Professional Assessment of Corporate Communication Strategies and Brand Equity in Nigerian Consumer Goods Companies

Corporate communication strategies shape brand equity, and their professional assessment among major Nigerian consumer goods companies provides insights for brand management in a competitive and evolving market environment. This study assessed the corporate communication strategies and their impact on brand equity among 10 major consumer goods companies with nationwide distribution, including Nestlé Nigeria, Cadbury Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria, Chi Limited, Honeywell Flour Mills, and selected FMCG peers, with operations across all geopolitical zones. Communication strategies assessed included media advertising mix, public relations activities, digital communication investment, crisis communication protocols, and sustainability communication. Brand equity was measured using a customer-based brand equity model assessing brand awareness, perceived quality, brand associations, and brand loyalty through a consumer survey of 400 respondents across Lagos, Kano, and Enugu. Multiple regression and brand equity component analysis were employed. Results showed that television advertising investment was the strongest predictor of brand awareness (beta = 0.61, p < 0.001). Sustainability communication positively predicted brand associations among consumers aged 25 to 40 (beta = 0.39, p < 0.01). Digital communication investment was the fastest-growing brand equity driver, with 41% higher effect size in 2023 compared to 2020 baseline estimates. Crisis communication quality was a significant moderator of brand loyalty during product quality incidents. The study concludes that integrated communication strategies combining traditional and digital media with credible sustainability communication produce the strongest brand equity outcomes for Nigerian consumer goods companies. Keywords: corporate communication, brand equity, consumer goods, Nigeria, brand loyalty