4.0 Findings

Bar Chart 4.1: Q1

The numbers of male and female respondents participated in this research were almost the same.

There are still higher numbers of male respondents if compared to female respondents.

Bar Chart 4.2: Q2

Majority of the respondents in this research were between 21-23 years old, an ideal age

for university students. Following is university students between 17 – 20 years old, who

mainly still having their pre-university program. Not all universities offered pre-

university program, which explained the lower number of respondents from this age

range. There are countable among of respondents over 23 years old because many of the

students had been graduated.

Bar Chart 4.3: Q3

There were more respondents from private universities (177 respondents or equivalent of 57.5%)

than public universities ( 131 respondents or equivalent of 42.5%).

Bar Chart 4.4: Q4

Most of the respondents were full-time students (212 respondents). There were quite a number

students working part-time while being a full-time students too (66 respondents with 21.4%).

There were only 33 respondents (equivalent to 9.7%) were studying part-time universities

course.

Bar Chart 4.5: Q5

Being a normal student, most of them had below RM500 monthly income, with 146 respondents

(equivalent 47.4%). There were only 91 respondents with monthly income of RM501 –

RM1,000. There were even less respondents with RM1,001 – RM1,500 and over RM1,501 of

monthly income, with only 34 and 37 respondents respectively.

Bar Chart 4.6: Q6

Most of the respondents agreed that advertising is amusing and entertaining with 164

respondents and 38 respondents “Agree” and “Strongly Agree” respectively. There were only 17

respondents disagreed in this statement and 1 respondent strongly disagreed. The remaining 93

respondents fell under neutral category.

Bar Chart 4.7: Q7

There were high number of respondents agreed that advertisements are more enjoyable than

other media content, with 133 respondents agreed and 41 respondents strongly agreed. There

were quite a number of respondents feel neutral (92 respondents) in this statement. There were

39 respondents disagreed and the rest 3 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.8: Q8

It is obvious that majority of the respondents agreed that they take pleasure in thinking about

what they saw or heard in advertisements, with 50.6% (156 respondents) agreed and 12.3% (38

respondents) strongly agreed. There were 92 respondents caught in the middle between agreeing

or disagreeing. There were only 21 respondents disagreed and 1 respondent strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.9: Q9

Even though majority of the respondents (133 respondents) agreed that advertising contains a lot

of excitement and surprises, there were high numbers of respondents felt neutral in this statement

too, with 116 respondents. There were only 24 respondents strongly agreed in this. The rest 34

respondents disagree and 1 more respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.10: Q10

Many respondents (146 respondents) agreed that advertising contains funny characters and its

enjoyable most of the time. About 24 respondents were strongly agreed on this. There were high

percentages of respondents neutral in this with 29.5%, equivalent to 91 respondents. A total of 42

respondents disagreed and 5 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.10: Q11

A total of 133 respondents (equivalent 43.2%) agreed that advertising helps nation’s economy.

There were 45 respondents (14.6%) strongly agreed in this. However, 98 respondents (equivalent

to 31.8%) stood in the middle, without agreeing or disagreeing. There were only 27 respondents

and 5 respondents disagreed and strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.12: Q12

A high number of 146 respondents disagreed that advertising is wasteful of economic resources

and additional 40 respondents strongly disagreed. There were quite many respondents felt neutral

in this, with 89 respondents (equivalent to 9.4%). There were only 29 respondents agreed and 4

respondents strongly agreed in this.

Bar Chart 4.13: Q13

More than half of the respondents agreed that advertising promotes competition which benefits

the consumers, with 156 respondents agreed and 57 respondents strongly agreed. There were

only 64 respondents in the neutral state. There were only 19 respondents and 12 respondents

disagreed and strongly disagreed respectively.

Bar Chart 4.14 Q14

42.9% of the respondents (132) felt neutral that advertising helps to raise standard of living.

However, there were quite high percentages of respondents agreed in this statement with 38%

(equivalent o 117 respondents). There were only 14 respondents strongly agree. There were only

32 respondents disagreed and 13 strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.15: Q15

There were 122 respondents (equivalent to 39.6%) and 50 respondents (equivalent to 16.2)

agreed and strongly agreed that advertising results in better products in the market. There were

about 77 respondents neither agreeing nor disagreeing. There were only 49 respondents disagree

and 10 respondents disagree with this statement.

Bar Chart 4.16: Q16

Respondents that agreed advertising is a valuable source of information about sales dominated

the bar chart, with 181 respondents (equivalent 58.8%). Additional 38 respondents strongly

agreed. 61 respondents were neutral respondents. The remaining 23 respondents disagreed and 5

respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.17: Q17

Most of the respondents (181) agreed that advertising tells them which brands have the features

they are looking there. There were 28 respondents strongly agreed about this. A total of 76

respondents answered neutral, 21 respondents disagreed and 2 strongly disagreed with this

statement.

Bar Chart 4.18: Q18

A total of 191 respondents (equivalent to 62%) agreed that advertising helps them to up to date

about products/services available in the marketplace. Another 63 respondents strongly agreed.

There were only 46 respondents felt neutral about this. Low count of respondents disagreed (7

respondents) and strongly disagreed (1 respondent) with this statement.

Bar Chart 4.19: Q19

Respondents that agreed and feel neutral that advertising tells them what people with lifestyle

similar to theirs are buying and using, with 128 respondents (equivalent to 41.6%) and 106

respondents (equivalent to 34.4%) respectively. There were 21 respondents strongly agreed. The

rest of the 47 respondents disagreed and 6 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.20: Q20

Majority of the respondents felt neutral when asked whether advertising helps them to know

which products will or will not reflect the sort of person they are, with a total of 136 respondents.

There were only 76 respondents agreed and 14 respondents strongly agreed with it. The

remaining 66 respondents disagreed and 16 respondents strongly disagreed with this statement.

Bar Chart 4.21: Q21

Most of the respondents (131) answered neutral in regarding whether advertising promotes

undesirable values in the society. Only 73 respondents agreed and 14 strongly agreed with this.

