THE PLACE OF ADVERTISING IN MOTIVATING CONSUMER BRAND PREFERENCE OF TOOTHPASTE
(A CASE STUDY OF CLOSE UP)
ABSTRACT
This research for the place of Advertising in motivating consumer Brand preference of Toothpaste (A case study of Close-Up. Their objectives is to find out if close up is rendering high quality services to the consumers. In order to collect data in the study, the researcher used questionnaires, interviews and observation in collecting data. The data collected was analysed in tables using percentages and frequencies. Hypothesis was also tested using chisquare from data analysis the following findings came up:
(i)            Close-up have adequate facilitates competent staffs
(ii)          They render high quality services to consumers
(iii)         They consider the welfare and satisfaction of customers in running the company.
 The major problem confronting close-up is that they don’t have enough transport and storage facilities. Based on the above findings, the researcher recommends that;
i)             The provision of adequate warehouse and reservation centres for these entertainments service facilities.
ii)            The provision of adequate transportation facilities to help make available these service to the consumers who need them.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction                                                               
Background of the Study                           
Statement of problems                                                        
Research Objective                                     
Significance and need for the study                    
Scope of the Study                                                  
CHAPTER TWO
Review of Related Literature                                 
Meaning of Advertising                                                      
Purpose of Advertising                                                       
Categories of product Advertising                        
Perception process in advertising                                    
Advertising and product positioning                    
Advertising and competition among Toothpaste firms
CHAPTER THREE
Summary of finds, Recommendation and Conclusion
Summary of findings                                               
Recommendation                                                    
 CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
            Marketing communication are attempts by a firm to influence the behaviour of markets for its product or services. Marketers primary roll on promotional activities that have the sole purpose of information delivering to be customers. in the olden days information were disseminated through the help of the town criers going about with mental and wooden goings spreading price of any information or news to those concerned. As a business activities became complex that people to be informal were relatively many, other devices of disseminating information were sought. According to Wright Etat (1970) “In Greece, during his golden age, public criers were a civic institution. Men were paid to circulate through the streets of the city, advising the citizens of important new and announcing public events, later, during his middle ages, the only available means of advertising excepts signs, was the spoken word”. The signs were used to notify the popular of an important meeting, local politics and place were certain consumer’s products could be found. In that regards W right quoted as saying some trader like painting commercial messages on prominent rock along trade lane, much in the fashion of some preset day activities”. The evolution of a refined form of information from the town crier stage to the replacement of advertisement is a big development. Today, specific information are written, read and heard at definite times for the purpose of informating and persuading the consumers to make some days advertising is made in mass media of communication such as newspaper, magazines, journals, radio, television, motion picture, outdoor posters, skywriting, railway coaches, catalogues, directories and references circulars,  give a way and displays.
1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
            Advertising, despite its Worldwide acceptance as the most effective and efficient means of making a quick and effective sale has some problems and effective sale has some problems facing it motivation of consumer brand preferences.
            The problems are:
i.              Many consumers or shoppers do not patronize a company’s product when they are ignorant of its existence and benefits associated with it and this is applicable to toothpaste (close-up).
ii.            Inadequate and inefficient use of advertising slogans, sometimes lead too low sale turnover of close up Toothpaste.
iii.           Consumers and shoppers sometimes get confused because of the clustered advertising messages. Consumers get confused when advertisement, and is not properly arranged or misrepresented, and this is applicable to close-up toothpaste.
iv.           Exaggeration in advertising creates false impression in the minds of consumer and shoppers. Telling or saying what a product cannot do, for instance giving close-up toothpaste more credit than it deserves impact negatively on consumer motivation.
1.3       RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
            The ultimate purpose underlying advertising is to increase awareness for any range of product involved. The primary objective of this study is to find out the place of advertising close-up. The study specifically intends to: -
i.              Find out whether the consumers post purchase action is stimulated by the influence of advertising of close-up toothpaste.
ii.            Find out if the consumers “knowledge of the product contributes to their consumption of it.
iii.           Find out if the use of advertising by lever brother increases their sales turnover
iv.           Find out the reaction of consumer to close up when it is not advertised.
v.            Find out what toothpaste firms derive from advertising their products.
1.4       SIGNIFICANCE AND NEED FOR THE STUDY
            The significance of this study cannot be over emphasized, this is because the out come will be of help to: -
Toothpaste Industries: It will help them with special reference to the sale of there production. It will help the industries to know what contributions advertising has made in motivating consumer brand preference and how to make effective advertising  campaigns.
Lever Brother Nig. Plc: This study will show to what extent advertising has contributed towards the sale of toothpaste. It will also ascertain whether the huge amount of many being allocated to advertising by Lever Brother Nigeria Plc. is justified. In addition, the study will disclose the areas that used improvement in the various advertising messages used. Lever Brother Nig. Plc. stands to gain a loan from this study, as it will help them to know the best media to use in reaching their target audience.
Consumer: It will help the consumer know more about he use and importance of close-up toothpaste, how it will improve there livers. They will also know from the study the contribution close-up has for their lives.
Researchers: The researches are marketing under graduates and as marketers, they stand to gain a lot from the study in the areas for advertising and sales promotions. This work will equally help them perform creditably in the labour market and also in their industrial training programme. Lastly, we wish to comment here that this research will to a great extend serve as a point of reference to other people mostly other students research institutes and several publics who might wish to research further on the topic being treated in this research.
1.6       SCOPE OF THE STUDY
            The scope of the study is the place of advertising in motivating consumer’s brand preference for toothpaste with particular reference to close-up made by Lever Brothers of Nig. Plc. The research generally examined the role of advertising in the sale of various brands of toothpaste. This study covered Enugu Metropolis, and it’s consumers, with particular reference to close up toothpaste.
1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS
Advertising can be defined as any forum  of representation and promotion of goods, ideas or services that is non-personal and paid by an identified sponsor.
Prospect: A prospect is a person who will benefit from a firms’ product or service and who can afford to buy or pay for it.
Brand Loyalty:   Brand loyalty means of consumers purchasing of a particular brand of product while aware of other existing and similar products.
Corrective Advertising: This is the condition where the advertisers correct any information to the general public about their products.
Retail Store: Store where goods are sold small quantities to the general public.
Self Service: A process whereby buyers come into a store and help themselves with the commodity they need with little or no assistance from the workers in the store.