Influence of Advertising Strategies on Consumer Preference towards Confectionery Products: A Study among Rural Consumers in Madurai District

Abstract

Advertising plays a significant role in creating product awareness, developing brand preference, and influencing consumer choices in the fast-moving consumer goods sector. The present study examines the influence of advertising strategies on consumer preference towards confectionery products among rural consumers in Madurai District. The study focuses on advertising appeal, media exposure, message credibility, celebrity endorsement, and promotional offers as major advertising dimensions. A descriptive and analytical research design is adopted, with a proposed sample of 250 rural consumers selected through purposive sampling. Primary data are collected using a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale. Percentage analysis, Chi-square test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis are employed for analysis. The study examines consumers' confectionery purchasing patterns, perceptions towards different advertising strategies, and the influence of such strategies on brand and product preference. The findings are expected to help confectionery companies design suitable, attractive, credible, and rural-oriented advertising strategies for improving consumer preference and market effectiveness.