MS RESEARCH PROPSAL
IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISEMENT ON
PURCHASING BEHAVIOR OF CONSUMER: A COMPARTIVE
CASE STUDY OF FAST AND IIUI PAKISTAN.
Researcher Supervisor
SIRAJ AHMAD SYED INAM UR RAHMAN
Reg no:
DEPARTMENT OF MEDIA & MASS COMMUNICATION STUDIES
FACULTY OF SOCAIL SCIENCES
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN
(February 2021)
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TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1
1.2 Statement of the problem
1.3 Significance of the study
1.4 Objectives of the study
1.5 Research questions
1.6 Hypothesis
2. LITRATURE REIVIEW
2.1 Review of related literature
2.2 Theoretical framework
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research design
3.2 Population
3.3 Operational definitions
3.4 Instruments
3.5 Procedure data collection
3.6 Data analysis
3.7 Ethical consideration
3.8 Work plan/ division of the study
4. References
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Abstract
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1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Since the outbreak of the pandemic such as Covid-19 people’s choices and preferences
shifted from door-to-door shopping and marketing towards more robust form of online
marketing. This transition from visiting sites of shopping or purchase and sell of products and
materials and marketing has changed to online marketing and online shopping which is mostly
carried out through social media tools such as, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram Email
etc.
This shift or transition is indispensable to understand in the contemporary changing global
environments of globalization. Indeed, it is one of the key factors in benefiting countries
economy in multifaceted ways. Prior to the increase in online marketing and online shopping
people use to buy are sell their materials in the abstract manner of shops and buildings. But since
the dawn of globalization and more recent wave of Covid-19 has exacerbated the need for online
marketing, shopping world wise. This transition not only changed the consumer behavior but
also grappled and enhanced the competition between the business community and local
international advertising websites. Based on this the in the context of Pakistan it can play a
remarkable role if the youth of Pakistan could shift their prorates toward online marketing. To
this end country like Pakistan where almost 63% youth age ranges from 20 to 26 can decide the
future of the nation if they properly utilized their skills.
Owing this huge amount of youth existence, it is of crucial importance for the country
Information Technology (IT) sector to initiate some measure to promote and utilize bitterly the
skills of youth by providing them basic amenities and instruments. However, as compared to
other regions of the South Asia the IT sector is developing in a rapid way but Pakistan is lagged
poorly in this sector.
However, since the toddler days of globalization and abrupt surge in Covid-19 has changed the
preference of the youth of Pakistan to make use of the social media to enhance online marketing
either to earn money or to do online shopping. Based on this surge which is a good step for the
economic sector of Pakistan. The inquiry of this study is manyfold: that how much students of
FAST and IIUI students prefer online shopping and if they are using what are their best social
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media tools of online shopping? How the students at these universities use social media
websites? Are they use these websites for online marketing or shopping and how much the
online marketing putting impacts on the youth buying and selling behavior? How much their
preferences shifted toward online marketing after the surge of Covid -19.
1.2 Problem Statement
Owing to the abrupt surge in covid-19 all the over world has opened new avenues of online
marketing. This has become a new normal in our daily life. Every section of the society prefers
to make online shopping and online marketing through the possible of social media sites such as,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, google, telegram etc. interestingly keeping in view the surge in
covid 19 has compelled everyone to prefer their attention toward online shopping either by
choice or by compulsion. In the context of Pakistan where a large section of the society is youth
prefer to get attracted by social media advertisement. The main concern lies in a fact that due to
lock down in covid -19 has exacerbated the need to use smartphones, laptops etc. By using these
instruments, the persistent appearance of advertisement on social media has impacted their
behavior of buying and selling nature.
1.3 Significance of the study
Keeping in view the offshoots of globalization in contemporary global village has made the
use of smartphones and laptops indispensable across the world. Interestingly the pandemics like
covid-19 has changing the dynamics and nature of the consumer and people across the world.
Based on this the due to abrupt surge in covid1-19 has made necessary the use of smart phones.
