AUDIENCE PERCEPTION OF PIDGIN ENGLISH ADVERTISEMENTS IN NIGERIAN BROADCAST MEDIA (A STUDY OF BENIN-CITY)

ABSTRACT

In a world of fierce competition and emergence of internet as a powerful, borderless media, gaining and retaining the attention of consumers and customers and persuading them to buy products and services through the broadcast media is becoming more challenging and important. Although advertising has been proved to be effective in providing market information about products and service, yet its understanding and comprehension to the masses has been questioned consistently. Thus, it is important for the advertisers, advertising agencies and the media to understand the role that languages played in reaching the target market audience with simple market information about products.

This research examined audience perception of Pidgin English advertisements in Nigerian broadcast media using Benin-City as a reference point. The inhabitants of Benin-City municipal are mainly business men and women of various ethnic backgrounds mostly Hausas, Igbos and Yorubas; hence the use of Pidgin English is regarded as the best medium of public interaction and communication in carrying out their daily activities. These people mostly understand the ‘surface structure’ of communicated messages in Standard English language and several others cannot even comprehend at all. Hence, this study examined if Pidgin English holds the interest of audience when used as a vehicle for conveying advertising messages by the advertisers via the broadcast media and also find out if Pidgin English can help decrease misconception and misunderstanding as regards advertised products. It also intends to explore the potentials of the Nigerian Pidgin English as a language of public and mass communication in Nigeria. Survey research method was adopted in the study and 200 well-structured questionnaires were administered on the purposively selected respondents at random.

Data gathered were analysed by the use of table constructs, frequency count and simple percentages. The findings of the research showed that Pidgin English usage in advertisements helps to reduce misconception and misunderstanding of advert information and also holds the interest of the audience when used as a medium of communication. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that the use of Pidgin English in advertisements should be encouraged. Since the study covers only Benin-City municipal, the researcher recommended for further study to find out whether the general public would embrace the culture of using Pidgin English language more often for broadcast programmes and perhaps adopts it as one of the country’s lingua franca.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page ------------------------------------------------------------------------- i

Title Page --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii

Declaration -------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii

Certification ------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv

Dedication --------------------------------------------------------------------------- v

Acknowledgements -------------------------------------------------------------------- vi

Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------ x

List of Tables --------------------------------------------------------------------------- xiii

Abstract --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xvi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION.

1.0. Background to the Study -------------------------------------------------- 1

1.1. Statement of the Problem -------------------------------------------------- 8

1.2. Objectives of the Study ---------------------------------------------------- 8

1.3. Research Questions --------------------------------------------------------- 9

1.4. Significance of the Study -------------------------------------------------- 9

Scope of the Study ------------------------------------------------------------ 10

Limitations of the Study ------------------------------------------------------ 10

Operational Definition of Terms --------------------------------------------11

xi

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW.

2.0. Introduction --------------------------------------------------------------- 12

The Origin and Concept of Nigerian Pidgin English --------------- 12

The Pervasiveness and Influence of Pidgin English ----------------- 18 2.3. The Origin and Evolution Advertising --------------------------------- 20 2.4. Concept and Nature of Advertising ------------------------------------- 24 2.4.1. Classification of Advertisements -------------------------------- 27

Types of Advertisements ----------------------------------------------------- 29

Roles and Functions of Advertisement ------------------------------------- 29

Purpose of Advertisement ------------------------------------------------- 31

The Imperative of Using Pidgin English for Advertisements in Nigeria -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32

The Interface between Pidgin English Advertisements and Broadcasting in Nigeria ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 34

2.7. Theoretical Framework --------------------------------------------------- 36

2.7.1. The Preponderance Theory -------------------------------------------- 36

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.

3.0. Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- 38

3.1 Research Design ---------------------------------------------------------------- 38

Population of the Study ------------------------------------------------------- 39

Sample Size and Sampling Technique ------------------------------------- 39

xii

Data Collection Instrument -------------------------------------------------- 40

Validity and Reliability of Instrument -------------------------------------- 41

3.6. Procedure of Data Administration -------------------------------------- 41

3.7. Sources of Data ------------------------------------------------------------ 41

. Primary Source of Data ----------------------------------------------------- 41

. Secondary Source of Data -------------------------------------------------- 41

3.8. Method of Data Analysis ------------------------------------------------- 42

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS.

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- 43

Data Presentation and Analysis---------------------------------------------- 43

Discussion of Findings ------------------------------------------------------- 54

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

Introduction -------------------------------------------------------------------- 58

Summary ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 58

Conclusion --------------------------------------------------------------------- 59

Recommendation -------------------------------------------------------------- 60

5.4. Suggestions for Further Studies ----------------------------------------- 60

REFERENCES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 61

APPENDIX ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 69

Questionnaire ------------------------------------------------------------------- 70