There were many respondents disagreed too, with 78 respondents and the remaining 12

respondents strongly disagreed with this.

Bar Chart 4.22: Q22

There were another high numbers of respondents (136) felt neutral that most advertising distorts

the values of our youth. It was really hard to know whether advertising distorts the value of

youth or not, as the matter was too subjective. There were 75 respondents agreed. Another 12

respondent strongly agreed with this. However, 75 respondents disagree with it and 10

respondents strongly disagree with the statement too.

Bar Chart 4.23: Q23

Even though there were 110 respondents neither agreeing nor disagreeing, there were 120

respondents (equivalent to 39%) agreed that some products/services promoted in advertising are

bad for the society. There were 22 respondents strongly agreed. Only 51 respondents disagreed

and the remaining 5 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.24: Q24

Many agreed that advertising persuades people to buy things that they should not buy, with 121

respondents agreed and another 52 respondents strongly agreed. There were 87 respondents felt

neutral with this statement. There were low numbers of respondents, about 44 respondents

disagreed and 4 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.25: Q25

More than half of the respondents, with 123 respondents agreed and 61 respondents strongly

agreed that people buy a lot of things that they do not really need because of advertising. There

were 81 respondents in neutral state. There were only 41 respondents disagreed and 2

respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.26: Q26

The numbers of respondents that agreed (100) and felt neutral (107) that advertising tends to

make people live in a world of fantasy were very close. There were only 18 respondents strongly

agreed on this. The number of respondents that disagreed (78) were quite high too. There were

only 4 respondents strongly disagreed on this.

Bar Chart 4.27: Q27

Majority of the respondents agreed that advertising is making them a materialistic society, which

overly interested in only buying and owning things, with 132 respondents (equivalent to 42.9%)

agreed and 29 respondents (equivalent to 9.4%) strongly agreed. There were only 95 respondents

standing in the middle. There were 51 respondents disagreed and only 1 strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.28:Q28

Even though with 99 respondents’ majority agreed that advertising makes people buy

unaffordable products just to show off, the numbers of respondents who felt neutral and

disagreed are relatively high too, with 79 respondents each. However, there were still 45

respondent strongly agreed only 6 strongly disagree with this statement.

Bar Chart 4.29: Q29

About 127 respondents (equivalent to 41.2%) agreed that from advertising, they learn about

fashions to impress others. Another 27 respondents strongly agreed on this. The numbers of

respondents caught in the middle were quite high too, with 102 respondents. There were only 48

respondents disagreed and 4 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.30: Q30

A total of 104 respondents agreed that people wear branded goods because of advertising.

Another 38 respondents strongly agreed in this. There were 97 respondents neutral in this. There

were 58 respondents disagreed and 11 strongly disagreed in this.

Bar Chart 4.31: Q31

A significant numbers of respondents, 189 (equivalent to 61.4%) agreed that they consider

advertising useful as it promotes the latest technology. Another 33 respondents (equivalent to

10.7%) strongly agreed. There were only 67 respondents neither agreeing nor disagreeing. There

were only 19 respondents disagreed and none strongly disagreed!

Bar Chart 4.32: Q32

Another significant numbers of respondents, 200 respondents agreed that through advertising,

they got to know more innovative ideas. Another 45 respondents strongly agreed on this

statement. There were only 18.2% of the respondents felt neutral (56) and only 7 respondents

disagreed. Once again, there were no respondents strongly disagreed in this statement.

Bar Chart 4.33: Q33

162 respondents made up of the majority that agrees that they refer to advertising because it

allows them to enjoy the best deal out if the competing products advertised. 24 respondents were

strongly agreed in this. There were 93 respondents stood in the middle. There were small

numbers of respondents disagreed and strongly disagreed, with only 26 respondents and 3

respondents respectively.

Bar Chart 4.34: Q34

Most of the respondents were neither agreeing nor disagreeing that they like because it never

offends any part of society, with 140 respondents (equivalent to 45.5%). There were 66

respondents agreed and 9 respondents strongly agreed with this. There were many respondents,

about 78 respondents disagreed and 15 respondents strongly disagreed in this statement.

Bar Chart 4.35: Q35

An obvious number of respondents, 156 agreed that they support advertising because it is where

creativity is highly appreciated. There were another 53 respondents strongly agreed. 84 of the

respondents stood in the middle. There were only 14 respondents disagreed and 1 respondent

strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.36: Q36

A high number of respondents, 130 felt neutral when asked whether they thank advertising as it

results in lower prices of electronic products. However, 81 of the respondents agreed and another

17 respondents strongly agreed with this statement. There were only 68 respondents disagreed

and 12 strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.37: Q37

There were 135 respondents (equivalent to 43.8%) stood in the middle whether they avoid

advertising because it does not provide true picture of the product advertised. This happened

because it was very subjective to measure the level of avoidance. However, 77 respondents

agreed that they do so, with additional 25 respondents strongly agreed! There were only 63

respondents disagreed and 8 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.38: Q38

There were a majority of 124 respondents (equivalent to 40.3%) agreed that they support

advertising because it plays an important part in their buying decisions. Additional 11

respondents strongly agreed. There were quite a number of respondents, 119 respondents felt

neutral when asked regarding this. However, there were only 41 respondents disagreed and 13

strong disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.39: Q39

There were 72 respondents agreed and 20 respondents strongly agreed that they evade

advertising because most of the advertisement is misleading. Due to the subjective ness of the

question, high number of 146 respondents did not know whether to agree or disagree. There were

only 65 respondents disagree and 5 respondents strongly disagreed.

Bar Chart 4.40: Q40

More than 50% of the respondents agreed that their general opinion of advertising is favorable,

with 164 respondents (equivalent to 53.2%). In addition, there were 19 respondents (equivalent

to 6.2%) strongly agreed. This made of up 59.4% of favorable response! There were as many as

111 respondents neither agreeing nor disagreeing. However, it is obvious that there were low

number of respondents disagree (with 13 respondents) and strongly disagree (with only 1

respondent).

