ABSTRACT
The study focused on the determinants of soft drinks brand among consumers in University of Benin. Specifically, the study examined factors such as quality and taste, perceived value, price others factors (convenience, portion size, easy availability, presence of soft drinks at shops and lubricant for meals), personal factors (age, education and gender), promotional strategies, reference groups as determinants of soft drink brand. The study was carried out drawing a sample size of 357 through simple random sampling from its population of 3637 Faculty of Management Science students in University of Benin, Benin City, Ugbowo Campus, Edo State Nigeria.
The study utilized a descriptive research design and utilized primary source of data by the distribution of questionnaires as the study instrument. A total of 357 questionnaires were distributed and retrieved and used for the study. Findings from the study revealed that all the independent variables jointly predict demands for drinks brand by 84.2% while it jointly predicted soft drink brand preference by 21.9%. Furthermore, the study revealed that they are preferred soft drink brands as Pepsi was the most preferred soft drink brand. The result revealed that they are significant factors consumer consider when choosing a soft drink brand such as Easy accessibility and availability to get the soft drink brand, convenience to get the soft drink brand, perceived value of the soft drink brand and price of the soft drink brand. The study also discovered that they are significant factors determining soft drink brand preference such as promotional strategies, reference groups, presence of soft drinks at shops, easy accessibility and availability, price, and quality and taste have a significant influence and relationship with soft drinks brand preference.
The study recommended that Soft drinks companies should always analyze the market through marketing research to be able to understand the prevailing factors that influences consumers demands for soft drinks and as well as the preference among soft drink brands.
