the metropolitan city where passengers and pedestrians walking or crossing the roads
can see and fix their eyes on them, read them and understand the graphic or pictorial
representation of the products or services. Nwachukwu (2006), asserts that billboard as an
advertising medium plays a fundamental role to manufacturers and advertising agencies because
 14

they capture the attention of the people quickly and make them understand the messages easily
about the products and services. The messages remain indelible in their mind and makes them to
go for the product irrespective of the cost involved.

2.1.5 Factors Influencing Consumer Perception of Advertising Media

for Coca-Cola Products
Knowledge about the characteristics of various consumer publics has been one of the objectives
of consumer research from its earliest beginning.Media research provides information on
demographic characteristics of the audience reached by specific newspapers, magazines and
radio or television programmes. It is very necessary to have an in-depth knowledge of the
personality of intended consumers since it helps to enhance sales and media reach (Sampson,
2010). In line with the factors influencing consumer perception of advertising media for Coca-
Cola products, Chukwuma (2015) asserts that consumers hold different views and perceptions of
media advertisements for Coca-Cola products. He holds further that, certain prevailing factors
informed consumer perception towards media advertising for Coca-Cola products which include
the beliefs, interests, values and attitudes towards the media and the products. Emeka (2010)
reiterates that, theairtimeof a company advertisement, goes a long way to encourage attention to
the product or service. He stressed further that whenever a particular medium advertises its
product or service at peak time during network news when every household is at home, such
advertisement will get to almost everybody but when it is done in the morning or when people
are not around, the message will not get to a large number of people and it will not produce a
positive result and feedback.

Also, Bright (2014) avers that convenience and accessibility draws the attention of the
consumers to be exposed to Coca-Cola products because they are better displayed and presented
for them to see. Asemah (2013) buttresses further that, quality programmes, popularity of the
media and large number of audience, credibility, as well as visual effects encouraged consumers
to choose a particular medium amongst others, while Crosier (1990) posits that cost and nature of
the products influence the consumers to appreciate a particular medium to expose themselves to.
The positive or negative perception consumers hold towards certain media influenced their
predisposition towards advertisements in their media.
 15

2.1.6 Characteristics of Billboards versus Other Media

Textbook authors and academic researchers have identified a variety of distinctive characteristics
of billboards and outdoor advertising (Taylor, 1997). The advantages of using billboards are
many and among them is potential placement of the advertisement close to the point of sale. This
ensures high frequency of exposure to regular commuters. The aspect of 24-hour presence for
billboards underpins their utility as a high reach tool of advertising. Geographic flexibility for
local advertisers ensures economic efficiency in terms of low production costs and low cost per
thousand exposures. Visual impacts from advertisement size and message creativity are very
important in advertising and create high brand awareness. Billboards however have their
disadvantages that range from the need to limit the number of words in the message to short
exposure to the advertisement. Low demographic selectivity and measurement problems are also
critical.

A recent study of billboard users found that compared with other media, billboards were rated
higher in terms of ability to communicate information affordably, attract new customers, and
increase sales (Taylor and Franke 2003). While many advantages of billboards have been
identified anecdotally from experience, or through academic study, there is a need to investigate
whether frequently listed advantages overlap with each other and to examine whether they truly
are advantages that are important to billboard users.

2.1.7Factors Associated with the Success of Billboards

Relatively few studies have attempted to examine factors associated with the effectiveness of
billboard advertising. However, a few have provided specific advice for outdoor advertisers. In
examining the outcomes of outdoor advertising, some studies found that a novel or highly
creative execution could improve recall or attention to billboards (Fitts and Hewett, 1977.
Hewett, 1975). Thus, use of a clever creative execution is one factor that has been hypothesized
to correlate with effective outdoor advertising. In a content analysis of billboards, Blasko (1985)
examined whether advertisers were following accepted creative principles associated with
outdoor advertising.