5.0 Statistical Analysis

Researcher will be evaluating the findings and provide proper reasoning to support the findings

as analysis. There were 308 sets of questionnaires to be analyzed overall. Before the student’s

attitude towards advertising results were analyzed, researcher began with the demographic

profile of all the 308 respondents who participated in the research

5.1 Respondent Analysis

5.1.1 Gender

Gender

Female, 152, 49% Male, 156, 51%

Male Female

Pie Chart 5.1: Gender

  Frequency Percent

Male 156 50.6

Female 152 49.4

Total 308 100

Table 5.1: Gender

There was no big difference between genders among students. There were 156

male respondents (equivalent to 50.6%) participated in this survey. There were

152 female respondents (equivalent to 49.4%) participated in this survey too. This

showed that the modern education system was not based on any sex

discrimination. Female used to be prohibited from having high education level

during olden times. However, there was a shift as the society becomes more

modern and less conservative. Both sexes were given the same opportunity to

pursue their education. The numbers of female students were increasing every

year for the past few years.

5.1.2 Age

Age

206, 66%

24, 8%

5, 2%

73, 24%17-20

21-23

24-27

28 and Above

Pie Chart 5.2: Age

Frequency Percent

17-20 73 23.7

21-23 206 66.9

24-27 24 7.8

28 and Above 5 1.6

Total 308 100

Table 5.1: Age

Most university students are usually between 18 to 25years old. Many students

graduated from secondary school by the age of 17. Soon after that, they will enroll

into university or colleges for their pre-university program in private institution.

As for public institution, they need to study Form 6 for additional 2 more years

before entering public university by the age of 19 years old. Majority of the

respondents in this research were ranging from 21 – 23 years with 206

respondents (equivalent 66.9%). This is the most ideal age for university students.

Most of them were halfway through their degree course. There were quite a

number of student ages from 17 -20 years, with 73 respondents (equivalent

23.7%).

There were very few students above 24 years old. These students were mostly are

doing master programs in the university. Some companies required their top

management to have at least degree or master certificate. Therefore, they were

willing to send and sponsor the employees to study. Another reason for old

students in university might because the students felt the importance of education

when they were halfway working. Therefore, they worked a couple of years to

save some money to further their studies. Education fees are very expensive,

especially private universities. It may costs students more than RM20,000 per

course easily

5.1.3 Institution

Institution

Private Universities,

177, 57%

Public Universities,

131, 43%

Private Universities

Public Universities

Pie Chart 5.3: Institution

  Frequency Percent

Private Universities 177 57.5

Public Universities 131 42.5

Total 308 100

Table 5.3 Institution

177 of students, which consisted of 57.5% of the total respondents, were studying

in private institution. The remaining 131 respondents were studying in public

university. There were fewer students from public universities to participate in

this research because the period the questionnaires are posted online was during

all public university semester breaks. Most of the students have gone back to their

respective hometown. Plus, they might not have so much free time to do the

questionnaires because they were busy with something else in their semester

break.

5.1.4 Occupation

Occupation

212, 69%

66, 21%

30, 10%

Full-time Student

Full-time Student,Working Part-time

Part-time Student,Working Full-time

Pie Chart 5.4 Occupation

  Frequency Percent

Full-time Student 212 68.8

Full-time Student, Working Part-time

66 21.4

Part-time Student, Working Full-time

30 9.7

Total 308 100

Table 5.4: Occupation

There were 212 students, 68,8% of the total respondents are full-time student.

Surprisingly, there were only 66 students (equivalent to 21.4%) were working

part-time while studying. in fact, all universities students were capable to work

legally, both part-time and full-time. There were lots of companies, especially

from the food and beverages industry and retail line, welcomed students to work

part-time for them. Perhaps universities life was tough. Many students opted to

concentrate studying and get good grades for future benefits. Furthermore, parents

nowadays were very protective. They realized how important education was as

they still did not have opportunity to study at higher level during their days. These

parents did not encourages their children to work and would give the best to them

Universities timetable was more flexible than primary and secondary schools.

Every students study timetable is different. There will be empty slots where

students have no classes during weekdays as well. Therefore, the students can

have the choice to work to earn some pocket money, especially during this

economic crisis period. Universities students were baby boomers and young

adults. They spent the most of unnecessary things and entertainment because they

have no other commitment. Working part-time was a good solution to solve

money constraint issues.

There were many institutions start to offer part time course for working adults too.

Working adult opted for such course to enhance their skills and gain extra

knowledge. However, the market was still small for part-time courses. There

might be more people taking up part-time courses in future.

5.1.5 Monthly Income

Monthly Income

146, 47%

91, 30%

34, 11%

37, 12%

Below RM500

RM501 – RM1, 000

RM1, 001 – RM1, 500

RM 1, 501 and Above

Pie Chart 5.5: Monthly Income

  Frequency Percent

Below RM500 146 47.4

RM501 – RM1, 000 91 29.5

RM1, 001 – RM1, 500 34 11

RM 1, 501 and Above 37 12

Total 308 100

Table 5.5: Monthly Income

Most universities students relied on their pocket money to survive for their

schooling days. There were 146 students out of 308 total respondents, which have

monthly income below RM500. It consisted of 47.4% of the total respondents for

this survey. There were decent numbers of respondents that have monthly income

of RM501 – RM 1,000 (91 students, 29.5% of the total respondents) and

RM1001-RM1,501 (34 students, 11% of the total respondents. Some of the

students fell in these two categories because of two main reasons. It was obvious

that that these students did work part time and had side income from various

ways. They can earn up to RM300 easily per month if they were working part

time. The part –time rate in the market now, ranging from RM4/hour to

RM7/hour, depends on which job and industry. It took the not many times to earn

the amount.

Besides that, some of these students had high monthly income too. Their parents

were rich and can afford to give more pocket money for them to spend.

Furthermore, these students need to pay for some miscellaneous fees, for instance

transportation, parking and petrol. Parents tend to give more since their children is

going to bear all these expenses. It was not a huge amount to give more than

RM500 monthly pocket money, since the parents can bar expensive fees of

private universities. As for those with more than RM1, 501 per months, they were

either working adults, pursuing part-time courses in their respective universities

or international students. International students had high monthly pocket money

because they need to pay rental and all food expenses by themselves. There were

many international students studying in Malaysia too.

