Abstract

Most recent media and communication ecosystem has rapidly evolved and expanded beyond the traditional conventional media. Along with the evolution of ubiquitous platforms like WhatsApp, the hitherto very expensive endeavour of traditional marketing is increasing been scaled down by businesses -while creating a marketing communication hegemony for big-tech companies. Besides the use of product pictures as WhatsApp profile pictures, users are enticed to be entertained via WhatsApp-Status while becoming exposed to product information. Hence, it became imperative to investigate selected nuances around the adoption and use of WhatsApp.  This split-group research efforts which is framed by the utilitarianism and rational choice theory, delves into an exposition of the exposures to WhatsApp in general -but specifically, the varied efficacy of WhatsApp-status based product-information marketing. Highlights of the findings show that significant differences in respect to WhatsApp status exposures. However, exposure is generally high. Counting from 3-point rating above, group I and II respectively peak at 75% and 66.7%.  While group I showed a corresponding strong positive relationship between exposure to WhatsApp statuses and knowledge of products marketed via WhatsApp status post, group II showed a weak but still positive correlation. Particularly in relation to adoption and strategic use of WhatsApp statuses product marketing communication, this study notes that businesses ought to mind how peer connections and demographic contexts may influence customers’ exposures and relative use. 

Key Words: Digitization, New-Media, WhatsApp, Product-Information, ­Digital-Marketing, Marketing-Communication

About the Authors

* Emmanuel Olurotimi Olubodede is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria

** Isaac Imo-Ter Nyam, Ph.D. is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria.

^JCMR Journal of Communication and Media Research, Vol. 15, No. 1, Special Issue 3, July 2023, pp. 168-174

© Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON).

Article Citation

Olubodede, E. O. & Nyam, I. I. (2023). Quasi-experimental survey of WhatsApp-based knowledge of marketed products. Journal of Communication and Media Research, 15 (1, SP.3): 168-174.

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