Between advertising and consumer’s choice
All over the world, advertising informs a consumer, mainly about; various features, benefits, price and use of an advertised product or service.
It also gives information about the brand name or trademark used the address of a manufacturer or a service provider, and other relevant details to the consumer. While creating awareness and supplying relevant information, it ultimately helps a consumer to make a right choice in his or her purchase.
studies have shown that, over time, and in the name of creativity and innovation, advertising has evolved into varying references that further deepens its hideout; as advertising practice, some refer to it as integrated marketing communication, some simply refer to it as brand management, among others.
Interestingly, advertising is structured to question values. The modus for an ideal professional practice structures the entire process of advertising on seeking answers to question of value; the real and derivable value of own brand, that competitive consideration of own-brand versus competing offering, the who for the offering, market expectation, size of market in view of the rated offering or proposition, etc.
As a profession, it is structured to deliver on value, such that its efficiency and effectiveness are by themselves demonstrative of the systematic application of set rules leading to operative standard. Therefore, among others, value expectations from advertising practice and products must deliver on clarity of message, credibility of information, dependability, and instructional guide. Advertising messages must engage stakeholders on the very critical value touch-point of credibility and reliability. It is on the basis of credibility and reliability that a consumer can assuredly make rewarding buying decision at the market place.
To this end, the question most analysts are asking is; what is the value contribution of advertising practice and product to consumers’ wellbeing? For these analysts, Brand owners must ask questions, institutional stakeholders must take responsibility towards protecting the consumer against bad quality advertising, and consumers must protect themselves against bad advertising products. Every advertising message must be put to the test to ascertain its level of credibility. For instance, there are many consumer reward promotion campaign going on across media spectrum presently, but the fear of most consumers is that many of them are not delivering on their promises.
Speaking on this issue to Daily Times, a brand management consultant, Bernard Okhukume said; “self appraisal: Advertising practice is enjoying a cloud of darkness that shields it from reckoning, such that gives it the undue advantage of over other offerings when it comes to value consideration. Whereas its engagement is predicated on value rating and proposition, it does not go through the scrutiny of evaluation. The shield for it is embedded in glamour and noise so much so, the dint deafen and blinds even those who should call it to question.”
According to him, “messages are directed. From its base position as a form of communication, the parameters for value assessment starts from information. Advertising is about information, hence the standard curriculum of mass communication as a study discipline subsumes it; Advertising is commerce-based communication, patterned to stimulate market growth and development by facilitating consumer-brand (not-so-branded offerings) interaction. It enables commercial interface by information.
“The issue is, there is need to evaluate the contribution of advertising practice and product offering to consumers’ wellbeing; what does it really add? He queried.” To advertisers, he continued, it must deliver on promise. The problem with critical evaluation at this level is that majority of those who should ask questions don’t know the parameters for evaluation. Every advertising investment should be guided by specific objective. In most cases, objectives are either not established or misplaced. In the face of either situation, the glamour of advertising dazzles in form without substance.
“If for instance, an investment in advertising is target at image management among specific market segment, there must be agreed parameter to measure the return on that investment. By reason of statistical data, the effectiveness and efficiency employed in the management of that investment will reflect on the final appraisal.”
Also speaking on this issue, a brand and marketing analyst, Adewole Okoya said; the missing question is what advertising offering is? What is the value of its proposition; how its value offering compare with a competitive offer does; what is it contributing in real sense?
For him, Brand owners must ask questions, institutional stakeholders must take responsibility towards protecting the consumer against bad quality advertising, and consumers must protect themselves against bad advertising products
“The Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) should find a way of determine the sincerity of such promises, for the interest of consumers. Advertising should be called accountability.” He added
Stories by Godwin Anyebe