5.2 Students’ Attitude towards Advertising Results

Researcher will be using Factor Analysis to analyze and determine students’ attitude

towards advertising. Factor Analysis was used to reduce data and identify few main

factors that explained most of the variance observed in a much larger set of variables.

Since the questionnaire had many correlated variables, highly correlated variable will be

identified in different set of factors. The Factor Analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.2

software. SPSS is a statistical analysis computer program.

5.2.1 First Step: Correlation Matrix

Correlation Matrix was the first step in Factor Analysis to show simple correlation

between all variables with each other. The diagonal elements of the correlation

matrix will have value of 1 since they are the correlation of a column with itself.

From the analysis, the variables correlated fairly well and none with particularly

large correlation coefficient. Therefore it was suitable to be analyzed with Factor

Analysis.

5.2.2 Second Step: KMO and Bartlett’s Test

The second step of the Factor Analysis is the KMO and Bartlett’s Test. KMO was

used to measure sampling adequacy and Barlett’s for test of sphericity. The KMO

statistic value varies between 0 and 1. The closer the value to 1, the closer the

patterns of correlations are relatively compact.The value must be at least 0.5 to

use Factor Analysis and able to yield reliable factors. As the KMO value for this

research was 0.802, the result was greater than the requirement of 0.5. Factor

Analysis was appropriate to analyze these data.

In conducting the Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity, the significance value has to be

equal or less than 0.05 in order to prove that the variables are uncorrelated in the

population. The research only be proven appropriate with the significance value

that is equal or less than 0.05. In this research, the Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity’s

significance value was 0. The test proved to be appropriate to continue.

KMO and Bartlett's Test

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy.

.802

Bartlett's Test of Sphericity

Approx. Chi-Square 3103.786

df 595

Sig. .000

Table 5.6: KMO and Bartlett’s Test Table

5.2.3 Third Step: Communalities

Communality measures the percent of variance in a given variable explained by

all the factors jointly and also known as reliability of the indicator. In general,

communalities enable research to measured variables the factor analysis is

working best and the least well. Variables with more 0.5 extraction value are

considered reliable and suitable to use Factor Analysis.

5.2.4 Forth Step: Total Variance Explained

The next step of Factor Analysis is analysis of total variance explained.

Eigenvalues, also known as characteristics roots, for a given factor measures the

variance in all the variables which accounted for by that factor. Eigenvalues is not

the percent of variance explained, but a measure of amount of variance in relation

to total variance. Factor with low eigenvalue may be ignored as redundant

because it contributes little to the explanation of variances in the variable. The

components with more than 1.0 in the total of eigenvalue will be used for main

factors for analysis. In this research, there were 10 components been identified.

5.2.5 Fifth Step: Scree Plot

After the total variance explained, a scree plot graph will be drafted to identify the

obvious number of factors for analysis. A scree plot is a graph that sort

eigenvalues, from large to small, as a function of the eigenvalue index. The scree

plot produced has a steep slope and then getting getting flatter towards the end.

The steep slope represented the 10 factors reduced for analysis, from Component

1 to Component 10. Since the rest of the components were flat and insignificant,

therefore these factors were eliminated and ignored.

5.2.6 Sixth Step: Rotated Component Matrix

Rotation Component Matrix is used to maximize the loading of each variable to

all the components extracted from the earlier steps, while minimizing the loading

on all other factor. It can improve the interpretability of all the factors. Few

highest loadings in each variable will be chosen and was categorized into the

respective components that are determined through eigenvalue. From Rotated

Component Matrix, only loadings with more than 0.6 are chosen to ensure the

accuracy of the factor. Plus, loading with more than 0.6 are more significant to

interpret the respective components. Extracted variables to each component are as

below.

Component 1

Question 28 Advertising makes people buy unaffordable products just to

show off

Question 30 People wear branded goods because of advertising

Question 27 Advertising is making us a materialistic society--overly

interested in buying and owning things

Question 25 Because of advertising, people buy a lot of things that they do

not really need.

Component 2

Question 7 Sometimes advertisements are even more enjoyable than other

media contents

Question 9 Advertising contains a lot of excitement and surprises

Question 6 Quite often, advertising is amusing and entertaining

Question 8 Sometimes I take pleasure in thinking about what I saw or heard

in advertisements

Component 3

Question 36 I thank advertising as it results in lower prices of electronic

products

Question 38 I support advertising because it plays an important part in my

buying decisions

Component 4

Question 21 Advertising promotes undesirable values in our society

Question 22 Most of the advertising distorts the values of our youth

Question 23 Some products/services promoted in advertising are bad for our

society

Component 5

Question 31 I consider advertising useful as it promotes the latest technology

Question 32 Through advertising, I got to know more innovative ideas

Component 6

Question 14 Advertising helps raise our standard of living.

Component 7

Question 17 Advertising tells me which brands have the features I am

looking for

Question 18 Advertising keeps me up to date about products/ services

available in the marketplace

Component 8

Question 39 I evade advertising because most of the advertisement is

misleading

Question 37 I avoid advertising because it does not provide a true picture of

the product advertised

Component 9

Question 19 Advertisements tell me what people with lifestyles similar to

mine are buying and using

Question 20 Advertising helps me know which products will or will not

reflect the sort of person I am

Component 10

Question 11 In general, advertising helps our nation’s economy

5.3 Component Analysis

5.3.1 Component 1

Question 28 Advertising makes people buy unaffordable products

just to show off

Question 30 People wear branded goods because of advertising

Question 27 Advertising is making us a materialistic society--overly

interested in buying and owning things

Question 25 Because of advertising, people buy a lot of things that

they do not really need.

All above statements are from the “Materialism” belief factor. Based on the result

of the questionnaires, advertising causes materialism among students. When

advertisements change students to more materialistic, they buy unaffordable

products just to show off. They seek wealth and power through these materialistic

possessions to boost their self-esteem. Showing off is an expression to feel good.

