CONSUMER’S PERCEPTIION OF ONLINE ADVERTISING
ABSTRACT
This research work is carried out to examine consumer’s perception of online advertising using University of Benin as a case study. and also to identify the major problems faced by consumers. The research also contributed to the existing literatures on the subject matter, thereby proffering solution to the problem of online advertising in Nigeria including policy formulation and implementation by government and policy makers. This research work is based on both primary and secondary data; sources of data. The secondary sources comprises of journals, articles, publications and text book while the primary source of data collection was through questionnaire administration to elicit information from respondents. The research work found that Credibility is higher amongst Non-academic than amongst Academics in the University of Benin. The average online advertising  in the University of Benin was low amongst non-academic staff of the University of Benin and thus, recommend that the government should increase the size of Nigeria’s security agencies, empower and motivate them very well and strengthen neighborhood watch to check the increasing rate of insecurity in Nigeria. The research work made use of two theories viz. social contract theory and frustration and aggression theory which states that when government fail to perform its functions of protecting the people, they will be frustrated and aggrieved thus making them indulge in unlawful act.
. The study therefore recommends that the rate of tax incentives and exemptions which serve as catalysts and bait for attracting investors should be highly increased by the three tiers of government in Nigeria. Government should promulgate a policy that will help to avoid illegal taxes, such as community levy, boys or youth levy and as well as association or union levy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study    -    -    -    -
1.2 Statement of Research Problem    -    -    -    
1.3 Research Objectives    -    -    -    -
1.4 Research Hypothesis    -    -    -    
1.5 Significance of the Study    -    -    -    
1.6 Scope of the Study    -    -    -    
1.7 Limitation of the Study    -    -    -    
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW            
2.1    Introduction        -    -    -    -
2.2    Advertising defined    -    -    -    -
2.3    Perception        -    -    -    -    
2.4     Theoretical framework    -    -    -    
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
3.1    Introduction        -    -    -
3.2    Research Design    -    -    -    -
3.3    Population and Sampling     -    -    -    -
3.4    Operationalization and measurement of variables    -
3.5    The research instrument     -    -    -    
3.6    Sources of data    -    -    -    -    
3.7    Method of Data Analysis        -    -
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATIONS AND ANALYSIS
4.1    Introduction        -    -    -    -    
4.2    Demographic information of respondents-    -    -
4.3    Perception of academic staff of university of
 Benin on online advertising    -    -    -    -    
4.4    Perception of non  academic staff of university of
 Benin on online advertising    -    -    -    
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction    -    -    -    -    
5.2 Summary of Findings        -    -    
5.3 Conclusion    -    -    -    
5.4 Recommendations    -    -    -    -    
Bibliography    -    -    -    -    -    -    
Appendix     -    -    -    -    -    -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY    
Online advertising has grown tremendously in both its applications and number of users due to its unique characteristics of flexibility, interactivity, and personalization. It has been a very useful tool for communication, entertainment, education, and electric trade. The revolutionary change brought forth by information technology has an important impact on the daily lives. It has transformed the way we do business by allowing retailers to offer unlimited range of products and service to all consumers from around the world at any point in time (Silk, 2001). Online advertising has emerged as an advertising medium .Many companies have turned to the internet to advertise their products and services and the internet is deemed to be the most significant direct marketing channel for the global market place (Faber, 2004). Companies are pouring billions of dollars into online advertising to obtain greater return on investment (Edwards, 2005). Online advertising has given consumers more control in accessing information on products and services. (Korgaonkor, and Wolin, 2002).
Online advertising enable consumers to access an unlimited range of products and services from companies around the world, and it reduces the time and effort they spend on shopping (koyuncu, 2003) consumers play a much more active role in searching for information online with some goal in mind, and that goal can influence individual behaviors and responses to online information and advertisements (Smith, 2002). With the rapid advancement in the computer industry, many companies have made the internet a part of their advertising media in order to take advantage of the online technology (Calisir, 2003). Online advertising has become a popular advertising platforms because marketers found that online advertising possess greater flexibility and control over the advertising materials (Ducoffe, 1996) hence, online advertising can be used as an efficient marketing communication tool.
