ATTITUDE TOWARDS ADVERTISING THROUGH SPORTS IN PAKISTAN

Usman Hameed
Bachelors in Business Administration-Marketing
R i p h a h I n t e r n a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i t y, I s l a m a b a d
E-mail: usmaan.hameed@yahoo.com

Advertising no doubt plays an important role in consumer decision making towards product/ brand. Companies spend
a large amount of money on advertising; in particular they tend to advertise their product/brand during sports event.
This study examines the attitude of customers/consumers towards sport advertising. Survey has been conducted to
address the issue of sport advertising attitude. The instrument used in the study is questionnaire. The subjects are 200
young people belonging to different native languages. The results from the survey indicate that the overall attitude
towards advertising through sport is positive. This study may be useful for those companies, which plan their
advertising campaigns for sport events. It can also generate high value for companies that are promoting their brand
through sport advertising.
Keywords: Advertising, Sport advertising, customer attitude, purchase decision

INTRODUCTION
Flexibility, broader reaches and advanced levels of brand or corporate exposure leads many companies to consider
advertising through sport an important medium. (Kropp et al, 1999). Another researcher found that sport is a natural
area for sponsorship, as it can transfer very strong images, has a mass international audience and appeals to all classes
(Ferrand and Pages, 1996)
Above findings of different researchers bring to light the importance of sport sponsorship/advertising, which is the
most powerful communication media and most studied in the sponsorship literature among sponsor market because
sponsoring in sports give companies the chance of rising their exposure and fans’ goodwill towards their team will
change to positive attitudes and purchase intentions towards the sponsoring brand. When attending or watching
sporting events, people are exposed to a variety of advertising. People watch game for the sporting action rather than
the advertisements, but they unwillingly receive these advertisements (Harshaw & Turner, 1999). Increased in
worldwide television coverage sports becomes a precious partner for international brands. Sport and business share
values such as the magnitude of teamwork, line of attack and striving also toward a goal. Thus, the business manager
should know of each other’s objectives and effective to access. It is an indication that corporations have recognized the
potential of advertising through sport to accomplish a range of goals and objectives because over the last some decades
the growth of sports industry has resulted in increase, in advertising through sports (Lyberger & McCarthy, 2001). The
paramount objects now the companies are that, the customer identification. The increase in the canonization of
advertising through amusement has led to concerns about consumer “identification” also “differentiation” (Lyberger
and McCarthy, 2001). But the affect of advertising through sports event more than sponsorships due to Meenaghan
(2001) do that advertising may emblematize heuristic as a more activate besides less optimistic produce of marketing
communications than sponsorship. This hypothesis reflects a consumer’s simple character helpful advertising
reasonably then attitudes constructive an individual sticker or attitudes shows potential towards advertising as a natural
foundation (Burns, 2003) The familiar study trained posture beneficial advertising due to sport with amusement
energy considering an independent advertising medium. Consequently, bona fide attempts to provide a foundation
over the recognize of beliefs also attitude healthful advertising through sport. The growing of the structure being this
think over has been initiated from the concept of attitude toward advertising in general. It is again cash to clarify how
character gainful advertising considering pastime differs from measuring posture toward sponsorship and stand toward
the commercialization of game. Seeing the spending on advertising since sport over example of corporate marketing
strategies has continued to increase, a growing ravenousness owing to scrutinize has come out (Dodd, 1997)
The development of the framework for this study has been initiated from the concept of attitude toward advertising
in general. Based on the image that beliefs are act of an individual’s set toward advertising in general, researchers
have humongous their inspect interests to attitude toward advertising dominion an irregularity of inherent
mediums, such as television, radio etc. Advertising with the extras of pastime may provide walloping
“excitement” again “emotional attachment” among consumers (Copeland et al, 1996). The new mediums sports
sponsorship or advertising because sports became an excessively heroic stiffener. Entertainment has been pointed
a natural ground plan for advertising “as irrefutable carries exorbitantly courageous images, has an accumulate
international audience, again appeals to all classes” (Gwinner & Swanson, 2003).