Drawing on Burton's Advertising Copywriting (1983) and the Traffic Audit Bureau Planning for
Out-of-Home Media (1977), Blasko highlighted five main principles of effective billboard
advertising. One of them is a short copy (eight or fewer words in copy) Simple background is
important to bring out the advertisement more clearly. Product identification (billboard clearly
 16

identifies product or advertiser) is one of the key goals of advertising. Simple message (single
message communicated) and creativity (use of clever phrases and/or illustrations) are important
in effective billboard advertising.

Studies conducted by Donthu, Cherian, and Bhargava (1993) and Bhargava, Danthu, and Caron
(1994) found recall of billboards to be positively related to a variety of factors including brand
differentiation, emphasis on product performance, inclusion of price, use of a photograph, use of
humor, use of color, and a good location for the billboard. The 1993 study emphasized that
advertising recall can be enhanced by using fewer words or unusual executions. As with the key
advantages of outdoor advertising there have been many discussions of strategic and executional
factors related to the success of billboards, but little systematic investigation of the underlying
factors that drive successful billboard advertising.

2.2Theoretical Framework
This research adopted theRecency Theory. Recency theory refers to the belief that
advertisements and promotions are most effective when they air immediately prior to the time of
decision, and that the influence of ad exposure diminishes with time. Exposure to fast food ads,
for example, is optimal when it occurs just before dinnertime, and exposure to movie ads is best
just prior to the movie release.

The term recencyis used by psychologists to describe memory recall of the most recent
information presented. This theory suggests that advertising memory must include two factors –
recency and relevance.The recency effect is the tendency to remember the most recently
presented information best. For example, if you are trying to memorize a list of items, the
recency effect means you are more likely to recall the items from the list that you studied last.
This is one component of the serial position effect, a phenomenon in which the position of items
on a list influences how well those items are recalled.

The serial position effect was first discovered by the psychologist, Hermann Ebbinghaus during
his memory experiments (Murre and Dros, 2015). He observes that the ability to accurately recall
items from a list was dependent upon the location of the item on that list. Items found at the end
of the list that are learned most recently are recalled best (the recency effect), while the first few
items are also recalled better than those found in the middle (the primacy effect).The recency
 17

effect can tell us a bit about how memory works. You can also find ways to maximize your
memory by better understanding how and why this effect takes place.

The recency effect is dependent upon short-term memory. This type of memory, also known as
active or primary memory, is the ability to hold a relatively small amount of memory in the mind
for a brief period. This information is held and kept active for use, but it is not manipulated.
Briefly storing a phone number someone just recited to you for long enough to dial it is a good
example of short-term memory. In other words, the recency effect may occur because you are
able to easily remember those items that are still being briefly stored in your short-term memory.
If you do not rehearse that information, however, it will quickly be lost and fade from memory.

The recency effect can play a role in many different aspects of daily life. For instance, say you
are trying to recall items from your shopping list, which you accidentally left at home. You are
easily able to remember the last few things you wrote down, but you can’t seem to recall any of
the items in the middle of your list. Marketers take advantage of the recency effect by ensuring
the beginning and ends of ads are positive and appealing.

Finally, you have an easier time recalling events from your immediate past than you do things
from the distant past. For example, while you might have little trouble remembering what you
had for breakfast this morning, recalling what you ate two weeks ago would be much more
difficult (or even impossible).

Both the recency and primacy effects are likely the result of memory processes. There are a few
explanations for why the recency effect occurs. One is that the most recent information is still
present in active memory. When testing is conducted immediately after learning, any information
that was learned last may still be actively held in short-term memory. This increases the accuracy
of recall. Another explanation is that temporal cues may also help improve recall of the most
recently learned information.If a person rehearses a list and is then tested immediately, temporal
context can help cue the recall of the information.

The importance of relevance is that advertising will have a far greater impact on consumers who
have a need or desire for a product or service at the time they see the ad. As an example, a
vegetarian is not going to see relevance in the new bacon burger advertisement, but someone
who owns a car certainly will see oil change shops as relevant.
 18

The belief with recency theory is that if an ad is relevant to a consumer, and the consumer is
ready to make a purchase, the most recent advertisement seen will be the most impactful upon
that consumer’s memory. The ideal time to target a driver in need of an oil change is while she’s
driving in her car and she looks up at the oil sticker reminder.

