THE INFLUENCE OF ADVERTISING ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE: A STUDY OF GUINNESS FOREIGN EXTRA STOUT AND WILFORT DARK ALE

This study examines the influence of advertising on consumer preference for Guinness Stout and WIlfort Dark Ale. The survey method of research was adopted and 200 literate consumers of the brands under study who reside in Ibadan were purposively selected and sampled. Data collected were analyzed using percentage grade tabulation and correlation analysis. Results show that consumers perceive Guinness Stout adequately advertised and Wilfort Dark Ale under advertised. In terms of quality, consumers rated Guinness Stout adverts higher than that of Wilfort Dark Ale. The study also revealed that advertising influences consumer preference, however, quality (taste) and availability in that order, have greater influence on consumer preference than advertisements. The study concludes that advertisements alone cannot bring about brand preference. It is in this regard, that the following among others were recommended: That producers should ensure that their products are of very good quality and are made available to the people where and when needed. Specifically, Guinness Nigeria. Plc, producers of Guinness Stout should sustain Guinness Stout’s advertisement in terms of quality, reach and frequency, while, Sona Breweries, producers of Wilfort Dark Ale should consider it important to increase its advertisement of Wilfort and extend the advertisement to other media such as radio and television if and when they are ready to expand their market.     &nbsp