ABSTRACT

This study analysed University of Uyo students’ perception of religious advertisements on billboards in Uyo. The research technique employed was the survey method. A sample of 370 respondents were drawn from six clusters which represented six faculties of the university of Uyo. The cluster and simple random sampling methods were employed. Results show that students do not say religious ads should continue as they are not satisfied with it and their messages. Findings also show that students perceive religious ads as a misplaced priority because they feel religious institutions should not be focused on advertising, students are not influenced in their choice of church followership by those ads but by greater motivating factors such as invitation, testimonies and experiences by fellow students and instead see churches as money-making ventures through these ads. Consequently, it was recommended that religious institutions should focus more on their original purpose as was intended by Christ which is to fish people unto salvation and on the promotion of goodness and morality in the society, through advertising and other means and not on advertising abilities and what they can offer.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER                                        TITLE                                                PAGES

 

Title page        -           -           -           -           i

Declaration      -           -           -           -           ii

Certification    -           -           -           -           iii

Dedication      -           -           -           -           iv

Acknowledgements    -           -           -           v

Abstract          -           -           -           -           vi

Table of Contents       -           -           -           vii

List of Tables  -           -           -           -           xi

CHAPTER ONE:  INTRODUCTION      

1.1              Background of the study        -           -           -           -           -           -           1

1.2              Statement  of the problem      -           -           -           -           -           -           4

1.3              Objectives of the Study          -           -           -           -           -           -           6

1.4              Research Questions     -           -           -           -           -           -           -           6

1.5              Justification of the study        -           -           -           -           -           -           7

1.6              Delimitation of the study        -           -           -           -           -           -           8

1.7              Limitation of the Study          -           -           -           -           -           -           8

1.8              Operational Definition of Terms         -           -           -           -           -           9

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1       Review of Concepts   -           -           -           -           -           -           -           10

2.1.1    Concept of Mass Communication      -           -           -           -           -           10

2.1.2    Mass Media and Society         -           -           -           -           -           -           13

2.1.3    Mass Media and Advertising              -           -           -           -           -           14

2.1.4    Mass Media and Religious Marketing            -           -           -           -           17

2.1.5    Perception Studies and Selectivities   -           -           -           -           -           19

2.1.6    Concept of Advertising          -           -           -           -           -           -           23

2.1.7    Religious Advertising in Nigeria        -           -           -           -           -           24

2.2       Review of Opinions    -           -           -           -           -           -           -           26

2.3       Review of Studies      -           -           -           -           -           -           -           29

2.4       Theoretical Framework           -           -           -           -           -           -           31

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1       Research Method        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           34

3.2       Population of the Study          -           -           -           -           -           -           35

3.3       Sample size and Sampling Procedure -           -           -           -           -           35

3.4       Description of Research Instrument   -           -           -           -           -           37

3.5       Validity of Research Instrument        -           -           -           -           -           38

3.6       Method of Data Collection     -           -           -           -           -           -           39

3.7       Method of Data Analysis       -           -           -           -           -           -           39

CHAPTER FOUR:  DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1       Data Presentation and Analysis          -           -           -           -           -           40

4.2       Discussion of Findings           -           -           -           -           -           -           47

CHAPTER FIVE:  SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1       Summary of Findings -           -           -           -           -           -           -           52

5.2       Conclusion      -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           52

5.3       Recommendations      -           -           -           -           -           -           -           53

5.4       Suggestion for Further Studies           -           -           -           -           -           53

            References      -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           54

            Appendix        -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -           56

LIST OF TABLES

Tables

1:         Awareness of Religious ads on Billboards     -           -           -                       40

2:         Frequency of Contact with religious ads on billboards          -                       41

3:         Why respondents say religious ads are put up            -           -                       42

4:         How respondents perceive religious ads         -           -           -                       42

5:         Reasons for respondent’s perception of religious ads            -           -                       43

6:         Influence of religious ads on billboards on respondent’s choice of

church followership    -           -           -           -           -           -                       44

7:         Influence of religious ads on how respondents perceive churches as a

Whole  -           -           -           -           -           -           -           -                       44

8:         Respondents’ reasons why religious ads make them have their

perception of churches            -           -           -           -           -                       45

9:         Respondents’ ways on how religious ads have impacted

them generally -           -           -           -           -           -           -                       46

10:       Respondents’ on if they think religious ads should continue -                       47

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the study

            Religion, despite the ups and downs that make up its history, remains decisive in the world.  In Nigeria, religion is not just decisive, it decides things that become decisive, every single facet of the normality and abnormality of the country has religious patches all over it.

            Nigeria is a country with high poverty rate, with over 70% of the population living on less than N800 a day.  This is an adequate reason for majority of the population to look to divine quarters for solutions to their problems.

            Religion is defined as a “cultural system of behaviour and practices, world views, sacred texts, holy places, ethics and societal organization that relates humanity to an order of existence” (Wikipedia 2016). Regarding the relationship between religion and advertising, Colson and Pearcey (1998) claim “The people who developed the art of modern advertising in the early part of this (20th) century were largely Christians, often sons of clergymen, who imported the methodology of religious revivalism into the commercial arena”.

            Cooperman (2004) maintains “organized religion is becoming a commodity, we package ourselves carefully for new buyers, emphasizing the selling point that will meet their market researched needs”.

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