2.3Summary of Literature Review

Billboards became the initial focus of this study to assess their level of success. It has been
decided that four variables, namely,colour and size; celebrity images, brand image and logo; as
well as texture and messages are being used in the study to check the impact of billboards.

Findings of Hussain &Nizamani(2011) have revealed that size of boards, colours used in the
board, locations and the images selected in the boards matter for gaining the attention of the
audience/customers. The research concluded that advertising is now moving towards modern
trends with rapid growth, therefore the variables such as size, locations, images used in the board
and colour schemes of the billboards that have a positive impact on attention should be used
adequately. Thus, the research provides the evidence that as a cheaper, more convenient, and
more accessible medium, billboard advertising comes out to be one of the most attractive ways to
the target market.

The 1993 study conducted by Donthu, Cherian, and Bhargava, found the success of billboards to
be related to a variety of factors including brand differentiation, emphasis on product
performance, inclusion of price, use of a photograph, use of humour, use of color, and a good
location for the billboard. The 1993 study emphasized that advertising recall can be enhanced by
using fewer words or unusual executions.
 19

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
Information and data in this project work will be gathered through the use of survey method and
administration of questionnaire. This method was preferred because it allows for generalization
of the research findings. The study sought to investigate the influence of billboard advertising on
the patronage of Coca-Cola products, using Caritas University, Amorji-Nike students as case
study. It describes what, how and why something is happening. Survey method is the appropriate
method for this research work to observe the behaviour and attitude of people on the issue.

3.2 Population of the Study

According to Ohaja (2003, p. 75), the population of study refers to all those persons or things
that fall under the umbrella of the topic to address the research problem or meet the research
objectives. Based on the topic: “The Influence of Billboard Advertising on the Patronage of
Coca-Cola”, the researcher might not be able to cover all consumers of Coca-Cola. Therefore,
the population of study comprises the consumers who are both male and female students of
Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Enugu.

According to the Academic Planning Unitof the institution, the total population of Caritas
university students in 2020 is 1,587 (One thousand, five hundred and eighty-seven). The data
show that that 861 are male students and 726females. These students will form the population of
this study.

3.3 Sampling Technique

The sampling technique that will be used will be simple random method since it gives a chance
of selection to every consumer perspective.TheTaro Yamane sample size developed by Taro
Yamane was used to calculate the sample size for this study. Here is the analysis of the
information below:

n = N/ (1+N (e)2)

where:

n signifies the sample size

N signifies the population under study

 20

e is the margin of error (0.10)

using the above formula to determine the sample size

n = 1587/ (1+ 1587 (0.10)2)

n = 1587/ (1+ 1587 (0.01))

n = 1587 / (1 + 15.87)

n = 1587 / (16.87)

n = 94

Sample size = 94

3.4 Method of Data Collection

Data will be collected through questionnaire that will be administered to students of Caritas
University, Amorji-Nike. The researcher will use mainly close ended questions to help her
collect data. The questionnaire will comprise two sections. Section one will cover respondents’
bio data to elicit responses on demographics. Section two will focus on the extent of billboard
utilization and its effectiveness.

3.5 Method of Data Analysis

The data analysis will be descriptive statistics. The data received from the questionnaire will be
analysed using the frequency tables and percentages method. This is a method that involves
presenting raw sources and percentages of respondents who chose a particular response as
against the other. These would be shown in chapter four of the study.

3.6 Validity of Measuring Instrument

Validity refers to how accurately a method measures what it is intended to measure. If research
has high validity, which means it produces results that correspond to real properties,
characteristics, and variations in the physical or social world. To ensure the validity of the
questionnaire, it was submitted to my supervisor Mrs. Tina for proper scrutiny. This ensured that
the questions are tailored in an unambiguous manner to elicit information relevant to the research
objectives.