This feel-good feeling eventually provides them happiness and satisfaction. The

society will pay more attention to their possession and easily get accepted to their

certain clique.

People wear branded goods because of advertising. Advertisements make a

branded product looks better than real life and the acquisition of the product can

leads to glamorous and luxurious lifestyle. Advertising gives additional

personalities and uniqueness to a particular product to be different from others.

Therefore, it raises the consumption desire and unable to buy branded products

make students unhappy with their current living standards (Zhou, Zhou & Xue).

Advertisements are used to create powerful marketing messages. Marketers use

advertisements as a tool to seeds brand recognition in hope that the seeds will

grow into a lifetime relationship. Students tend to buy more branded product

because they have been “brainwashed” indirectly when they are exposed to

advertisements. Advertisements builds brand loyalty as it informs, persuades and

remind consumers constantly.

Furthermore, there are many respondents agreed that advertising creates a

materialistic society which overly interested in buying and owning things.

Happiness comes by when someone’s needs and wants are fulfilled as post-

purchase effect. For example, one may be temporary happy when their basic need

such as food and clothing Advertising creates a consistent belief that material

possession will lead to greater happiness and life satisfaction and vice versa.

People tend to buy more because of satisfaction with material possession.

Advertisements even encourage students to over-value material things in life.

(Brundage, 2009).

Respondents agreed that advertisements creating unwanted needs and wants

simultaneously. Students are prone to buy a lot of things that they do not really

need. This attitude towards advertising comes from “Consumer Manipulation”

belief factor. Advertising manipulates students to be materialistic. There are many

unconscious messages hidden in every advertisement. It affects without them

being aware these; until they turn to buy things that they do not really need (Leiss,

Kline & Botteril, 2005). Advertising induced unwanted needs and wants with

catchy phrases like “New”, “An exclusive offer” and even “Buy Now!”. These

phrases trap students to spend more than necessary. For example, the word “New”

is commonly used in advertisements to promote new product in the market. It

makes the current product “obsolete” in the market even though it is still

functioning well. Advertisements make the “New” product something better and a

person cannot live without (with exaggeration effects) and influence that the

product that they have already own is useless. It happens so fast and indirectly

that students only realized they are buying something they do not need after

certain period (Winter, 2008).

5.3.2 Component 2

Question 7 Sometimes advertisements are even more enjoyable than

other media contents

Question 9 Advertising contains a lot of excitement and surprises

Question 6 Quite often, advertising is amusing and entertaining

Question 8 Sometimes I take pleasure in thinking about what I saw

or heard in advertisements

All the Components 2’s attitude towards advertising is under “Hedonic/Pleasure” belief

factor. Advertisements can create pleasuring experience to students. For example, more

than 56.3% of the respondents agreed/strongly agreed that advertisement could be more

enjoyable than other media content at times. People are seeing more advertisements in all

form of media. Advertising is memorable, unexpected and re-watchable as it involves lot

of creativity. Plus, the duration for advertisement is short and just nice to get capture

people’s attention in the most alert period. It may create desire and empathy, and add

informational knowledge to students (ThinkBox, 2008).

It is true that advertising contains lots of excitement and surprised. Excitement aroused

strong feelings and increasing energy in human. Marketers use lots of elements in

executing advertisements. Striking colour in advertisements can capture viewers’

attention in short time. It makes the advertisements so outstanding enough to surprise the

viewers. Unusual displays increase the curiosity of the viewers. Viewers get to learn

information and something new through advertisements. The whole learning process

could be fun and exciting. Plus catchy phrases, open-eyed facts and exaggerated claims

can create excitement in the advertisements too (George, 2006).

Students find advertisements more entertaining and exciting especially if they like the

spokesperson/celebrity in it. Students give more positive reactions when they like the

spokesperson inside in the advertisements. This can be explained based on Balance

theory. Balance theory is a motivational theory of attitude change. Students develop

relationship with other people and their surrounding environment. They will eventually

link the spokesperson/celebrity with the advertised products. If students like either one of

the elements, they will like the other element associated with that too. Human being

would prefer balance situations and avoid inconsistencies.

Respondents also think that advertising can be amusing and entertaining as well. For

instance, a US study found out that viewers overall experience of watching a TV show

higher and more entertaining when there are advertisements. Advertisements help

viewers to take a break and refresh the program show. Long period of time decreases the

pleasure of any positive experience. Viewers can take this opportunity to elaborate and

digest information received earlier. Furthermore, disruption in a suspenseful plot line by

advertisements can increase viewer’s anticipation (ABC News, 2009).

With positive and supporting attitude towards advertising as entertaining and amusing, it

enhances the credibility that consumers sometimes take pleasure in thinking about what is

seen or heard in advertisements too. Students are more likely to pay more attention on

advertisement if the first impression of the advertisements is favorable. A favorable

advertisement affects their information procession. It creates better stimulation,

improving recall of information and positive judgments of the message (Smit, Edith &

Meurs, 2004). Therefore, when they retrieved back the information from memory, it

gives positive feeling and pleasurable.

5.3.3 Component 3

Question 36 I thank advertising as it results in lower prices of

electronic products

Question 38 I support advertising because it plays an important part

in my buying decisions

Component 3 consists of two general attitudes in advertising. For instance, respondents

felt advertising result in lower prices of electronic products. Literally, advertising can

cause lower prices in most of the product, not just electronic product. Advertising can

damage the value of a particular product because of several reasons. Advertising allows

comparisons between two similar products easily. Students become smarter with all the

information available from the advertisements. Marketers dare not offer high price

because competitors will definitely offer lower prices when there are high profit margin

gap (Elliott, 2009).

Advertising results in lower price because retailers are trying to outdo one another with

price comparisons advertisements. There are afraid that the regular shoppers will sway

and switch to another rival. However, constant low price advertising damages a brand

and its perceived quality (Johnson, 2009). Smart consumers will simply take this as

benefits and thank advertising in resulting lower prices.

