Title: Measuring consumer perception of ethical issues in advertising: evidence from Nigerian advertising audience

Authors: Shafiu Ibrahim Abdullahi

Addresses: Economic Issues Consult, P.O. Box 14608, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract: This research used logit model to empirically test Nigerian consuming public views on parameters related to ethics in advertisements in the Nigerian media in relation to the respondents' personal characteristics. These parameters include age level, education, religion, extravagancy (wastefulness) and deception (lies) featuring in advertising messages. Thus, the paper tries to find out the attitude of Nigerian consumers towards controversial advertising. Data for the study was collected using questionnaires distributed to respondents who are presumed familiar with advertising messages being convened through mediums such as TV, Radio, print media, social media and the net. The study finds respondents' educational level and religiosity to play an important role in determining how he/she perceives ethical issues (advertising offences) in advertising. With both variables having positive effects on consumers' ethical orientation, while wastefulness as promoted by advertising messages is detested by more ethically oriented consumers.

Keywords: ethics; advertising; consumers; logit model; conspicuous; Nigeria; religion; empirical; immorality; deception; advertising offence; controversial advert.

DOI: 10.1504/MEJM.2018.093610

Middle East Journal of Management, 2018 Vol.5 No.3, pp.191 - 206

Received: 23 Sep 2017
Accepted: 06 Oct 2017
Published online: 30 Jul 2018 *

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