The research instrument was subjected to both face and construct validity measures for
consistency.
 21

3.7 Reliability of Measuring Instrument

Reliability refers to how consistently a method measures something. If the same result can be
consistently achieved by using the same methods under the same circumstances, the
measurement is considered reliable

Reliability can be estimated by comparing different versions of the same measurement.

Reliability is arrived at when repeated measurement of the same material results in similar
decisions or conclusions (Wimmer and Dominic 2011, p 170). The reliability of this research
instrument will be ascertained through a test retest approach. A pre-test questionnaire of 10
copies will be designed and administered to respondents in the study area. After 4 days’ interval,
the same pre-test copies of questionnaire were administered again to the same respondents after,
the Guttman Scale of reproducibility will be determined.
 22

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction
This research work is carried out on “Influence of Billboard Advertising on the Patronage of
Coca-Cola Product, a case study of Caritas University students”. This chapter intends to present
findings and analysis of information collected through the methodology adopted.

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis

This chapter is designed in a manner that presentation, analysis, and the interpretation process is
guided by the research problems and objectives of the study. Presentation would be made using
simple frequency, percentage, and tables. The findings were presented with utmost accuracy and
objectivity. The percentage formula below was used in data analysis.

n X 100 %

∑n 1

n = Number of respondents (frequency)

∑n = Total number of respondents

100% = Percentage

Presentation and Analysis of Demographic Variables

Section A (Demographic Data)

Table 1: Percentage distribution of respondents by gender

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Male 30 32%

Female 64 68%

TOTAL 94 100

Source: Field work 2020

 23

The table above analyzed the gender of respondents. From the Table, 30 (32%) respondents are
male while 64 (68%) respondents are female. The result shows that there are more female than
male in the sample studied.

Table 2: Percentage distribution of respondents by Age

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

18 and below 15 16%

19-24 70 74%

25 – 35 09 10%

TOTAL 94 100

Source: Field work 2020

The table above analyzed the age distribution of respondents. From the Table, 15 (16%)
respondents are age 18 and below, 70 respondents (74%) are between the age 19 -24, while 9
(10%) of the respondents are 25 -35. The result shows that there are more respondents between
the age 19 and 24.

Table 3: Percentage distribution by academic Level

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

100 level 10 11%

200 level 22 23%

300 level 25 27%

400 level 22 23%

500 level 15 16%

TOTAL 94 100

Source: Field work 2020

 24

The table above shows that majority of the respondents were 300 level students being 25
(representing 27%). 10 respondents (representing 11%) indicated that they were in 100 level, 22
respondents (representing 23%) indicated that they were in 200 level, 22 respondents
(representing 23%) also indicated that they were in 400 level while 15 respondents (representing
16%) indicated they were in 500 level.

Table 4: Percentage Distribution by Marital Status

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Single 94 100%

Married Nil Nil

Divorced Nil Nil

TOTAL 94 100

Source: Field work 2020

The table above shows that all the respondents are single.

Presentation and Analysis of Research Questions

Section Two

The following questions from my questionnaire were used to address the research question
accordingly. The data of our respondents were therefore represented below using sample tables
and frequencies.

Question 5: Do you patronize Coca-Cola product?

Table: Responses of respondents to patronage of Coca-Cola product

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 94 100%
No Nil Nil
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020
 25

The table above shows that all the respondents patronizes Coca-Cola product. This gives the
confidence that subsequent answers are based on their experience of Coca-Cola product.

Question 6 and Table 6: Does Coca-Cola use billboard advertising?

Table 6: Response of respondents’ to whether Coca Cola make use of billboard ads

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 94 100%
No Nil Nil
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table shows that all the respondents agrees that Coca-Cola make use of billboard
advertisement.

