INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL NATIVE ADVERTISING ON THE ADOPTION OF HEALTHY PRACTICES AMONG USERS OF COSMETICS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN NIGERIA.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY Establishing a business venture, particularly within the cosmetics industry, demands a series of strategic decisions from stakeholders. As defined by Inyene and Chi (2021), cosmetics encompass any substances utilized to cleanse the skin, hair, nails, or teeth, and those used to enhance or alter physical appearance. These include cosmetic formulations like makeup, perfumes, creams, and nail products, as well as grooming essentials such as soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, and deodorants. One pivotal decision in this sector relates to marketing strategies—especially the deployment of advertising initiatives to inform, persuade, and educate the intended consumer base about the brand and its product offerings. Although the overarching aim of advertising campaigns is to stimulate demand, achieving this objective is typically incremental and requires a systematic rollout of promotional strategies. This may involve optimizing a blend of promotional tools, including advertising, sales promotions, personal selling, public relations, direct marketing, and product packaging to drive market engagement. In this regard, advertising is widely acknowledged as a potent mechanism for conveying a product’s unique value and benefits to its target audience. This explains why businesses often allocate substantial budgets to advertising, recognizing it as an indispensable element in achieving business growth and sustainability. Osunbiyi (1999), as cited in Ijagwu (2019), characterized advertising as a powerful commercial instrument that possesses persuasive, informative, and expansive capabilities across cultures. While advertising's primary function is to raise awareness, it also stimulates innovation, thereby broadening consumer choices through the introduction of new and improved products. Cohen (1988) further described advertising as a commercial process that employs creative strategies to craft persuasive messages delivered via mass media, aimed at promoting ideas, products, or services in alignment with business objectives, consumer needs, and societal welfare. Although advertising messages may be admired or disliked depending on their aesthetics or substance, their inherent ability to captivate makes them difficult to ignore. With evolving consumer behaviors and the proliferation of new businesses, advertising methods have also adapted—giving rise to contemporary forms such as digital advertising on social media platforms. Rishi and Bandyopadhya (2018) explained that digital media advertising represents a modern approach where businesses leverage social networking sites to enhance consumer awareness of their products and services. While managing these platforms can be time-consuming, their ability to precisely target audiences based on demographic, psychographic, and behavioral data makes them a preferred choice for marketers. In the cosmetics industry specifically, companies are increasingly employing pop-up advertisements on digital platforms to reach wide audiences concurrently—assuming users are actively engaging with those platforms. Mäkinen (2019) noted that the addictive nature of social media turns users into readily available recipients of such advertisements, which, by design, demand attention—even if users find them intrusive. However, for advertising to be deemed successful, it must evoke a response or emotional engagement that ultimately influences consumer behavior, such as purchase, usage, or even advocacy of a product or idea. 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM According to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the cosmetics industry stands as one of the top global contributors to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with Nigeria emerging as one of Africa’s fastest-growing markets—outpacing countries like Brazil and Russia. As the consumption of cosmetic products intensifies, the market landscape becomes increasingly intricate. Consequently, cosmetic companies are transitioning from traditional media approaches to more innovative digital advertising strategies. Cho and Park (2019) noted that digital native advertising is gaining momentum due to its interactive qualities and the ease of evaluating its impact through digital metrics. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter provide users with greater access to product information and foster more direct interactions between consumers and the brands that advertise on these channels. Despite these developments, the precise contribution of pop-up advertising to brand loyalty, revenue growth, and consumer adoption of healthy product usage remains contentious among marketing professionals and scholars. Hsieh, Chiu, and Lie (2020) argue that cosmetic sales growth can often be attributed to other determinants such as product quality, personal preferences, long-term brand loyalty, and health-conscious consumption behaviors, rather than solely advertising exposure. This challenges the assumption that digital native advertising, particularly pop-ups, is the main driver of market performance. Furthermore, Wijaya and Yulianti (2020) highlight that pop-up advertisements can become disruptive and counterproductive, especially when users perceive them as irritating. In cases where these ads obstruct user experience, their intended influence on consumer behavior may be diminished. Given the ongoing debate surrounding the effectiveness of digital pop-up ads in shaping consumer behavior, this study seeks to critically assess the influence of digital native advertising—specifically Dettol pop-up ads—on the promotion of healthy consumption practices among users of cosmetics and personal care products in Nigeria. 1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The primary objective of this study is to assess the influence of digital native advertising on the promotion of healthy consumption behaviors among Nigerian users of cosmetics and personal care products, using Dettol pop-up advertisements as a case study. The specific objectives include: i. To identify the digital platforms through which Dettol disseminates pop-up advertisements targeted at cosmetic users. ii. To assess the perception of consumers of cosmetic and personal care products regarding the use of pop-up advertisements. iii. To investigate the relationship between digital native advertising and consumers’ purchasing intentions. iv. To examine the extent to which Dettol pop-up advertisements influence the adoption of good health practices among users of cosmetics and personal care products. 1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS This study is guided by the following research questions: i. What are the key digital platforms used by Dettol to display pop-up ads to cosmetics users? ii. How do users of cosmetics and personal care products perceive pop-up advertisements? iii. What relationship exists between digital native advertising and the purchasing intentions of cosmetics users? iv. To what extent do Dettol pop-up ads influence the promotion of good health practices among cosmetics and personal care products users? 1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES The study is guided by the following hypotheses: HO1: Users of cosmetics and personal care products perceive pop-up advertisements negatively. HO2: Dettol pop-up advertisements have no significant effect on the promotion of healthy practices among users of cosmetics and personal care products. 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This study offers valuable insights for cosmetics manufacturers who promote their products via social media. By examining the nature, effectiveness, and consumer impact of digital native advertising, it will equip businesses with actionable knowledge to enhance their marketing strategies, especially in attracting and influencing consumer behavior—such as purchase, usage, and brand loyalty. Additionally, this research contributes to academic discourse on digital advertising by enriching existing literature and providing a reference point for future research in marketing communication and consumer behavior studies. 1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this study centers on examining the influence of digital native advertising on the adoption of healthy practices among consumers of cosmetics and personal care products in Nigeria, focusing on Dettol pop-up advertisements. The research explores how digital media platforms—including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—affect consumer behavior, particularly in promoting health-conscious purchasing decisions. The study is geographically limited to Dettol users residing in Lagos State. 1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY As with most research endeavors, this study encountered several limitations. One major challenge was the limited availability of academic literature specifically addressing the impact of digital native advertising on healthy consumption of cosmetic products in Nigeria, which necessitated extensive time and effort in sourcing credible references and empirical data. Another limitation lies in the study's narrow scope—focusing solely on Dettol users in Lagos State—thereby limiting the generalizability of the findings to other brands or regions. The emphasis on small and medium-scale enterprises further restricts the applicability of the conclusions across broader commercial contexts, indicating opportunities for future research expansion. 1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS Advertising: A set of techniques employed to promote products, services, or ideas to the public, aiming to persuade target audiences to act in a specific manner. Digital Native Advertising: A form of paid promotion that integrates seamlessly with the format and style of the host platform, typically appearing in social media feeds or as content recommendations on websites. Cosmetics: Products designed to cleanse, beautify, enhance appearance, or maintain the condition of the skin, hair, and body, with minimal or no therapeutic effect. Consumer Behavior: The study of how individuals or groups select, purchase, use, and dispose of products, services, or ideas, driven by both psychological and social motives in the marketplace.