CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Advertising is a powerful marketing communication tool used by companies to fulfill the promotional task. It is the act of communicating with the consumers, to inform the public about the existence of a manufactured product for sale. Advertising attracts the attention of the consuming public. Most often, firms in various industries try to stimulate sales through the manipulations of consumers, psychological, emotional and economic rate of mind through the means of advertising. This often happens when there is an intense competition in the business line, manufacturers or producers find a pressing need for promotional or advertising activities. Advertising in other words called communication mix is used in promoting a product both new and old, that is communicating the consumers in the use and purpose of the new product, including the need for it. Since the purpose of advertising is to change customers attitude or patterns or behaviour towards a product or service in a direction fovaourable to he advertise as well as increasing the sales volume. It is pertinent therefore, for firms to embark on descriptive informative advertisement attracts attention to the existence of a new product and motivating the public to buy a trial supply or perhaps accept a free sample may be rendering a desirable service. Although it contains no word about the product composition or performance of the products existence. Advertising as an exercise in information persuasion and communication is related because to inform is to persuade and a person who is persuaded is also informed, and persuasion and information become effective through some form of communication, therefore advertising/promotion is the design and management of a marketing subsystem for the purpose of informing and persuading present and potential customers. Moreover, when a new product is introduced in the market, an initial risk is to make buyers aware of its value and existence.
The role of information in promotion, however, is to restricted to new product because buyers differ in stage of their relationship with a product. Even products that have been is the market for years still need information support. It’s also needed during periods of shortages. Promotion in this period could take the form of structural information, emphasizing on product conservation or an instructional programme to help consumers with the products. It can also be very useful to stimulate sales when the company is having very low sales. Obliviously, the basic objective underlying all advertising on the part of the production in an increase in sales volume brought about the advertisement.
This aim may be further subdivided in terms of dimension and by devising strategies aimed at achieving either short or long term gains however, both aims will be achieved, but the immediate objective until condition the strategy and the promotional tools employed. By and large, we can infer that the motive of advertising is not to write great literature but to present the prettiest picture or to entertain the audience through some or all of these elements are often present in advertising. Advertising is first and for most a sales tool and we must never lose sight of that fact.
.