Question 7 and Table 7: How did you come to know about Coca-Cola products?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

TV and radio advertisement 19 20%
Posters 10 11%

Friends 7 7%

Billboards 58 62%

Any other Nil Nil

TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table shows that 58 respondents (representing 62%) became aware of Coca-Cola product
through billboard advertising, while 19 respondents (representing 20%) are aware of Coca-Cola
product through Tv and radio advertisement, 10 respondents representing 11% are aware of
Coca-Cola product through posters, while 7 respondents are aware of Coca-Cola product through
friends.
 26

Question 8 and Table 8: Do you think billboard advertisement is effective?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 52 56%
Not really 20 21%
No 22 23%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

From the table above 52 respondents representing 56% agree that billboard advertisement is
effective, 20 respondents representing 21% are not sure if billboard advertisement is effective,
while 22 respondents representing 23% think billboard advertisement is not effective.

Question 9 and Table 9: The use of billboard for promotion of Coca Cola product is more
effective than other forms of promotions?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

High extent 58 62%
Moderate extent 22 23%
Low extent 14 15%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table above shows that 58 respondents (representing 62%) agree that to a high extent the use
of billboard for promotion of Coca-Cola is more effective than other forms of promotions, 22
respondents (representing 23%) agree that to a moderate extent billboard advertisement for
Coca-Cola is more effective than other forms, while 14 respondents (representing 15%) agree to
low extent.
 27

Question 10 and table 10: Do you read Coca-Cola billboards advertisement?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 94 100%
No Nil Nil
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

From the table above, all the respondents agree that they Coca-Cola billboard advertisement.

Question 11 and Table 11:How many billboards do you see around Caritas University?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

None 50 52%
1–2 33 35%
3–4 08 9%
More than 5 03 3%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table above shows that 50 respondents (representing 52%) have not seen any billboard
around Caritas university, 33 respondents (representing 35%) have seen one or two billboards
around Caritas University, 8 respondents (representing 9%) have seen three or four billboards
around Caritas, while 3 respondents (representing 3%) have seen more than five billboards
around Caritas university.

Question 12 and Table 12: Is there a billboard of Coca-Cola around Caritas University?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes Nil Nil
No 94 100%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020
 28

The table shows that there is no billboard of Coca-Cola around Caritas university.

Question 13 and Table 13: Has the billboard promotion increased your awareness on Coca-
Cola product?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 79 84%
No 15 16%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table above shows that 79 respondents (representing 84%) agree that Coca-Cola billboard
promotion has increased their awareness of Coca-Cola product, while 15 respondents
(representing 16%) do not agree that Coca-Cola billboard promotion has increased their
awareness.

Question 14 and Table 14: Do you think Coca Cola billboard advertisement has influenced
your decision in buying Coca Cola product?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 58 62%
To an Extent 27 28%
No 9 10%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table indicates that 58 respondents (representing 62%) agree that Coca-Cola billboard
advertisement has influenced their decision in buying Coca-Cola product, 27 respondents
(representing 28%) agree that to an extent, Coca-Cola billboard advertisement has influenced
their decision in buy Coca-Cola, while 9 respondents (representing 10%) agree that Coca-Cola
billboard advertisement do not influence their decision in my Coca- Cola product.
 29

Question 15 and Table 15:Which type of Coca Cola billboard advertisement do you
consider more effective on consumers?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Static billboard 13 14%
Changeable billboard 81 86%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table indicates that 13 respondents (representing 14%) opines that static billboard
advertisement is more effective, while 81 respondents (representing 86%) agree that changeable
billboards are more effective than static billboards.

Question 16 and Table 16: Which of the billboard advertisement has made you wait and
read/watch?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Static billboard 10 11%
Changeable billboard 84 89%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

From the table above, 84 respondents (representing 89%) had stopped to watch changeable
billboards while, 10 respondents (representing 11%) had waited to read static billboard.

Question 17 and Table 17: How do you get to know about the latest Coca Cola product?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Through radio and TV advertisement 17 18%
Through billboard 30 32%
Through social media promotions 38 40%
Through sellers 09 10%
TOTAL 94 100
 30

Source: Field research 2020

The table above shows that 17 respondents (representing 18%) get to know the latest Coca-Cola
product through Radio and TV, 30 respondents (representing 32%) know the latest Coca-Cola
product through billboard advertisement, 38 (representing 40%) know the latest Coca-Cola
product through social media, while 9 respondents (representing 10%) know the latest product of
Coca-Cola through sellers.