1.2     STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
    Advertisers are expected to shift and spend millions in online advertising in the coming years than TV, print advertising and other tradition advertising media. Online advertising broadly consists of various commercial content formats delivered by video clips, print, and audio; either solicited or unsolicited and includes company web sites, corporate logos, e-mail message pop-ups, banners advertising, skyscraper advertising, buttons, hyperlinks, dynamic media, and interactive games (Ducoffe, 1996; Goldsmith and Lafferty, 2002; Korgaonkor and Wolin, 2002). With the rapid growth in technology, online advertising is becoming an important one stop point for consumers in finding most of their needs. Be it communication, entertaining, shopping, information search, it serves as a panacea for all their requirements, this has lead 70% of the users to give themselves to the internet and access it on a regular basis ( Korgaonkor and Wolin, 2002). The problem is that volumes of consumers are online every day for their personal work, but do they notice the advertisements, banners etc., displayed on that webpage? Most importantly, what is their recall/remembrance value? What about the reach of online advertising, is it effective across over all target groups? Hence, (Gong and Maddox 2003) suggests that future research can look into the impact of online advertising across different countries and cultures to enhance the global understanding of online advertising.
They further added that more studies are needed to cover various samples in different countries to increase external validity of research findings.
To fill in this gap, the current study seeks to determine consumers ‘perception of online advertising.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The research has the following objectives;
To ascertain consumer’s perception towards online advertising.
To find out if perception towards online advertising varies with different demographic variables (age, gender, income, marital status, highest educational qualification, Religion and the length of services, etc).
To find out the proportion of consumers who have being influenced to buy as a result of online advertising.
1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS            
The following question will serve as a basis for addressing the primary research.
How do consumers’ perceive online advertising?
Do demographic factors influence perception of online advertising? (age, gender, income, marital status, highest educational qualification, Religion and the length of services, etc).
What proportions of consumers have been influenced to buy as a result of online advertising?
1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will assist online advertisers to achieve advertising effectiveness in message being developed for the public by identifying what needs to be included and excluded in online advertisement. The study will also assist advertisers in identifying methods and measures to adopt to create favorable attitude towards online advertising in general, as well as to boost advertising efficiency in particular.
The study will also be useful to marketers in broadening their understanding of the complicated market strategy to adopt in other to penetrate different segment of the market.
The study will also enable advertisers and marketers have a deeper and better understanding of online advertising.
Finally, the study would serve as platform upon which future research by scholars and advertising researchers would be built upon.
1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY                                Geographically, this study was restricted to consumers in Benin City being the capital city of Edo State. To be more precise, the study includes the academics and Non-academic staff of the University of Benin.
    In addition, the study would be restricted to exploring consumer’s attitudes and perception as it concerns online advertising.  
1.7     LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY    
    In as much as this study is aimed at gathering relevant, reliable and accurate information to enable the researcher make meaningful analyses, it should be recognized that a study of this nature is faced with certain problems and limitations.                    
    Firstly, the research is limited to the use of questionnaire, as such; the respondent honest opinion is being relied on as an attempt to supply vague information would render the findings from the research work unreliable.    
In addition the sampling size of this study was considered in adequate irrespective of the size, bearing in the mind of the estimated population of consumers of the advertised products in Nigeria is put at over one hundred and seventy million.
    Finally, findings from this research work cannot be generalized since statistical data for analysis purpose is to be collected via convenience sampling technique.
REFERENCE
Calisir, F., (2003).Web advertising vs. other media: Young consumers view. Journal of internet Research; Electronic networking application and policy; 13 (5); 356-363.
Ducoffe, R.H. (1996), Advertising Value and Advertising on the web. Journal of Advertising Research, 36; 21-35.
Edwards, J., (2005), plans to move marketing from TV.Brandweek    , Journal of internet research, 46: 5.
Faber, R.J. (2004), Advertising and the Consumer Information Environment Online, America Behavioural Scientists 48; 447-466.
Goldsmith, R.E & Lafferty, B.A, (2002). Consumer Response to Website and Their Influence on Advertising Effectiveness, Journal of internet Research: Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 12:318-328.
Gong, W. & Maddox, L.M., (2003), Measuring Web Advertising Effectiveness, Journal of Advertising Research, 43:34-49.
Korgaonkor, P. & Wolin,L.D (2002), web usage, advertising, and shopping; relationship patterns. Journal of Internet research electronics .Networking applications and policy, 12:191-204.