CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
It will be safe to say that advertising has become an integral part of our life and society such that we cannot imagine any event, newspaper, magazine, TV serial, Cinema, etc. without advertising. Due to the powerful influence of advertising, companies spend lots of capital on the advertisement to stimulate sales and influence consumer’s buying behavior. The term advertising is derived from the original Latin word ‘advertere’ which means ‘to turn’ the attention. Every piece of advertising turns the attention of the readers, listeners, the viewers or the onlookers towards a product or a service or an idea. According to Dilogini and Shivany (2015), advertising is a form of communication intended to promote the sale of a product or service to appreciate
lic opinion, gain political support or to advance a particular cause. Bovee and Arens (1982) as cited by Sambe (2013) defined Advertising as a non- personal communication of information paid for and usually identified with the sponsor through the various media.
Television advertisement remains the primary medium of food and beverage promotion to youths (Landon, 2013) and constitutes the greatest child-targeted food advertising expenditure in many countries (WHO, 2017). The strength of television advertisement is attributed to its high reach, ability to demonstrate, high impact medium and prestigiousness. As a result, television advertisement attracts its viewers with images and graphics. When taking children into consideration, children are more interested in advertisements and their music, they identify the advertisement when the music starts to play. Indomie noodles advertisement is so powerful that children are able to sing along.
According to Bryman and Bell (2011), television advertising is the most influential media even when there is no acting of purchase, the product still remains in our consciousness. Similarly, television advertisement impacts attitude, values, customs, norms, ethnicity, culture, religion and some other behaviors. According to Belk and Pollay (1985) and Kumaran (1987) cited in Dilogini and Shivany (2015), sometimes television advertisements may change our lifestyle; especially children’s attitudes. Television advertising exposure is positively related to children’s purchase requests which lead to an increased number of product denials from parents and may cause conflict between parents and children (Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2003).
On the other hand, children’s food choice is defined in terms of food knowledge, preferences and behavior. Food promotion is having an effect on children’s preferences, purchase behavior, and consumption pattern. Hastings et al, (2003) suggest that such an effect is independent of other factors and operates at both a brand and category level. The study of Lewis and Hill (1998) cited in Haroon, Qureshi, Zia-ur-Rehman, and Nisar (2011) showed that food is the most advertised product category on children’s television. This explains why advertising creators are using child actors in their advertising strategy. Children react very positively to this. Children can easily identify the advertising character that appears to be similar to them in age and lifestyle (Kinsey, 1987 cited in Dilogini & Shivany, 2015).
Ogunmoyela (2014) said that children have become an increasingly important target group for marketers in recent times largely because their buying power is expanding. They have become more capable of making their own purchase choices and can also strongly influence household purchases. This influence can even extend beyond the immediate household to influence extended people such as peers.
In addition, several studies have found strong association of increase in television advertising resulting to consumption of innutritious food and rates of childhood obesity (Whalen, Harrold, Child, Halford & Boyland, 2017), also exposure to television food advertisement brings about parent-child conflicts as regards food choices (Buijzen & Valkenburg, 2003).
Furthermore, a new study in the journal of Pediatrics supports previous studies suggesting that food advertisements directly influence children’s brains and their food choices. Television advertising and branding have an influence on both food familiarity and preference. Research examining the effects of television food advertising has shown that children exposed to advertisements prefer branded foods at much greater rates than children not similarly exposed. In this context, indomie noodles are known to be the most popular noodles brand.
Television advertising impacts food consumption and eating behaviors as well. Behavioral studies have documented the relationship between receptivity to food commercials and the amount of food consumed.
Meanwhile, no study has attempted to investigate the influence of television advertisement on children food choice focusing on noodles, In view of the gap raised, the thrust of this study is to fill the gap in knowledge by examining the influence of television advertisement on children food choice focusing on Indomie noodles advertisement.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In today’s competitive world, parents are being pressurized by their children to make purchase decisions of advertised products, refusal to fulfill the children’s wishes often leads to conflict between parents and children. As a result, a lot of parents and guardians are beginning to complain that this may be attributed to their children’s exposure to food advertisements on television.