Question 18 and Table 18: Do you consider the price on the Coca-Cola billboard to be
important?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 78 83%
No 16 17%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

From the table above, 78 respondents (representing 83%) consider the price on Coca-Cola
billboard to be important while 16 respondents (representing 17%) do not.

Question 19 and Table 19: Does the inclusion of price on Coca-Cola billboards influence
your decision in buying Coca-Cola?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Yes 80 85%
No 14 15%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

From the table above 80 respondents (representing 85%) agree that the inclusion of price on
Coca-Cola billboards influence their decision in buying Coca-Cola, while 14 respondents
(representing 15%) do not see the inclusion of price on billboards to influence their decision.
 31

Question 20 and Table 20: How often do you read Coca-Cola billboards advertisement?

VARIABLES FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

Very often 26 28%
Often 52 55%
Not often 16 17%
TOTAL 94 100
Source: Field research 2020

The table above shows that 26 respondents (representing 28%) reads Coca-Cola billboards very
often, 52 respondents (representing 55%) often reads Coca-Cola billboards advertisement and 16
(representing 17%) do not often read Coca-Cola billboards.

4.3 Discussion of Findings

In line with the objectives of this study and the research questions which were raised and
answered, this research work was carried out to examine influence of billboards advertisement.

This research basically tried to find out the influence of billboards advertisement on patronage of
Coca-Cola among Caritas students. A total of 94 respondents both male female was selected to
provide answers to the research questions, all the 94 respondents were able to submit their copies
of the questionnaire of the researcher.

Findings relating to demographic variables of the respondents show that majority of the
respondents were females. There were 30 male students as opposed to 64 females. Also, majority
of the respondents fell between the ages of 19 and 24 years, all the respondents were single and
majority of them are in 300l. This discussion of this study is done based on the research
questions are shown below:

From table 15; which type of Coca-Cola billboard advertisement do you consider more effective
on consumer? This question proffer answer to the first research question which of the billboards
advertisement between static and changeable is more effective on the students of Caritas
university. Findings herein suggests that the respondents prefer the changeable billboards
advertisements, as a majority of them 81 respondents (representing 89%) prefer the changeable
 32

billboard to static billboard. These findings are supported by the study by Belyusar et al., (2016)
that rapid light onsets of changeable roadside advertising signs could result in a sudden shift of
visual attention Additionally, Dukic et al 2013, also discovered that that a passenger gaze
duration is longer and occurs more often when looking at changeable signs compared to static
signs.

Question 19 and Table 19 answer the second research question Does the inclusion of price on
Coca-Cola billboards influence the patronage of the product? The findings from the
questionnaire indicates that 80 respondents representing (85%) of the respondents agrees that the
inclusion of price on the billboards influence their decision in buying Coca-Cola product. This
support the studies conducted by Danthu, Cherian, and Bhargava (1993) and Bhargava, Danthu,
and Caron (1994) found recall of billboards to be positively related to a variety of factors
including brand differentiation, emphasis on product performance, inclusion of price, use of a
photograph, use of humor, use of color, and a good location for the billboard.

The third research question sought to find out in what manners do students read the billboards?
Here the result of this shows that students read changeable billboards more than static billboards,
as shown in table 16 where 81 respondents (representing 89%) waited to read/watch changeable
billboards as oppose to 10 respondents (representing 11%) who waited to read/watch static
billboards.

Research question four tried to discover in what ways billboard advertisement increase the intake
of Coca-Cola by students of Caritas University. To answer this, the researcher asked questions
has the billboard promotion increased your awareness on Coca-Cola product and Do you think
Coca-Cola billboard advertisement has influenced your decision in buying Coca-Cola?

