CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The impact of television is vital because of its enormous potential as an audio-visual communicator. Television (T.V.) enables the creative man to communicate by combining motion, sounds, words, color, personality and stage setting to express and demonstrate ideas to large and widely distributed audience.

T.V. commercials usually play a role in either introducing a product reinforcing the familiarity to the product and also convincing to purchase the product. Indomie advertisements are among the most visible of the marketing strategy and have been the subject of a great deal of attention in the last ten to fifteen years. Advertisement cannot only change emotions but give subliminal message. Advertising today seems to be everywhere and ever present exerting a far reaching influence on the daily lives of people. Advertisements develop self-concepts in order to induce purchase decisions. Television advertising employs attention grabbing trick such as catchy and pleasing music, lyrics, Jingles, humor and repeated messages. The impact of the advertisements is more on television than the print media or radio.

Rana (1995) undertook a study on T.V. commercials and expressed that among the media, the impact of television advertisement on social behavior, including purchasing behavior was the greatest. The reason being that television has charm, instantaneous transmission capability and universality of appeal. Dhillon et al. (1997) investigated the factors affecting consumer behavior of durable goods and food items. Sample comprised of 150 children (75 each from rural and urban areas). The sources of information, the rural respondents gave primary importance were, advertisements through radio, followed by posters to some extent but were least affected by magazines. Urban respondents were affected the maximum by television and magazines.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

          The problems that lead to the study of the impact of television indomie Advertisement on children are numerous; children nowadays tends to respond adversely to the advert they watch on the TV and whenever they wish to buy a product or service they usually refer to the view on the advert watched on TV.

1.3 Objective of the Study

          The objectives of this study are as follows

1.       To examine the effects of TV adverts on children choice of indomie as a product.

2.       To identify the problems face by children when exposed more to TV commercials.

3.       To suggest possible prospects to the problems of TV adverts to children.

4.       To enable the children to understand how best utilize media information from the television advert.

5.       To highlight the effectiveness of use of television broadcast as means of advertisement.

1.4 Research Question

This project aims to find answers to the following question;

1.       To what extent do children of Portharcourt expose themselves to television Indomie Advertisiement?

2.       To what extent do children depend on advertisement from television when making choice of product and services?

3.       What effects have unethical practice of advertising caused?

4.       Has APCON stipulated any measures to curb illegal advertising?

5.       Does advertising lack professional application?

Advertising.

1.6 Significance of the study

It is the belief of the researcher that this study would serve as immense useful purpose to its potential and prospective users. Children, scholars, consumers of goods and services policy makers, advertisers, advertising agencies and advertising researchers would stand to gain a lot from the facts contained in this work. This study upholds the high standard of an ideal advertising practice and therefore benefits the advertisers and faming consumers of advertised goods and services. It serves as an eye opener to a good sense of advertising because the interest of the consumers is paramount.

1.7 Scope of the Study

          This scope of this study is limited to Children in Bori community in Rivers state; however the principle quoted in it can well be applicable to other communities in Nigeria.

1.8 Limitation of the Study

The limitation involved in this work includes the wide nature and time constraint of the study, which resulted in narrowing down the case study to Bori community only.

          The following are the limitation that hinders the study of this research work;

1.       Financial Constraint: There are not enough funds to fuel the study of this research work. The researcher has access to a very little source of fund.

2.       Time Constraints: Due to the limited time available to carry out this research work, it is not possible to carry out the research extensively as anticipated by the researcher.

1.8 Definition of terms

Advertisement: this is the paid form of non personal presentation of goods and services by an identified sponsor.

Television:  this refers to an electronic visual and audio media frequencies used for mass communication.

Children:  these refers to pupils or teenage who are exposed to advertising messages on the television media.

Effect:  this is the impact of television indomie advert on children choice of consumption.

Indomie:  these are noodles for instant breakfast on meal.