Influence of internet advertising on purchase of mobile phones among university of Nairobi students

Abstract

Global technology advancement and the growth of internet subscribers have necessitated a review of internet advertising activities. In business, advertisers are increasingly investing in internet marketing schemes. This is because the internet is not only serving as a channel of communication but also becoming a storefront for most businesses. The internet is today considered the first source of contact between traders and consumers. Marketers and online engines have developed solutions to advertise products and services online. They have successfully implemented a variety of online advertisement types/units which include; banner ads, search engine ads, video playback ads and pop ups among others. However, the influence of such campaigns, especially, with regards to purchase has not been studied to reflect the situation in the developing world. The basis of this study was to take into account the different internet cultures in different geographical regions of the world. In this case, the study was based on internet advertising and its influence on purchase of mobile phones in Kenya, specifically among students of the University of Nairobi. The study employed stratified random sampling to select a study sample of 100 respondents. The data was collected through questionnaires. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics including logistic regression. This was aimed at developing the predictive equation with regards to the relationship between internet advertising and purchase of mobile phones. The study findings showed that although the influence of internet advertising was still low, a high purchase recommendation rate was recorded. The findings also concluded a high level of brand awareness due to the wide reach of internet advertising campaigns by mobile phone advertisers. The study further recommends advertisers to conduct market research and incorporate more consumer variables in order to improve their online campaigns and increase direct purchases.