Impact of Advertising on the Consumption of Locally Made Products Among UNIZIK Students

The sustained dominance of foreign-brand advertising in Nigerian media landscapes has raised persistent questions about whether advertising expenditure by local producers can effectively shift consumer preferences among young educated Nigerians toward domestically manufactured goods. This study examined the impact of advertising exposure on the consumption of locally made products among undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka. The study was anchored on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), which posits that persuasion through advertising is mediated by the route of cognitive processing, with highly involved consumers evaluating product arguments centrally and less involved consumers responding to peripheral cues such as celebrity endorsement and aesthetic appeal. A survey research design was adopted, targeting a population of 11,000 students at UNIZIK. A sample of 372 respondents was selected through stratified random sampling, and a structured questionnaire was administered to assess advertising exposure patterns, product quality perceptions, and consumption decisions. Findings revealed that advertising for Nigerian-made food products, clothing, and personal care items positively influenced purchase intent, though quality perception remained a persistent barrier to actual purchase in 64 percent of cases. Celebrity endorsements by Nigerian public figures produced significantly higher attitudinal favourability toward local products than generic advertising. Social media advertising was rated more persuasive than television or radio for locally made products. The study concluded that advertising positively influences willingness to consider locally made products but must be complemented by quality assurance messaging to overcome entrenched consumer scepticism. It was recommended that local producers invest in integrated advertising campaigns combining celebrity endorsement, social media engagement, and product guarantee messaging.
Keywords: advertising, local products, consumer behaviour, UNIZIK students, elaboration likelihood model