Effect of Advertising Channels on Brand Awareness Among Private Tea Factories in Limuru Sub – County, Kenya
Abstract
While the general impact of advertising on brand awareness is well-documented, there remains a notable research gap concerning the effectiveness of specific media channels within Kenya’s vital tea processing sector. It points to the capability of possible buyers to spot or recall a brand, a key factor that greatly influences what they decide to buy. This study investigated the effect of various advertising channels namely newspaper, radio, billboard, and social media on brand awareness in the tea manufacturing sector. The theoretical framework incorporated are Market Response Theory, Cognitive Response Theory, Affective Response Theory, and Persuasive Hierarchy Theory. Data was collected from 72 employees from Limuru Tea Factories. Data was collected through a questionnaire and secondary data via document reviews. A pilot study was conducted to test the validity of the data collection instrument. The validity of the research instrument was conducted through Cronbach Alpha. Descriptive statistics was assessed using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, while inferential statistics employed multiple regression to explore the relationships between research variables. Using a descriptive research design and multiple regression analysis on data from 64 employees, the study found that all four advertising methods—newspaper, radio, billboard, and social media—had a significant and positive effect on brand awareness. Newspaper Advertising is a key indicator that strongly necessitates the establishment and development of brand awareness. The study established that the effects of Social Media Advertising on brand awareness at Limuru Tea Factories. The study suggested that comparative research be conducted to analyze the effectiveness of newspaper, radio, billboard and social media advertising in generating different types of brand awareness (brand recall, brand recognition) among various consumer segments.
Keywords: Advertising, Billboard Advertising, Brand Awareness, Marketing Communication, Newspaper Advertising, Radio Advertising, Social Media Advertising.
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