Besides that, advertising also play important role in students buying decisions. As

discussed above is just part of the whole decision making process, which is price and

better alternatives. Advertising can sometimes used for need recognition of a particular

product. Advertising creates awareness and strikes sudden unconscious needs in them.

And then with such need, the students go through a information search phrase.

Advertising is a form of information search. Students get to know basic information, such

as brand, features and pricing from in those informative advertisements. This might leads

them towards examining the product before deciding to purchase it.

With all necessary information needed, it is time for evaluation of different alternatives.

Students are bombarded with advertisements information with various competitors. Why

they need to choose this brand/product over the other one? Some students might make

decision based on how the advertisement is executed. There are many techniques for

advertisements execution to bring the best out of the product, with a touch of branding

and personalities. After going through the evaluation process, they will finally reach their

purchase decision. Advertising can lead students with certain purchase action like where

to purchase (Learn Marketing, 2009).

5.3.4 Component 4

Question 21 Advertising promotes undesirable values in our society

Question 22 Most of the advertising distorts the values of our youth

Question 23 Some products/services promoted in advertising are bad

for our society

All these three variables from Component 4 are from ‘Value Corruption and Consumer

Manipulation” belief factor. Marketers have been adding values to match core values of

their audience. This can make their advertisements to appeal to a certain value segment

and might caused unintended effects. For instance, advertising promotes undesirable

values in our society.

Advertising are often linked for causing materialism. Students buy a lot of things that

they do not really need. They wear branded goods and unaffordable products to show off.

Advertising has been blamed for creating harmful stereotypes. Marketers use imaginative

creation in their advertisements. Some advertisements tend to demonstrate unrealistic

lifestyle values. For instance, most of the models are good looking and having perfect

body shape. Advertising overly glamorize skinny models. This promotes undesired value

in youth, especially students to look nice and even lead to anorexic problem to look thin.

It makes the girls think they need to have skinny body in order to be accepted and feel

normal (Londhe & Kumbhoj, 2007).

Respondents think that most advertising distorts the value of our youth. This happened

because youths, especially students are easily exploited and influenced by advertising.

They do not know how to different what to absorb and what to ignore in an

advertisement. Most students are vulnerable towards advertising because they are

inexperienced and new consumers. They often become the prime targets of advertising.

They are in the process of learning their values and developing their self-concepts

(Kilbourne, 1990). Misleading advertising promotes undesired values and interfere this

process and distort their value easily.

Some products promoted in advertising are not necessary bad for the society. It is how

the product is conveyed through advertising that makes it looks “bad”. For example, the

use of a particular medicine for immediate relief is demonstrated as magic. The

consumers get better after eating the medicine. Some advertisements are full of

exaggerated facts. Ignorant consumers are the one normally fall in this fallacy (Kumar &

Tyagi, 2004).

5.3.5 Component 5

Question 31 I consider advertising useful as it promotes the latest

technology

Question 32 Through advertising, I got to know more innovative

ideas

These two variables are part of the general attitude towards advertising. Respondents

reckon advertising is useful because it promotes the latest technology and they get to

know more innovative ideas through advertising. This is common occurrence because

one of the objectives of advertising is to inform and promote a specific product to the

audience. Advertising are used to provide basic information on the latest product (i.e the

latest technology), and then try to convince people to buy the product with various

execution style and then direct comparison with other competitors (KnowThis.Com,

2009)

Students are passive if they do not engage in any information search activities. Therefore,

they remain unaware of the existence of a specific product unless they are reached by

advertisements (Celik, 2007). For instance, advertising is useful to promote latest

technology because advertisements are used to raise awareness of the latest existence.

Hence, it prompts and stimulates consumers to gather more information willingly.

Furthermore, heavily advertised products are normally something new to the market.

Innovative and new products need heavy advertising to create awareness and trigger

sales. Therefore, respondents get more innovative ideas through advertising. Seldom

marketers advertisement a common product unless for branding purposes. Even with

branding purposes, respondents still can get more innovative ideas on how they execute

the advertisements, the designs and appeals used to deliver the message. Advertisers are

creative people. They see things differently.

5.3.6 Component 6

Question 14 Advertising helps raise our standard of living.

The Component 6 has a variable from “Good for Economy” belief factors. There are 131

respondents being agree/strongly agree in this variable, while majority of the rest in

neutral state. With deep thinking and evaluation, advertising indeed helped to raise the

standard of living. If advertising do not do so, the business will failed due to increasing

price of raw materials and competition. Advertising encourages unnecessary purchases.

From economical point of view, it creates new business and the money spent increase

consumption rate and therefore added to standard of living. Higher consumption rate

should mean that consumers are enjoying the most and already increased their standard of

living (Orton, 1910).

Advertisements create awareness to the brands and products among students. Students

eventually recognize them and start to adapt the changes. Furthermore, every new

product needs advertisements to get attention in today capitalist economy. In additional,

students would not be able to tell what to buy without advertising. This is because no one

influences them to buy anything. Furthermore, people’s demand become more diversified

as the standard of living is improved. Therefore products and services also become more

diversified. In today’s fast-paced living, students have no time to go through all

diversified products. Unconsciously, students need to accept and utilize advertisements

although they are afraid to be manipulated by the advertisements. In fact, the facts

presented in advertisements are almost accurate. Advertisements are closely regulated by

panels. If there is a false claim, the organizations will be having big trouble and give bad

impressions to potential consumers.

In addition, advertising enable students to know the product better and therefore creating

bigger demand. The higher the demand, the higher the income the

producers/manufacturer gets. By helping to adapt the increasing demand for goods, more

workers are needed to supply the goods and create better employment opportunities.

Goods have faster distribution flow with the help of advertising. Advertising helps to

increase standard of living because everything will be as it is due to lack of pushing force

from advertisements. Even though overall advertising expenditure will increase due to

higher standard of living, it helps to pay for many services (Cho, n.d). For instance, daily

newspaper and television fees remain cheap because they are supported with advertising.

They are loaded with money by helping organizations to promote products.