Once holding a mobile phone in hand, it is understood that anyone will come around to see
different advertisement at their disposal. Based on this in the contemporary time it is significant
to understand the impact of social media advertisement on consumer choices.
1.4 Objectives of the study
To know about the nature of different advisement appear on smartphones.
To shed light on the behavior of consumer to buy or to sell different products.
To dig out the consumer preferences either to shop or withdraw or compel them to make
online marketing or their choices of preference.
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To trace out the different impacts of social media advisement on consumer behavior toward
local or Multi-National Companies (MNCs)
1.5 Research questions
What is the nature of advertisement which appear on smartphones? And Hoe people
make their choice?
Why consumer prefer to make online shopping or buying instead of visiting shopping
sites? And What is their desired advertisement for online shopping?
How much the consumer preferred online shopping through social media advertisement
or any other source?
What are the impacts of social media advertisement of consumer choices after the
outbreak of covid-19?
1.6 Hypothesis
Owing to the different aspect of globalization such as social media, mobile phones, 4G,
or 5G networks has not so much compelled the consumer or individual to choose to be affected
by social media advertisement. But the unwanted surge of Covid-19 has impacted the consumer
and individual choices of choosing online shopping etc. through social media advertisement.
Thus, the world and the consumer have to recognized that this sudden outbreak has become part
of our life which is called new normal in mainstream media.
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2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Review of Related Literature
The authors (Jawaid & Karim, 2021) in an article entitled “factors affecting consumer
buying behavior in E commerce business during outbreak of covid-19. They opine that after the
outbreak of covid brings the stores and shops at the nearest disposal of the individual. Since the
emergence of the first covid case and until now people choices had badly suffered. That is one of
the reason people now tend to use persistently mobile phones and came across with different
types of advertisement. This case for developed countries where most of the people prefer to buy
products, goods, and food materials through mobile phones by clicking their desired
advertisement. However, in case of Pakistan where different types of advertisement came to
people outplaying verities of advertisements making them either to buy or withdraw depends
upon their demographic and education level.
Owing to the persistent use of social media advertisement and its impact on the consumer
behavior at developed countries the authors (Ali Taha et al., 2021) argued that the rise in the
covid cases and lock down compelled the people to make e-commerce shopping a part of their
life. They used to busy and sell products through social media advertisements. This factor is one
of the crucial importance for its economic upsurge. During the crisis of covid countries like Italy
and Slovakia make full use of the online shopping which has changed the nature of business
community. On one side people prefer to shop online has increased while on the other side
business community started competition with each other in order to make better advertisement to
compel the consumer to buy their products. This case is important for the developing country
like Pakistan where economy is already facing many doldrums.
While explaining the distinctive competition between the advertising and marketing campaigns
the authors(Diresta et al., 2020) elaborated its importance in an article entitled “the impact of
covid-19 on your advertising and marketing campaign that both consumer and market oriented
companies have gathered enough competition. Pandemics like covid-19 has greatly suffered and
impacted the consumer choices which has resulted in the competition the advertising companies.
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Since the outbreak of covid-19 and lock down everything has become a routine matter for people
to choose good among advertising companies. This behavior of individual resulted in the
creation of many online companies and freelancer all over the world. However, it has narrowed
down the gap between new advertising companies and brand Multi-National Companies
(MNCs). In this case again the importance of developing countries is of crucial importance such
as Pakistan. Pakistan and other developing countries have already under the umbrella of
imperialist control of developed states which make its importance in the sense of pandemics and
lockdowns.
By comparing the old and new habits in the contemporary global changing environment the
author (Sheth, Jagdish 2020) in an article “Impact of Covid-19 on consumer behavior: Will the
old habits return or die?” opines that after the outbreak of covid-19 consumer now learning and
improvising new habits. These new habits and consumer choices has come from the new
invitations and techniques they are learning in their daily lives. Ever since the surge in
pandemics they tend to hold their smart phones in hand which appears like a store has come to
their rooms and home. This has again made them innovative and good chooser of the things and
commodities appears to them through social media advertisement. Interestingly this case is also
of crucial importance that how mush the consumer of developing countries like Pakistan is
preferring to make online and which not only explore the choice of their section but also make
competition among the local companies of Pakistan in making between advertisement.
