ABSTRACT
This research project seeks to examine the assistance of various brands of packed water in Enugu metropolis with a view of establishing what extent consumers preference of one brand of packaged water over the other can be attributed to each of the market factors. To solve the research problem, both primary and secondary data were collected. The research instruments used in collecting the data were questionnaires and oral interview. The respondents consist of distributors and consumers of packaged water products. In organizing and presenting data collected tables, frequencies and percentages were used. From the data analysis and interpretation the following findings came up as factors influencing consumer brand preference at packaged water in Enugu: taste, price and availability of the product. In the performance of the five various brand covered in this study, the respondents outcome stipulates that Aqua Rapha is most preferred brand during the time of the study followed by Bejoy water. Based on the findings, the researcher makes the following recommendations. There should be more involvement of the research and development unit of packaged water industry in regular monitoring of brand preference, to ensure timely modification of poorly performing brand. The quality control unit of package water should be up and doing to maintain steady taste of the product and make the packages water content of the water to be in consonance with the request and demands of the consumer. Locating of depots at strategic places to boost product availability. The researcher yet recommends the going type of pricing or rather if possible a very little increase when necessary. Therefore, constant brand preference analysis will enable packaged water marketers to know the actual group of consumers they are to satisfy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Approval Page ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
- Background of the study 1
- Statement of the Problem 3
- Objective of the study 6
- Research Questions 7
- Significance of the study 8
- Scope of the Study 10
- Definition of Terms 10
CHAPTER TWO
Review Of Related Literature
2.1 Consumer Buying Behaviour and Habit 12
2.2 Consumers Personality and Brand Preference 15
2.3 The roles of price in the determination of brand preference 17
2.4 Consumer Attitude Towards Alternative and Brand Preference 19
2.5 Learning and Brand Preferences 20
2.5.1Consumer satisfaction as a measure of brand preference 23
2.5.2Demographic factors and brand preferences 24
2.6 Summary of the Related Literature 27
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 sources of Data 28
3.2 Area of study 29
3.3 Population of study 30
3.4 sample Size Determination 30
3.5 Validation of Instruments 31
3.6 methods of Data Collecting 32
3.7 Method of Data Analysis 32
CHAPTER FOUR
Presentation and Analysis of Data 33
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary of findings
5.1 Findings 48
5.2 Conclusion 49
5.2 Recommendations 50
Bibliography
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Branding is a major issue in product strategy. On the other hand, developing a branded product requires a great deal of long term investment spending, especially for advertising promotion and packaging. It would be easier for manufacturers to make the product for other to brand. That was the course taken by Taiwanese manufacturer, who makes a great amount of the world’s clothing, consumer electronics and computers but not under Taiwanese and brand names. On the other hand, these manufacturers eventually learn that the power lines with the brand names companies.
According to the marketing definition of consumer brand, it is a product that is well known and that is bought by individual people rather than by companies. A powerful brand name is said to have consumer franchise. This is evidenced when a sufficient number of customers demand that brand and refuse a substitute, even if the price is somehow lower. In the past, most products went unbranded, products and middlemen sold their goods out of barrels, bins and cases, without any supplier identity. The earliest sign of branding were in the efforts of medieval guilds to require crafts people to put trade marks on their product to protect themselves and consumer against inferior quality.
Today, branding is such a strong force that hardly anything goes unbranded. On may then ask, why do sellers prefer to brand their products when it clearly involves the cost of packaging, labeling, legal protection and a risk if the product should prove unsatisfying to the user. It turns out that branding gives the seller several advantages.
First the brand name makes it easier for the seller to process and track down problems. Secondly, branding gives the seller the opportunity to attract a loyal and profitable set of customers. Thirdly, branding makes it possible for a company to create a preferential demand for their product in a class of products. Brand name is a term, symbol, design or a company specific name for a particular product or service or combination thereof that identifies and distinguishes a sellers product or service from competitors offering.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is known that in every Nigerian market, marketing manager is often with the problem of how to determine the nature of demand for his products in a given market segment. Further, he is faced with the problem of determining isolating factors responsible for the variation in the demand pattern.