5.3.7 Component 7

Question 17 Advertising tells me which brands have the features I am

looking for

Question 18 Advertising keeps me up to date about products/

services available in the marketplace

Component 7 is emphasizing on “Product Information and Consumer Benefits”.

Advertising tells students which brand have their desired features and keep them up-to-

date about products available in the marketplace.

The main reason for this is because advertising is an important source of students

information. Searching for product information in such complex and diversified

marketplace can be a real challenge. Students need to rely on advertising to reduce their

search costs and improves their choices (Leiss, Kline & Botteril, 2005).

Advertisement has an informing nature – which inform about a particular product, service

the environment and society. This can deal with cognitivism of students. They will

interpret and learn the events around them. Advertisements are part of the events in their

surrounding. Therefore, students tend to get updated product information fast. From the

advertisements, they grasp the information and interpret it according to their own

preferences. For instance, students can get their brand features information from

advertising. Different opinions often happen due to background and culture differences of

the consumers.

In today’s modern society, students have become more educated. They are updated with

the current products available. They know their rights as consumers. Consumers

nowadays are not back then consumers. Students always got exploited by organizations

previously. As they learn from mistakes, they compare new information first with their

previous experience as safety measure. Therefore, messages in an advertisement are very

important. Compressed and yet simple contents are needed in all advertisements.

Students can find out easily whether the information is reliable or not. That is why

advertising can inform which brand has the features for different type of consumers.

5.3.8 Component 8

Question 39 I evade advertising because most of the advertisement is

misleading

Question 37 I avoid advertising because it does not provide a true

picture of the product advertised

Component 8 focuses on the general negative attitude towards advertising. It shows that

respondents evade advertising because most of the advertisement is misleading. It is

proven that advertising has its bad side as well. These negative attitudes can be explained

in various attitude theories available.

Students, as consumers feel cheated when they purchase due to misleading

advertisements Advertisement is merely a communication tool to transfer new

information to the consumers only. It is the consumers themselves that make the final

purchasing decision. Advertisement only helps them with necessary elements in this

purchasing decision process.

Based on cognitive dissonance, students feel cheated when they purchase because of

misleading advertisements. Sometimes they do not have the intention to buy, but ended

up being persuaded by advertisements. This unnecessary action is inconsistency with

what they really want. Advertisements are good in creating unwanted needs in students.

Students need to be personally responsibility for the unpleasant consequences, which

believes the advertisements and buy the wrong product. Otherwise, the impact of

dissonance is low.

The messages in advertisements must be strong enough to influence consumers to buy.

Advertisement is a persuasive communication tool. Plus, with the combination of

spokesperson, media used and design as important elements, the persuasiveness level of

an advertisement is even higher. It is not easy to make students to buy when they do not

have the intention to buy. They feel cheated now because the intention is not consistent

with the action and they are being misled by advertisements. Consequently, they start to

avoid advertisements to avoid such incident to happen again.

Some respondents avoid advertisements because it does not provide true picture of the

product advertised. This phenomenon can be explained with Balance Theory. Consumers

reduce cognitive conflict in few ways. One of the ways is through denial. The consumers

will try to reject the facts and forget about the dishonest advertising. At the same time,

they will avoid the advertisements as much as possible.

It is better to avoid advertisements. Students got persuaded and influenced easily by the

time the advertisement information reaches consumers. It is too late to change their mind

because their mind already starts interpreting the information. Advertisement avoidance

is a very effective ways to avoid them being convinced easily. Differences will not occur

when students are unaware of what happening.

5.3.9 Component 9

Question 19 Advertisements tell me what people with lifestyles

similar to mine are buying and using

Question 20 Advertising helps me know which products will or will

not reflect the sort of person I am

Component 9 is another extension of “Product Information and Consumer Benefits”

belief factor. The earlier component touches on the factor as information source.

However, Component 9 emphasizes on comparisons and lifestyle. “Lifestyle Marketing”

is the latest advertising strategy to deliver product information, compared to “Niche

Marketing” and “Branding” strategies previously. Lifestyle marketing promotes and

emphasized based on interest and way of life of the specific consumers group. Therefore

students know what people with similar lifestyle are buying and using.

Students make comparisons everyday with everything. Social comparison theory claimed

that a person evaluate themselves in comparisons to others. Everyone wants to fit with

their peers and conforming to certain social norms. One of the best ways is through

information in advertisements. From advertisement, they know the current trend and

latest social trend. Students will try to fit into the lifestyle portrayed by buying and using

what are being advertised. The current style of advertising has then shift away from

product features to describe a product but to use particular lifestyles to associate with the

product. Marketers try to persuade people to buy the product as an expressive display of

lifestyle (Lury, 1996)

Advertising nowadays is good at influencing people’s identity in society. Students know

which products are suitable to reflect the sort of person they are. It happens because

advertisers have certain expectations on their target audience. They assume they know

who the target audience are and create advertisements to reflect who they want to be.

This is an effective ways to tell them what to think about and strengthen their identity.

Advertising offers opportunities for students to change and strengthen their identity by

buying product that best reflect the sort of person they think they are. For example,

people in most Coke advertisements are not celebrities but role models. Advertisers want

Coke consumers to strive and lead the happy lives they have in advertising, just like the

role model in the advertisements. It is just another way of positive manipulation on

consumers. Students are social human. They think not only about how their purchasing

decision affects themselves, but also other people. Therefore they reckon advertising to

be able to provide basic information on others lifestyle and identity to reflect what sort of

people are they (Taflinger, 1996)

5.3.10 Component 10

Question 11 In general, advertising helps our nation’s economy

Component 10 is similar to one of the Component earlier, but this component focus more

on how advertising helps on nation’s economy from the “Good for Economy” belief

factor as well. The nation’s economy depends on how students want to upgrade their

standard of living, with the latest fashion and updated technology. Materialism is the

basis of the current students’ society. Every student has their own sense of materialism in

them. When they stop purchasing brand items and unnecessary items, business will be

closing down and decrease the employment rate. However, government often reacts

based on materialism factor in the society. Government encourages people to spend more

to revive an economy downturn. Advertising is used to boost spending to end the

recession (Belena, 2009).

