PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF STERLING BANK EASTER DIGITAL ADVERTISEMENT “LIKE AGEGE BREAD, HE ROSE!”

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken to find out University of Benin’s Full-Time Mass Communication students’ perception of religious advertisements with particular focus on Sterling Bank’s Easter digital advertisement of 2022 “Like Agege Bread, He Rose!”. This study was anchored on the Social Cognitive Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model Theory. Thus, the survey research method was adopted for the study with effective use of a well-structured 20-item questionnaire to elicit responses from the University of Benin Full-Time Mass Communication students in order to ascertain their perception of the Sterling Bank Easter Digital Advertisement “Like Agege Bread, He rose”. Findings reveal that University of Benin Full-Time Mass Communication students bear neutral perceptions of the Sterling Bank Easter advertisement of the year 2022. The study also shows that Mass Communication students find that social media has had more positive effects and even greater potential that has been harnessed for good in advertising within Nigeria. From the outcome of the study, it is also revealed that religious advertisements, with specificity towards Easter advertisements, require complete alignment with the elements present in the advert. That is, the language, cartoons, imagery and visuals used must be in complete alignment with the religious message. As a way of recommendation, this study suggests that advertisers should utilize the social and digital media as a medium of advertisement but solely through the right means.