In addition, previous studies have shown that exposing children to different types of food advertisements on television may influence their preferences and subsequent food choices (Lewis & Hill, 1998; Furnham et. al., 1997 cited in Marikar, Jayathilaka, Abeydeera & Wickramasinghe, 2017). However, there is little evidence to show a direct causal relationship of television advertisements on children’s choice of food in the Nigeria context. In view of this gap raised, this study, therefore, seeks to investigate the influence of television advertisements on children’s food choices.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
In view of the stated problem, the following objectives are formulated:
1. To investigate Children’s exposure to indomie noodles Television advertisement
2. To find out the extent to which Indomie noodles Television advertisement influences children’s food choices.
3. To examine children’s level of recall of Television advertisements
4. To find out the extent to which television advertisement of Indomie noodles influence children to request their parents to purchase Indomie noodles
1.4 Research Questions
In view of the objectives of the study, this study is guided with the following research questions:
1. What is the exposure level of children to indomie noodles advertisement?
2. Does television advertisement of indomie noodles influence children’s food choices?
3. To what extent do children recall indomie noodles television advertisements?
4. To what extent does Indomie noodles television advertisement influence children to request their parents to purchase Indomie noodles?
1.5 Significance of the Study
In one way, the significance of this study is to provide advertising practitioners with insight on how to direct television commercials to meet the need of the target audience. In another way, it is to help the society guide the fate or future of our children against undesirable influences of television advertisements.
It is also hoped that this study would significantly add to the existing body of knowledge, particularly, on the pervasive influence of television advertisements on children’s food choices. This study will serve as reference material for students in the Mass Communication department when conducting a similar study.
Also, this type of research is necessary and very helpful for companies who want to increase their sales volume. This research is very important because if we know the results of the research, then we can take decisions according to the results.
The research importance in the Nigerian context is very necessary because no study has been done on this topic using Indomie noodle, So this research may be helpful for companies in Nigeria because situations and circumstances of every country are different and in the case of Nigeria, this research is needed.
1.6 Scope and Delimitations of the Study
In order to determine how television advertisements affect food choice of children and the buying decision of their parents as regards Indomie noodles, this study is focusing on children between the ages of 9 and 16 in International School, University of Lagos.
1.6.1 Brief History Of Indomie Noodles
Indomie has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1970s. Indomie is a brand of Instant noodles by indofood. The largest instant noodle manufacturer in Indonesia with 72% of market share. It is distributed in Australia, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and European and Middle Eastern countries. “Indo” stands for “Indonesia” and “mie” stands for “noodles” in the Indonesian language, therefore “Indomie” stands for “noodles from Indonesia or Indonesian noodle”. Indomie is now a household brand name that everybody loves and has grown up with and has become part of their staple food. Indomie is available in 80 countries around the world. In 1988 Indomie was introduced in Nigeria through import, and in 1995 opened its first production factory in Nigeria under Dufil Prima Foods. It is the first instant noodles manufacturing plant in Nigeria and the largest in Africa. Indomie Instant Noodles has grown to become a household name across the country. Indomie is produced in Nigeria since 1995 where it is a popular brand and has the largest instant noodle manufacturing plant in Africa.
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
Advertisement: This refers to non-personal communication aimed at inducing patronage of goods, services or ideas.
Buying decision process: As used in this study means the decision of children to request their parents to purchase Indomie noodles
Children’s brand loyalty: As used in this study means sticking to indomie as a result of its television advertisement.
Eating behavior: This is the behavior children exhibit when exposed to television food advertisements.
Influence: The power to affect, control or manipulate something or someone
Children: According to UNICEF, A Child is a human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the Child.
Food choice: as used in this study means food knowledge, preferences concerning food
Television: Refers to an audio-visual medium that is capable of broadcasting events, plays, news, public announcement, advertisement and other messages to people at far and near places.