LITERATURE REVIEW
Attitude toward Advertising
If the decision-maker’s behavior is bona fide towards advertising, he/she will endorse right toward advertising
(Pollay besides Mittal, 1993). A fresh idiosyncratic conclusion of a consumer having a positive routine toward an
impulse is that he or virgin is further likely to visually orient to it (Roskos and Fazio, 1992). Attitude toward the
ad is generally defined seeing “a proneness to respond access a favorable or unfavorable manner to a symptomatic
advertising incentive during a cultivated display occasion” (Lutz, 1985). According to the consumer perspective,
the length of sponsorship involvement may manipulate the power of brand links in memory (Johar et al, 1999).
The sponsor' s present associated establish the parallel sporting event, after a time, gives the consumer
compounded opportunities to be mixed about the supposition of the product sponsorship and relationship, thus
creating stronger associations in memory (Keller 1993). The Approach towards the promotion of the event, and
behavioral intention through now at the hub of sponsorship’s belongings on consumers. (Lee et al, 1997). Future
purchase intentions affected by the attitude towards particular brands, facilitate recall of the product, which could
influence the consumers’ expectations of advertising enclosed in their advertising schemas (Goodstein, 1993).
Sports marketing are single advance for an immovable to appear warm suffering and reach itself and/or its wares
simultaneously to community members (Lachowetz and Irwin, 2002). A company had been sponsoring sports,
more possible sponsor objectives had moved from to build awareness to image (Armstrong, 1988).

Product Information
Better decision-making by consumers drawn from that advertising which includes product information (Alwitt &
Prabhaker, 1992). Customers felt that important means of information could be provided by advertising (Au,
1977). Attitude toward Internet advertising has also been found to be positively related with Information (Ducoffe,
1996). The value of advertising was the most important contributor, to consumers’ overall attitude toward
television advertising, is perception of information (Mittal, 1994). The weight of advertising as a source of
information, leading to enhanced marketplace efficiencies, seeing consumers are exceeding convincing to match
their needs and wants beside producers offerings (Norris 1984).

Hedonism/ Pleasure
Attitudes towards Advertising has positive relationship with hedonic/pleasure (Ramaprasad and Thurwanger,
1998). To get consumers’ attentions advertisers often designed the advertisements which look like shows (Wells et
al., 2000). The positive relationships encouraged by the advertising characteristics which can put up with family
members, friends, or business links by participating in sport or attending games (Shank, 1999). Overall attitudes
toward advertisements played great role by the associated feelings of enjoyment them (Shavitt et al, 1998). In
global attitude toward advertising the enjoyment dimension has been significant contributor (Shavitt et al., 1998).

Materialism
A more powerful “match-up” effect in products endorsed by sports celebrities. (Boyd & Shank, 2004). A more
positive brand attitude toward products cased by such effect (Petty et al., 1983). Use of deception might be
considered advertising an offensive.( Bauer and Greyser, 1968). Perceptions of materialism and attitude toward
television advertising and advertising in general have important and negative relationship (Larkin, 1977). People
often influenced by advertising to buy things they should not to buy (Andrews, 1989). Materialism Generally
respondents’ negative reactions toward direct marketing advertising generally by materialism (Korgaonkar et al.
1997). We can conclude that a respondent’s attitudes toward advertising through sport can be influenced by his/her
beliefs regarding the economic benefits of advertising through sport.
Social role and image
In the development of a consumer’s self-image, consumers expect to promote products in a positive or idealized
image and may even prefer attractive advertising aids (Richins 1991). Creating product meaning and self-image is
a role of advertising functions (Tharp & Scott, 1990). To create a brand’s personality, advertising and marketing
communication approaches are widely used (Redenbach, 2000).
THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
Figure 1

