THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION MIX IN CREATING AWARENESS OF A BRAND
(A CASE STUDY OF UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC ENUGU)
ABSTRACT
This research work focused on “The effectiveness of marketing communication mix in creating awareness of a brand. (A case study of unilever Nigeria plc operating in Enugu metropolis). The study have the following objectives. To find out the effectiveness of marketing communication mix in creating awareness for the product brands in Enugu metropolis. To find out the effectiveness of marketing communication mix in increasing the sales revenue of unilever Nigeria plc products. To find out if marketing communication mix adopted by unilever Nigeria plc leads customers to repeat the purchases of their products in Enugu metropolis. In addition, an extensive literature review was carried out. Three sets of questionnaires were prepared and administered to a population comprising management and staff, distributors and customers of unilever Nigeria plc Enugu. Census survey was used for relevant staff and management while topman’s formular used for distributors and customers. Questionnaire collected were analyzed using tables and percentages. The analysis shows the following findings. Marketing communication mix help unilever Nigeria plc in creating customers awareness of their products in Enugu metropolis. The company has a very high performance rate in marketing communication mix strategy. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made unilever Nigeria plc should disseminate information about their products existence, quality, features and the benefits through the marketing communication mix promotional activities. The researcher concluded that if unilever Nigeria plc should implement the recommendations made in this research work unilever plc will achieve the noble objectives of the company in Enugu state.     
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the study                                                       
1.2    Statement of Study                                                     
1.3    Objectives of Study                                                     
1.4    Research Questions                                                    
1.5    Significance of the study                                               
1.6    Scope of the Study                                                      
1.7    Limitations of the study                                                
1.7    Definition of Terms                                                      
CHAPTER TWO
2.0    Literature Review                                                        
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1    Source of Data Collection                                     
3.2    Population of the Study                                                
3.3    Sample Size Determination                                   
3.4    Sample Size or Management and Relevant Staff       
3.5    Sample Techniques                                              
3.6    Instrument for Data Collection                               
3.7    Reliability and Validity of Research Instrument
3.8    Validity of the Research Instrument                
3.9    Method of Data Treatment and Analysis          
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1    Presentation and Analysis of Data                  
4.2    Testing of Hypothesis                                   
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION
AND CONCLUSION
5.1    Summary of Findings                                   
5.2    Recommendations                                               
Bibliography
Appendices
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.2    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
        Marketing at any stage cannot grow without communication, marketing started as a selling activity in which the manufacturer produces and expects customers to go in search of the goods. the next the producer recruits sales persons and send them out to sell the products. At this stage marketing involves extensive marketing communication tools such as advertising and personal selling. The marketing practice is one rear employment marketing as a wand creating and satisfying instruments. Marketing performs virtually all its functions by making use of effective communication.
        Modern marketing calls for more than developing a particular brand, pricing of attractively and making it accessible to the target customers, very few goods or services can survive in the market place without effective communication. The marketing manager must endavour to make good use of advertising, sales promotion, publicity and personal selling as the promotional tools of marketing to attain market penetration and business survival and competitive advantage. In view of the fore-going, the researcher intends to determine the effectiveness of marketing communication mix in creating awareness of a brand in unilever Nigeria plc.
1.2    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
        The unilever Nigeria plc is one of the leading producers of lipton yellow label tea, Blue band, Royco, paste (close up and pepsodent), omo, pears baby lotion, hair care etc.
        The company has been witnessing decreasing patronage by the consumers as a result of intense competition from other producers that deal on substitute product now introduced –what they called high volume with low price in order to win market share and patronage. After about two years of that introduction of high volum with low price by unilever, it yield no result, patronage still continued to decrease. The method introduced by the then marketing manager and production manager lead to their dismissal for failure to deliver.
        In order for the company to alleviate the problem sometime in 1988, the company now introduced the method of door to door step delivery by their workers, that was when convenience were brought in members by the company the purpose as to ensure that their product were available every where both rurual and urban shops and market place for them to out weight their competitions and win more market share.
        Though after some year of door to door step deliver, the problem still lies there the unilever company is facing the problem of decrease in patronage by consumers people are of the opinion that effective integration of marketing communication will help boast the sales of the company brand.   
1.3    OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
        The objective of this study is to examine the marketing mix in unilever Nigeria plc.
The Objective is as follow:-
-      To find out the effectiveness of marketing communication in increasing the sales revenue of unilever brothers product.
-      To find out the effectiveness of the company’s marketing communication on existing and potential users of the company brand.
-      The effect of company’s marketing communication activities on the pricing of a company brand.
-      How the various marketing communication mix are used to make recommendations based on the findings.
1.4    RESEARCH QUESTION
-      How does marketing communication mix increase the sales volume of the unilever company brand?
-      How does the effectiveness of company marketing communication affect consumer purchase of the brand?
-      Does the company marketing communication mix facilitate the realization of company’s objective?
-      Does the company marketing communication activities affect the pricing of their brand?
-      Which of the communication tools is most effective in the company?
1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The aim of communication with consumers and the public, by any organization is to let them know that the organization is existing and committed other welfare, without communication, most consumers would have been ignorant of the existence of certain brand and sources which are referred to for their  satisfaction. Moreso, organization would find its difficult to dispose their excess brand/services resulting from mass production.
 Thus, there is need for effective communication between the organization and its public, once this exist the aim of the organization would be achieved. The significant of this study therefore is to expose the marketer to those factors that can make their communication ineffective and to suggest how to avoid those flows that do not fit into the role of a communication and a promoter. Moreover, knowing that the purchasing power of the consumers is seriously being corded due to the down town of the economy and the effect of this is the continuous fall in demand for the brand/ services of most organization increase in price of these  brands has also been caused by this recessive economy.
Marketers can find no other time to prove their relevance in the organization than this period and one of the tools that readily comes to mind are close to is marketing communications. So this project work is of great importance to marketing. To this end and insight into how they can choose the most effective tool which at most is done by the rule of thumb method. So it gives an insight and serve as a reference point in choosing.
1.6    SCOPE OF THE STUDY
        The scope of this study is restricted within the fame work of the study of one giant company like unilever company plc big users of marketing communication in Nigeria.
1.8    DEFINITION OF TERMS
Marketing communication mix is the particular combination of marketing tools that work together to communicate the marketers message, to achieve the marketers objectives, and to satisfy the target market.
Brand
        A brand is a product, service, of concept that is publicity distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed.
Effectiveness
        Effectiveness means “doing the right thing”. Effectiveness is the degree to which objectives are achieved and the extent to which targeted problems are solved.   
Marketing
        Marketing is a human activity at satisfying needs and writes through exchange process.
Marketing Concept
        The marketing concept hold that the key achieving organizational goals consist in determining the needs and wants of target markets and delivering desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors.