BILLBOARD ADVERTISEMENT AND POLITICAL BEHAVIOURS IN 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN UYO METROPOLIS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
The study examines billboard advertising influence on political behaviors in 2015 general elections in Uyo metropolis.
Advertising is a form of mass communication intended in its usual meaning to promote the sale of a product or service
The term is also used for mass communication as it is intended to influence public opinion favorably to gain political support, to advance particular cause, or to elicit some other response desired by the advertiser, although these practices may involve different techniques, measures, and legal requirements.
The advertising message, or advertisement is delivered to its intended audience through the various media, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio, billboards, Internet, e-mail, films and direct mail.
Advertising is distinguish from other forms of communication in that the advertiser pays the medium to deliver the message for this payment, the advertiser receives the opportunity to control the message within legal constants designed to prevent deception and assure fair competition, and within standards of practice enforced by the media, the advertiser is free to say what he wants to say and the way he wants to say it; within limits set availability he can select the particular issue of a newspaper or magazine in which the message will run, in the case of television and radio, he can select the hour and even the time when the message will be on air.
The style of presentation usually identifies the message as an advertisement in some countries, if the message is not readily distinguishable from a medium’s editorial or programme contents, hence the notation, “this is an advertisement” and the name of the advertiser or sponsoring organization are included different kinds of businesses use advertisements to motivate different kinds of markets toward different kinds of responses against this backdrop that the study examine billboard advertising influence on political behavior in 2015 general elections in uyo metropolis. Prior to the lifting of embargo on political activities in Nigeria with reference to uyo metropolis. Political parties: People Democratic Party (PDP) All Progressive Congress (APC).
- Statement of the Problem
Billboard advertisement has not been effectively used on general elections in 2015 by political parties in uyo metropolis. A particular reason that accounts for it is that emphasis has not been placed on its usage. Consequently, it compounds the issue and makes it ineffective. In addition to that advertising experts are of the view that priority is not given to billboard advertisement.
The recently concluded 2015 general elections held on 28th March and 11th April respectively revealed that the eligible voters who were respondents to the research study voted their candidates based on the party philosophy.
This study concerns itself with the level of billboard advertisement appreciation towards the 2015 general elections in uyo. Political class in Uyo metropolis did not act positively based on their behavioral pattern in the just concluded elections. What were the causes? Were they not carried along? Were the catchwords not convincing?
- Objectives of the Study
The objectives intended for this study were:
- assess the influence of billboard advertisement on political behaviors in 2015 general elections in uyo
- find out the relationship between billboard advertisements and political behaviors in 2015 general elections in Uyo
- determine public perceptions of billboard advertisements for 2015 general elections in Uyo
- Investigate the attitudes of the electorate towards billboard advertisements in 2015 general elections in Uyo
- Research Questions
The research questions formulated are:
- Does billboards advertisements has any influence on political behaviours in 2015 general elections in Uyo?
- How does billboards advertisement and political behavior in Uyo relates?
- How does the public react to the billboards advertisements in 2015 general elections in Uyo metropolis?
- Does billboards advertisement in 2015 general elections investigate the attitude of the electorate?
- Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses will detested in this study.
Ho: There is no relationship between billboard advertisement and political behaviours in 2015 general elections in Uyo
Hi: There is relationship between billboard advertisement and political behavior in 2015 general elections in Uyo
1.6 Significance of the Study
This study will be significantly important to both the serving and upcoming advertising agents on bill board advertisement vis-à-vis general elections in Uyo. It would be beneficial to advertisers in Uyo metropolis towards general elections.
Also, the practitioners will benefit immensely because it aims at improving more strategies so as to complement the existing ones it could help to provide timely result for prompt management decision making.
It would be of immense benefits to students of mass communication, business administration, marketing and public administration respectively in Uyo City Polytechnic. However, researchers seeking to gain knowledge on billboard advertising stand a better chance to benefit from it.
It would be significant to final year students and prospective students who might embark upon research work on the topical issues as secondary data.
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study delimits itself to Uyo Local Government Area on the influence of billboard advertising on political behavior in 2015 general elections. The study examines political education of electorates in Uyo metropolis coupled with their behavioral pattern towards political parties. It examines respective political parties and their flag bearers coupled with their political affiliates, supporters vis-à-vis individuals, groups, communities, corporate bodies.
Also, respective political parties logos, motto, captions, sizes billboards finally, it examines their respective strategic locations in the selected four major roads: Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Aka and Abak road respectively .
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Several factors impeded the smooth research of this study even though it was accomplished. The hostility of the respondents (eligible voters) mostly supporters of People Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressive Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), Accord Party (AP) etc to the researcher the timely intervention by the production of letter of introduction from Uyo City Polytechnic compelled compliance most of the respondents’ refusal to divulge information was based on their insufficient knowledge of the topic under discourse.
The researcher conducted several interviews, visits to the selected major roads: Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Aka and Abak respectively which depleted his resources. The researcher was bedeviled by financial impediments, lack of secondary materials, like textbooks, journals, reputable journals etc.
Then, in the course of administering the questionnaires to the respondents. The researcher met obstacles because of their ignorance about billboard advertisement which resulted to production of additional questionnaires to meet the required sampled population for the study.
1.9 Definition of Terms
The researcher defined key terms. There are:
Billboard Advertisement: According to Jerome (2001:55) the term billboard advertising is defined as a type of advertising that typically contains texts for instance copy, logos, photographs or other images, location, location maps and similar items.
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