Data gotten from the respondents, shows that 79 (representing 84%) of the respondents’
awareness about Coca-Cola product have increased while 15 respondents (representing 16%)
awareness about Coca-Cola were not increased. Also, 58 (representing 62%) of the respondents’
decision in buying Coca-Cola were influenced by billboard advertisement, 27 (representing 28%)
of the respondents agree that their decision in buying Coca-Cola product were influenced to an
extent by billboard advertisement, while 9 (representing 10%)of the respondents’ decision to buy
Coca-Cola product were not influenced by billboard advertisement.
 33

The forgoing analysis infers that billboard advertisement influence the patronage of Coca-Cola
by the students of Caritas University students.
 34

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Summary
The aim of the work was on the influence of billboard advertising on the patronage of Coca-
Cola. Caritas University was used as the case study. The Caritas University, Amorji-Nike is
made up of four faculties and twenty-four departments, students were randomly selected by the
researcher to conduct the study. Since the study sought to assess to enable the researcher unravel
the research problem. Consequently, four research questions were raised.

Also, the above was clearly indicated in our review of related literature as well as the empirical
studies consulted in this area, with some practical example which were cited by researchers like
Dukic et al 2013, Belyusar et al., (2016) and Bowers (1974), Herrsted et al., 2013; Missokefalou
and Eliou, 2012 to show credibility and authenticity that areas such as billboard, consumer
perception, recency theory, static and changeable billboards are the most preferred areas.

Chapter one introduced the research work. The researcher introduced the research work with the
background of the study. Statement of the problem, research objectives, research questions
research hypotheses were discussed in the first chapter.

The chapter two of this work projected the literature that were used in building up this research
work, how they were reviewed ranging from billboard advertisement, consumer perception, role
of consumer perception, stages of consumer perception, factors influencing consumer perception
of advertising media for Coca-Cola products, characteristics of billboards versus Other media,
factors associated with the success of billboards and theoretical Framework.

Chapter three on its side treated the issue of research methodology ranging from the research
design, area of study, population and sample of the study which was realized using the simple
random sampling technique. The researcher’s method of investigation was based on the copies of
questionnaires that were distributed to the selected respondents.

In chapter four, data presentation was done through analytical process that followed each table
and the tables were properly interpreted according to the data computed therein. The chapter
therefore contains 20 tables in all which gave a detailed and quantified explanations of data
gathered in the course of this study.
 35

In chapter five, the researcher gave a summary of the whole work done in this research work, the
findings, conclusion and recommendations. To this end, Nwodu (2006) states “Summary should
be a brief of all that was done in the study…, a tie up of what was done in study”. This very
chapter finally brought the entire study or study to an end while making some explanations and
giving recommendations on the way forward.

5.2 Conclusion
The researcher’s objectives were: to examine the influence of billboard on the patronage of
Coca-Cola by students of Caritas University, Amorji-Nike.

From the findings of the research, it was found that Coca-Cola utilized billboards for promotions.
This was because they were attractive and could be catch the customers’ eye easily. Taylor and
Franke (2013 p. 35) postulates that billboard users were rated higher in terms of ability to
communicated information affordably, attract new customers, and increase sales.

Billboard is ideal advertising media for creating consumer awareness towards availability of
Coca-Cola product. This is because the media are able to reach wide targeted listener
demographics in targeted areas. This study is on the influence of billboard advertising on
patronage of Coca-Cola. Advertising via billboard brings quick objectives attainment of
marketing organization or advertiser. Billboard as a medium of advertising communicates the
new available goods and services to the publics, thereby creating awareness. Awareness creation
is not only determined by billboard advertising but by other media of advertising such as radio,
television, newspaper and other below-the-line advertising media. Therefore, marketers should
not depend on single advertising medium to market goods and services. This study revealed that
students of Caritas University are influenced by Coca-Cola billboard advertising, why at times
influence their decision in buying of Coca-Cola product.

