This work reports the results of an experiment carried out among consumers of three competing brands of toothpaste in Lagos Metropolis. The study examined the effects of consumers' gender, age and exposure to advertorials on the nature and patterns of psychological functioning. The study was anchored on the “associationist bond concept” which is alternatively called the principle of “connectionism” developed by Thorndike. Data were collected from 40(comprises of 20 males and 20 females) randomly selected unsuspected consumers in an experimental set up.
Result reveals significant positive correlation between factual memory, visual cognition, and consumer preference and brand awareness. Also, results of MANOVA conducted shows that exposure to advert had significant effect on factual memory, visual cognition and brand awareness respectively. Similarly, interaction between gender and age and between age and exposure to advertorials were significant on consumer's visual cognition respectively.
Specifically, result indicated that visual cognition was higher among young adult irrespective of their gender when they are exposed to tele-adverts. Also, visual recognition was higher among adults who are exposed to advertisement than adults who are not exposed to advertisement. Theoretical and practical implications of the finding are discussed in the light of the challenges demanded by globalization, increased competition and the danger of deceptive advertisement on advertising as a whole.
