Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Advertising In Changing Consumer Behaviour

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The basic reason for this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising in improving consumer behaviour in a financial institution, taking First Bank of Nigeria Plc as a case study. The study was carried out in Enugu metropolis with the customers of First bank of Nigeria Plc.
First bank of Nigeria Plc was founded in 1894 by Sir Alfred Jone, on shipping magnate from Liverpool. the bank commenced as a small a bank in the office of elder dempoter and company in Lagos.
It was in corporate as a limited liability comporate name of Bank of British West Africa (BBWA) with an authorized share capital of 100,000 pounds. It thus became the first bank to be established in Nigeria.
The bank remarkable growth and by 1907, it has established a branch in Calabar. It extended it’s services to the North a few years later. Until 1958, the bank performed the role of a Central ban of Nigeria as African currency Board.
In line with the colonization process often 1950’s, the bank’s name was changed to bank of West Africa (BWA) in 1957. a merger with the Standard Ban of West Africa Limited in 1966. in compliance with the companies Decree of 1968, the bank was incorporated as Standard Bank of Nigeria Limited in 1969. the Federal Government of Nigeria purchased 36.1% of the bank’s equity while Nigeria investors took up 12.9% in line with the indigenisation process that commenced in 1972.
The banks name was again changed in 1979 to First bank of Nigeria Limited and it’s share were listed on the floor of the Nigeria stock exchanged in the future year. In compliance with the requirements of section 31 of the companies and Allied Matters Decree of 1990, the name of the Bank was further changed to First bank of Nigeria Plc.
From being a small outfit in 1894, First bank of Nigeria Plc has now grown so big that it has diversified into a whole range of banking activities and services. For instance, the bank now provides its customers with including current, savings and fixed deposit international banking services, leases, export credit, financial advisory services, etc. The bank even established a Merchant bank , FBN (Merchant bankers). Limited in 1990 to provides, its customers a full range of merchant banking services.
First bank of Nigeria Plc has experiecnded phenomenal growth over the years. With a share capital of N55.6m in 1980. the bank’s asset base stood at N129.5 billion while it’s deposit base has risen to N84.53 billion as at march, 1999. from a modest one branch ib 1894, the banks branch network has risen to 307 by 1999 making it the bank with the largest branch net work spread throughout Nigeria. It’s staff strength has also grown from size at inception to 8,785 employees by 1988. the bank remains leading banking institution in Nigeria.
By 1994 when First bank of Nigeria Plc. The banking industry has changed drastically and had become more challenged than ever due to the arrival of several new banks competition had become stiff. Although the bank continued to enjoy the benefit such unique attribute as it’s business size, it’s customer loyalty and a sound financial based, it was no longer the bank of first choice among potential user of banking services.
The factors which made the bank successful in its first 100 years were no longer sufficient to make the bank on leading player in Nigeria is banking industry.
The outlook of the business environment has changed, customers had become more sophisticated on drastic improvement in its services quality and in its processes which were considered outdated.
The bank’s management recognized the need to change in line with the changing outlook of the business environment. According to the banks Chief Executive in 1996, Mr. Joseph Sanusi, “If our bank is to move forward, it has to be transformed and repositioned”.
To realize this goal , the management put in place a corporate re-engineering project called CENTURY II. The title of the project reflects the fact that First Bank of Nigeria Plc is now in its second century of operation.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Ineffective advertising or no advertising affected consumer behaviour in First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Okpara Avenue in the following ways.
1. The ineffective advertising had denied consumers information about First Bank of Nigeria Plc Okpara Avenue and affected First Bank of Nigeria Plc in their quest for patronage.
2. The ineffective advert in First Bank of Nigeria Plc Okpara Avenue head prevented potential customes valuable information potential customers valuable information regarding First Bank of Nigeria Plc’s new products.
3. The ineffective use of advertising in First Bank of Nigeria Plc Okpara Avenue had prevented customer from the knowledge of networking in First Bank of Nigeria Plc and prevented them from taking advantage of it.
4. the ineffective use of advertising had created problems to First Bank of Nigeria Plc. Okpara Avenue on the facilities available at eh bank for consumers utilization.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OS THE STUDY
1. To examine critically the level of awareness that has been generated by the century II campaign.
2. To find out how the various media types compare in effectively communicating the message.
3. To find out the medium through which the awareness was created.
4. To ascertain consumer’s perception of the century II advert message; that is whether the target audience believe in the statements claims and promises contained in the advertisement.
5. To find tout if the century II advert campaign has increased the growth and profitability of the bank.

1.4 HYPOTHESIS FORMULATION
Hoi: The century II advert campaign used by First Bank of Nigeria Plc does not generate enough consumer awareness of the company.
H1i: The century II advert campaign used by First Bank of Nigeria Plc does not generate enough consumer awareness of the services.
Ho2: The century II advert campaign used by First Bank of Nigeria Plc does not create positive perception the bank by consumers.
H12: The century II advert campaign used by First Bank of Nigeria Plc does not create positive perception the bank by consumers
Ho3: The century II advert campaign used by First Bank of Nigeria Plc attract enough customers patronage.
Ho4: century II advert campaign has yielded enough profit for bank.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of the study is discussed on angles namely-
– Significance to First Bank of Nigeria Plc, significance to other banks.
– Significance to the advertising agency
– Significance to readers
First Bank of Nigeria Plc., like every other advertiser spends on advertising in order to rate profits. Therefore this study will be of great benefit to the bank, in that it would inform them more about the reaction of their target market towards their advertising activities and in turn bring a profitable return for management to continue to approve of it. The advertising agency, the more it can understand how the advertisements it has created work on the tagged audience, the better will its planning and decisions be in future. Similarly to the industry (the advertising industry in this case) which is responsible for spending over N1 billion annually on behalf of advertisers, has an individual and collective responsibility to improve the level of prediction for it’s recommendations.
Finally, this study would help the researcher and the readers to appreciate the use and impotence of effective advertising in introducing and increasing sales of any product or services.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is designed to examine or evaluate the effectiveness of advertising in changing consumer behaviour in First Bank of Nigeria Plc. The study is restricted to Enugu metropolis and covers the management , staff and customers of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Advertising: This is any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services, by an identified sponsor, Adirika, Ebue, Nnolim (1996:107).
Consumer: A customer can be referred to, as someone who regularly do purchase from a particular store, company or organization, Adetao (1999).
Consumer behaviour: This is the behaviour consumer display in searching for purchasing, using , evaluation and disposing of products, services, and ideas while the expect to satisfy their needs. Ozo J.U. (2002:9).
Marketing Communication: This can simply be referred to as the efforts by a company to design and disseminate information about it’s terms and the benefits to the target market, using different medium. Adirika, Ebue, Nnolim (1996:87).
Marketing Concept: The marketing concept holds that the key to achieve organizational goals consists of determining the needs and wants of target markets and delivery the desired satisfaction more effectively and efficiently than competitors. Adirika, Ebue, Nnolim (1997:47).
Target market: This is that set of people which the marketer intends to satisfy with his products or services, Adirika, Ebue, Nnolim (1996:39).
A custom of the bank is defined as a person operating a current as saving account with the book at any of its branches.