Given the proliferation of packaged water factories in Enugu metropolis in particular and Nigeria in general, various management of packaged water producing firms are faced with the problem of not only identifying suitable strategies for out competing within the industry. But also that of various component of marketing mix variables for the purpose of stimulating demand of their brand product. This has led to the stimulating demand of their brand product. This has led to the situation of “too much on one and not enough on other” that characterizes different companies budgetary allocation to and policy emphasis on different component of marketing mix.
The suitable question that come to mind now include:
How do we blend all the controllable variables together to have a reasonable return? How do we make up our budgetary allocation on different components of promotional mix to be able to survive, grow or improve our market share in this competitive industry? Answers to these and some other related questions constitute the central task of this research study. This is especially important now in the represent states of Nigeria economy and now in the face of the added problem of local sourcing of raw materials for producing of packaged water, when it is most desirable for firms to identify areas of unnecessary wastes to cost without adversely affecting marketing efforts.
Specifically, it is has become necessary to determine:
- To what extent is consumption of packaged water influenced brand name?
- To what extent does advertising factors influence the consumer preference of one brand of packaged water over others.
- To what extent does cost influence consumer brand preference.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study seeks to examine the market acceptance of various brands of packaged water products in Enugu metropolis with a view of establishing to what extent consumers preference of one brand of packaged water over others can be attributed to each of the market factors.
Specifically, the objectives of this study will be as follows:
- To provide information about the most effective advertising mode for good message registration, attitudes and preference for the product brand in question, as well as the consumer most recent buying behaviour.
- To identify the source and nature of the difference in consumer preference of the packaged water under study.
- The study may serve the added function of assisting the various management in the evaluation of the factors in order to improve future decision making.
- To determine the strength of each of the factors in motivating consumer choice of the brand of packaged water.
- To suggest ways of improving an availability of the product, its price, quality, competitive efforts and creating awareness in influencing the consumers preferences of one brand of packaged water over the other and as to suggest the expected proportion of each.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To solve the research problem, the researcher has asked the following questions:
- Does brand name influence or determine consumers preference of packaged water?
- Does quality of product have any impact on consumer brand preference of packaged water?
- What variable does a consumer consider when buying a particular brand of packaged water?
- Does cost influence or determine consumers preference of packaged water?
- Does consumer income influence a particular brand of packaged water?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is expected that the finding of this study will be of immense help to the various packaged water producing companies in the following ways:
- The study will help packaged water producing companies to know the variable that limits and motivates a consumers brand preference of one packaged water over others.
- To know the promotional tools to use in other to meet their various level of consumers.
- To plan their marketing activities in such a way as to better define their target market and to recognize some of the reasons for the product brand.
- To be in a good position to tailor their products to meet the need of their customers.
- Through this study the various managements of the packaged water may find need to undertake fresh benefits analysis of their entire marketing effort campaign with a view to attaining optimum budgetary allocation.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The factors influencing consumer brand preference shall be analyzed based on data collected from consumers. This study shall be limited to consumer product perspective, quality service and implementation.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
– Consumers: kotler (1980) reveals that consumers are the end users of any product.]
– Consumer Brand: Adirika E.O (1999) it is a product that is well known and that is bought by individual people rather than by companies.
– Franchise: Kotler (1984) it is a formal permission given to a company that want to sell their goods or services in a particular area by the owners of the trademark.
– Marketers: Kotler (1979) they are individuals and organization who buy a particular product from a company and supply to their customers
– Product: Kotle (1989) they are those things which are offered to the target market for attention, acquisition, use or consumption that might satisfy human wants.
– Brand: Nwokoyo (1984) a name term sign symbol or design or a combination of them are intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors.
– Brand name: Nwokoyo (1984) reveals it as that part of a brand which can be vocalized example is Nigerian airway etc.
– Trade mark: Kotler (1999) a brand or part of brand that is given legal protection because it is capable of excessive appropriation.
– Copyright: Hamper (1966) says exclusive legal right to reproduce publish and sell the matter that form a literary musical or artistic work.
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