Product Information

Social Image/Role Attitude

Towards
Hedonism/ Pleasure Sport
Advertising

Materialism

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

HYPOTHESIS

H1: Product information is positively correlated to attitude toward advertising through sport.
H2: Social role and image is positively correlated to attitude toward advertising through sport.
H3: Hedonism/pleasure positively correlated to toward advertising through sport.
H4: Materialism negatively correlated to attitude toward advertising through sport.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This quantitative study used the survey method, to collect data to compare the dependent variable, attitude towards
sport advertising with independent variables product information, materialistic, social image/role and
hedonism/pleasure. The instrument used in the study was, questionnaire. We used five point scale 1=Agree and 5
= strongly disagree
DATA ANALYSIS
Table 1
Frequency Table
DEMOGRAPHICS
DESCRIPTION
FRQUENCY %age
AGE BELOW 20 39 39%
21-30 61 61%
31-40 0 0%
ABOVE 0 0%
GENDER MALE 50 50%
FEMALE 50 50%
MATRIC 3 3%
QUALIFICATION
INTERMEDIATE 47 47%
BACHELORS 49 49%
MASTERS 1 1%
M-PHILL 0 0%
MARITAL STATUS MARRIED 18 18%
SINGLE 82 82%
STUDENT 67 67%
OCCUPATION PRIVATE EMPLOYEE 30 30%
GOVT. EMPLOYEE 3 3%
SELF EMPLOYED 0 0%
Demographics table show that majority of respondents were of the age between 21 to 30, 64 % were of this age
group, 39 % were of age less than 20. Watching sports on TV channels, or go to stadium is an enjoyment for the
young people. Especially in Pakistan the more youngsters watch sports on different sports channels. Most of our
respondents were Students; 67 %. The data collected from universities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi those were:
Air University, CB collage, and Post graduate college for women, Bahria University Islamabad Comsats Institute
of Information Technology, Fatima Jinnah Women University Rawalpindi. If move to the marital status only 18%
was married,
33% was employed and 67% was students. Quiet a large number of our respondents 49% was doing bachelors and
47 % of our respondents were doing intermediate and 1 % was of Masters Level.
CORRELATION AND REGRESSION ANALYSIS
Table 2
Correlation

AT PI HP ML SI
Attitude towards advertising
AT through sport 1
PI Product Information 0.7113 1
HP Hedonism/Pleasure 0.5889 0.5227 1
ML Materialism -0.2118 0.2997 -0.1599 1
SI Social role and image 0.6945 0.6781 0.7814 0.4912 1

Table 3
Regression
Coefficients t P-value
PI 0.063454991 0.08023425 0.944269
HP 1.034910512 7.250384497 3.84E-09
ML -0.032329412 -0.328380016 0.744115
SI 0.075999001 0.728548994 0.469971

R Square = 0.619871341 Adjusted R Square = 0.590516168

F = 18.545611 Significance F = 0.000

DISCUSSION

Sports industry growing rapidly, and there are lots of separate Tv channels, sport magazine come in the market.
Investigating the consumer attitude towards advertising through sport was the main grounds of that research. After
reviewing literature, researcher presented various factors which shape/modify the attitude towards advertising
through sport. The results have demonstrated a strong link between the independent and dependant variable. The
Correlation analysis showed that the relation between the independent variables i-e product information, social
role and image hedonism/pleasure and materialism have the significant affect on dependent variable , attitude
towards advertising through sports.
The most significant factor affecting dependent variable was product information having 0.7113 correlations and
the second factor was social role and image, which correlation was 0.6945. These two variables have more
influence on attitude towards advertising to sports in Pakistan. If we see the overall culture of the Pakistan, then
the literacy rate is too low, which means they need information for new products, by different mediums like radio,
tv, magazines, newspaper, internet etc. so the advertising plays an important role to up-to-date, the sports culture is
also good in Pakistan, according to Pakistan cable association, there are number of sports channels on-air through
tv cable network and viewership is increasing day by day and second thing that Pakistan has an individual society,
where peer pressure is high, so the influence of social image and role also high, that’s why in my research these
two variables(PI and SI) had strong relationship with dependent variable(AT). The two hypotheses H1 and H2,
hence proved that they are positively correlated with attitude towards advertising through sports. The third variable
Hedonism/Pleasure positively correlated to toward advertising through sport. There was a strong relation of
hedonism/pleasure with product information and social role and image. When people get up-to-date any
product/brand and it has an impact on their social image, which makes them favorable attitude towards advertising
through sports. So the third hypothesis of the study also proved that hedonism/pleasure is positively correlated
with dependent variable. Materialism found negatively correlated with dependent variable, as its correlation was -
0.2118. The other variables showed favorable attitude towards advertising through sport so it means that the
behavior of is not negative towards advertising. They think that the advertising through sport is good. Fourth
hypothesis proved that the materialism is negatively correlated to attitude towards advertising through sports. As
majority of our respondents were youngsters and students, so the correlation between social image/role and
attitude towards advertising was found to be strong.
Regression analysis showed that the model of study has strong relationship and independent variables maximum
describe the attitude towards advertising through sports. In Regression R Square is 0.619871341, which is a
significant variation in attitude towards advertising through sports and it can be conclude that attitude towards
advertising through sport is 61.98% which indicates that the product information, Social image and role,
hedonism/pleasure and materialism have an influence on attitude towards advertising through sports. The other
factors that could explain attitude could be the type of advertising i-e humors ads etc, but the variable' s
significance in current study was strong so they are exploring attitude towards advertising strongly.

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