5.3 Recommendations
The following recommendations are given based on the findings:

1. Coca-Cola (and soft drinks in general) should focus more on billboard promotions for
effectiveness as they focus on other forms such as the media. This will help enhance
billboards as form of promoting products.
 36

2. Drink companies should place billboards close to point of saleas recency theory plays on
the belief that billboard advertisements and promotions are most effective when
consumers are exposed to them close to the time of decision.
3. The advertisers should erect their billboards close to higher educational institutions
campuses in Enugu like Caritas University. This will create effective awareness among
the staff and students on campus and influence the target audiences to patronize their
products.
4. Finally, drink companies should spend more in ensuring they make use of changeable
billboards as this will get the attention of people more than static billboards.
 37

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Appendix
Faculty of Management and Social Sciences,

Department of Mass Communication,

Caritas University,

Amorji-Nike,

Enugu State.

Dear Respondent,

I, Gift Anugwom, of Mass Communication Department, a final year student of the above-named
institution, is conducting an academic research on “Influence of Billboard Advertising on the
Patronage of Coca-Cola Products by Students of Caritas University, Enugu”.

This attached questionnaire is part of my research work for the award of aB.Sc. Degree in Mass
Communication.

You are kindly requested to answer all the questions as contained in the attached questionnaire
by ticking as appropriate. All the information given therein shall be treated with utmost
confidence.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Yours faithfully,

Gift Anugwom
 40

SECTION ONE

Please tick √ in the box provided against your choice of answer.

1. Gender: (a). Male ( ) (b). Female ( )

2. Age: (a) 18 and below ( ) (b) 19 – 24 ( ) (c). 25 – 35 ( )
3. Academic Level: (a). 100L ( ) (b) 200L ( ) (c). 300L ( ) (d) 400L (
) (e). 500L ( )
4. Marital Status: (a). Single ( ) (b). Married ( ) (c) Divorced ( )

SECTION TWO

5. Do you patronize Coca-Cola product?

a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
6. Does Coca-Cola use billboard advertising?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
7. How did you come to know about Coca-Cola products?
a. TV and radio advertisement ( )
b. Posters ( )
c. Friends ( )
d. Billboards ( )
e. Any other (please Specify)
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………...
…………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Do you think billboard advertisement is effective?
a. Yes ( )
b. Not really ( )
c. No ( )
 41

9. The use of billboard for promotion of Coca Cola product is more effective than other
forms of promotions?
a. High extent ( )
b. Moderate Extent ( )
c. Low Extent ( )
10. Do you read Coca-Cola billboards advertisement?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
11. How many billboards do you see around Caritas University?
a. None ( )
b. 1 – 2 ( )
c. 3 – 4 ( )
d. More than 5 ( )
12. Is there a billboard of Coca-Cola around Caritas University?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
13. Has the billboard promotion increased your awareness on Coca-Cola product?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
14. Do you think Coca Cola billboard advertisement has influenced your decision in
buying Coca Cola product?
a. Yes ( )
b. To an extent ()
c. No ( )
15. Which type of Coca Cola billboard advertisement do you consider more effective on
consumers?
a. Static billboards {made on a large printed banner, stretched over the face of the
billboard that doesn’t change except when removed} ( )
b. Changeable billboards {examples Video advertising signs, electronic or roller
bar signs} ( )
16. Which of the billboard advertisement has made you wait and read/watch?
 42

a. Static billboard advertisement ( )

b. Changeable billboard advertisement ( )
17. How do you get to know about the latest Coca Cola product?
a. Through radio and TV advertisement ( )
b. Through billboard ( )
c. Through social media promotions ( )
d. Through sellers ( )
18. Do you consider the price on the Coca-Cola billboard to be important?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
19. Does the inclusion of price on Coca-Cola billboards influence your decision in
buying Coca-Cola?
a. Yes ( )
b. No ( )
20. How often do you read Coca-Cola billboards advertisement?
a. Very often ( )
b. Often ( )
c. Not often ( )
21. Which of these challenges do you consider to be the greatest challenge of Coca Cola
billboard advertisement?
a. The billboard does not convey the message ( )
b. Too much of billboards with different messages ( )
c. Coca Cola billboards are not common ( )
d. The electronic billboards display for a short duration ( )