Influence of Storytelling Advertising on Women’s Purchasing Decisions: A Study of Sonia So Much to Love Television Commercial
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Abstract
This study examined the influence of storytelling advertising on women's purchasing decisions, using Sonia Nigeria's 2024 "So Much to Love" television commercial as a case study. Despite growing academic interest in storytelling advertising, existing literature has largely adopted generalized, gender-neutral, and Western-context approaches, leaving a gap in localized, gender-specific research within the Nigerian advertising landscape. Guided by the AIDA Communication Model, the main objective of this study is to investigate how women in Ojota, Kosofe Local Government Area, Lagos State, perceive the storytelling in the commercial. A quantitative survey research design was adopted. Using Taro Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 368 women aged 18 and above was determined. Data were analyzed using frequency counts and percentages. The findings of this study revealed that 80.5% of respondents perceived the commercial’s narrative as authentic, and 77.7% reported experiencing meaningful positive emotion while watching it. In terms of purchasing influence, 80.2% indicated they were likely to purchase or recommend Sonia products after seeing the commercial, and 65.0% had already recommended the brand to others. Characters and their life stories stood out as the element respondents connected with most (40.8%), followed by the brand’s message and values (23.9%). The study concludes that storytelling advertising, when it draws on narrative authenticity, cultural relevance, and emotional depth, works as an effective, persuasive tool that moves Nigerian women through the full AIDA sequence, from attention to action, ultimately shaping their purchasing decisions.
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