The notion that advertising increased sales does not only affect individual manufactures,

but cumulatively for all manufacturers. The supply-chain is very closely related. Mandell

once said, ‘Advertising has as its major persuading people ton buy. Increased demand

results in increased production and more jobs” (Norris, 1980). While advertising helped

to raise consumption, the uses of machinery are optimized, with maximum production. It

minimizes cost per-unit and help nation’s economy.

Advertising is a crucial in the process which an economic system guided by responsive to

the common good contributes to human development. Advertising can be used to

promote healthy and honest competition with better economic growth. It informs of

people about the availability of desirable new products and improvement of the existing

product. It helps consumers to make better decision and efficiency. It also stimulates

economic progress through expansion of business and trade.

6.0 Conclusion

The results of the research itself were relevant to the research framework itself. Advertising is an

important source of consumer information. Four out of the five variables in “Product Information

and Consumer Benefits” belief factor have been used and consider significant for the whole

research. Advertising tells students which brand have their desired features and keep them up-to-

date about products available in the marketplace because of an informing nature and provides

comprehensive information. Advertising benefits students as it provides sufficient information to

form lifestyle their life image and enable them to know what people with similar lifestyle are

buying and using. However, students do not consider advertising as valuable source because of

misleading and manipulative techniques used in advertisements. Advertisers are recommended

not to be so manipulative and gain back students’ confidence through reliable product informer.

“Hedonic Pleasure” belief factor is another important factor to form part of student’s attitude

towards advertising. Advertisements can create pleasuring experience to students upon exposure

of advertisements. Therefore students think that advertisement could be more enjoyable than

other media content at times. Advertising contains lots of excitement to aroused strong feelings

and pleasuring experience in students, in a form of striking colour, unusual displays, open-eyed

facts and many more. Students agreed that advertising can be amusing and entertaining as well

and therefore take pleasure in thinking about what is seen or heard in advertisements sometimes.

Students are more likely to pay more attention on advertisement if the first impression of the

advertisements is favorable. A favorable advertisement affects viewer’s information procession.

Through this result, advertisers get to know what excite students and continue using pleasure to

capture their attention.

As for “Good for Economy and Economy Roles” belief factor, the students have only two

important attitude towards advertising. Students agreed that advertising help to raise our standard

of living because advertising encourages them to make unnecessary purchases. Advertisements

create awareness to the brands and products among students. From economical point of view, it

creates new business and the money spent increase consumption rate and therefore added to

standard of living. Higher consumption rate should mean that students are enjoying the most and

they can afford higher of standard of living.

The nation’s economy depends on how students want to upgrade their standard of living, with

the latest fashion and updated technology. Materialism is the basis of the current students’

society. Every student has their own sense of materialism in them. When they stop purchasing

brand items and unnecessary items, business will be closing down and decrease the employment

rate. There are few attitudes ignored because it is untrue. For instance, students do not think that

advertising is a wasteful of economic resources. It does not result better products in the

marketplace either. Students buy not because the advertising is creating better products, but

simply because they are influenced by advertisement’s persuasiveness. Marketers should not

overly exploit students with advertisements just because of profit and economical purposes. They

need to be sensitive towards student’s welfare too.

This research focuses a lot on “Materialism” belief factor areas. Many areas are correlated to

materialism. Students buy unnecessary because of materialism. Students agreed that

advertisements creating unwanted needs and wants simultaneously, especially when they prone

to buy a lot of things that they do not really need. They feel good after purchasing because

advertising enable them to fulfill their materialism needs and wants. Advertisements also

promote product as success and status which will cause materialism too. Advertising changes

students to more materialistic and buy unaffordable products just to show off. They wear

branded goods because of advertising and can lead them to glamorous and luxurious lifestyle.

Advertising gives additional personalities and uniqueness to a particular product to be different

from others. However, students disagreed that advertising tend to make them living in a world of

fantasy. Materialism is just part of the normal society norms, but advertisers should not use

advertising to promote materialism, but focus on providing product information.

No matter how positive are advertising in providing sufficient source of information, creating

excitements in students, and helps the economy, there are several downside and negative attitude

towards advertising. Advertising promotes undesirable values in the society. It corrupts in the

value in students. Advertising has been blamed for creating harmful stereotypes. Marketers use

imaginative creation in their advertisements. Some advertisements tend to demonstrate

unrealistic lifestyle values. Students also realized that most advertising distorts the value in them.

Most youth are vulnerable towards advertising because they are inexperienced and new

consumers. They do not know how to different what to absorb and what to ignore in an

advertisement. Therefore they suffer and become the prime target for unethical advertising.

Furthermore, the product is conveyed through advertising that makes it looks “bad” with

exaggerated facts and imaginative appeals used in advertisements. It is a form of consumer

manipulation because advertisements seen as misleading, not fully informative and confusing.

Advertisement manipulates students by changing their taste and conforms to the desire of

producers. Students need to be smarter in future to avoid these negative effects. Simultaneously,

advertisers should work hard to reduce negative attitude by abiding code of ethics and promoting

healthy values.

There are few general attitudes towards advertising too. These general attitudes formed in

extension of the main belief factors. For instance, students felt advertising result in lower prices

of electronic products. Literally, advertising can cause lower prices in most of the product, not

just electronic product because it helps to the marketplace economy and allows comparisons

between two similar products easily.

Besides that, advertising also play important role in consumer buying decisions for being a

source of product information. Students get to know basic information, such as brand, features

and pricing from in those informative advertisements. Respondents reckon advertising is useful

because it promotes the latest technology and they get to know more innovative ideas through

advertising. This is common occurrence because students believe that advertising is informative

tool. However, students also tend to evade advertising because most of the advertisement is

misleading. It does not provide true picture of the product advertised. Advertisers are

recommended to use less exaggeration techniques are be as honest as possible when providing

information.

With all the positive and negative results from this research, it can be used for future references

when developing advertising strategies. This research enables advertisers to understand students’

attitude towards advertisement better and find better ways in future to tackle and influence

students without any negative attitude.