ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER PRODUCT ACCEPTANCES ON BRAND LOYALTY
1.1 INTRODUCTION
In our economy today, wants satisfaction has generally replaced the necessity of fulfilling only basic physiological needs. This however has exposed Nigerian consumers who by virtue of circumstances, education and awareness are becoming enlightened as the day go by to numerous influences and factors which propel them to accept a product or develop a brand loyalty.
Consumer’s attitude towards a product according to Kotler and Armstrong (2008:143) is being shaped and influenced by psychological factors such as motivation, perception, learning, personality, attitude and belief. Consumers are also influenced by certain product features and characteristics such as product style, quantity, quality design, colour, packaging and labeling.
Picking it up form there, Nebo and Onyeke (2000:65) Pointed out seller centered factors like image, credibility, price, advertisement and sales promotion. Situation centered factors also play a role in determining what the consumer buys; such as age, income, social group or reference group favourable brand attitude, in doubt is determined by this factors.
Ultimately, marketing is the art of creating, attracting and keeping profitable customers., in order to covert occasional purchasers into brand loyalists, habits must be reinforced by appealing to the afore-mentioned factors that shape consumer purchase attitude, because they hold the key to success or failure of any product.
Against this backdrop, consumer acceptance, preference and loyalty are very important to manufactures of consumer products. Outstanding and successful companies have priotized this by building and developing army of consumer loyalists who are less sensitive to price change and competitive promotion. This set of consumers are ready and willing to search for their favorite brand.
In essence, the topic of this research study stemmed form the researchers deep desire to personally investigate and unravel the success of Nigerian first indigenous beer “STAR LAGER BEER”. Star brewed and bottled buy Nigerian Breweries PLc is synonymous and comes to mind once beer is mentioned among the youths.
The imagination of why “star Lager Beer” is Nigerian’s most popular beer will continue to hover until the end of this research study.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In today’s highly competitive, dynamic and challenging business environment, the level of consumer product acceptance and preference are critical to survival of business. Also the unpredictable and transient nature of consumers which studies have shown are more complex than a machine cannot be over-emphasized. Each day consumers are becoming more rational and speculative in their spending, willing to spend their hard earned money on product they believe will give them value and maximize their utility.
Interestingly, in the midst of all these uncertainties, one company, one product have continued to soar high by placing and positioning an indelible products in the minds of Nigeria beer consumers. Nigerian Breweries plc, brewers and bottlers of “STAR” is worth celebrating. STAR, the first indigenous beer in Nigeria, and the only beer believe to have assumed the status of a national icon.