Keeping in view the best choices in lockdown and confinement times in developed states such
as Spain the authors (Arroyo et all, 2020) discussed in an article entitled as “Consumer behavior
in confinement times: Food choice and cooking attitudes in Spain” that covid-19 has become a
bulwark Infront of people movement all over the world. In this sense most of the masses of the
Spain has remined in confinement which has greatly affected its choices. Proper to pandemic
people visiting to desired location and shops has become in confinement to house and rooms
only. Even living in the same room were prohibited to visit and exchange their rooms a as well.
This has put great impact on their consumer behavior that either or what to shop and in what
times. On one side its increased online shopping but on the other side the desired products are
missing in their to do list. However, in case of Pakistan most of the masses are poor and unable
to hold smart phones etc. indeed, during pandemic most of the shops were shuttered down. In
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this case the social media advertisement has become of crucial importance because the process of
buying and selling through social media advertisement is more as compared to other regional and
international states.
2.2 Theoretical Framework
By employing the Uses and Gratification Theory will allure the reader that how different
public choices made through social media and TV advertisements and how propel make their
best choice by interaction with different social media and TV channels.
2.3 Uses and Gratification Theory
This theory come from the writings of Elihu Katz, Jay Blumer and Michael
Gurevitch(Katz et al., 1973). The basic pertinent and premise of this theory that media provide
an avenue of opportunities and the distinction between consumer and media choices. That how
audience across the world see the media and how much the media providing them the different
alternatives approaches of displaying different material of their choices. Once came across with
the different interpretation and displaying of the advertisement’s things leave a choice for the
consumer to either make full use of the commodities or withdrawn them. Indeed, they believe
that media is the main actor in people’s choices because it provides the people and audiences or
consumer the best choice of what they desired and want from the business and different
marketing community.(Katz & Foulkes, 1962).
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3. Methodology
The inquiry of this study will be based on both qualitative and quantitative data. For thew
qualitative data journal articles archives and in-depth interview will be carried out while for
Quantitative data surveys as questionnaires will be conducted across the mentioned population
and where necessary population random sampling will be cried out.
3.1 Research design
The inquiry and approach to complete this research study will be based on the impacts
and perceptions of consumer behavior preferences over social media advertisement. While
perusing this research study both basic and applied methods will be used. The data will be based
on quantitative data, but some qualitative research method will also be applied where necessary.
3.2 Population
The population will be inclined to consumer and individuals by comparing government
and private universities such as IIUI and FAST.
3.3 Operational Definitions
The key variables in this research study are two in nature one is Independent Variable
and dependent Variable. The independent variable is social media advertisement, and the
dependent variable is impact on consumer behavior.
3.4 Operationalization of the variables
3.4.1 Independent variable (Social media advertisements)
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It can be defined as different ads or advertisement appear on social media such as
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Telegram, Google etc. So Social media advertisement is an
independent variable which urge the consumer to buy or with draw the ads.
3.4.2 Dependent variable (Impact on consumer behavior)
Due to social media advertisement the people choices changed when seeing or came
across with different ads. The reaction of the youth, individual or consumer to the social media
advisement is a dependent variable.
3.5 Instruments
The consumer behavior and reaction to social media advertisements will be analyzed
through quantitative survey. The instruments for this study will be based on the different types of
questioners and in-depth interviews.
3.6 Procedure (Data collection)
The data will be collected be resorting to the consumer preferences and choices after the
sudden outbreak of covid-19. This will be purely collected from the consumer or youth of two
private and government universitates such as IIUI and FAST.
3.7 Data Analysis
The data will be analyzed statistically through SPSS version 22.0 and where necessary
different R. Methods will be used.
3.8 Ethical considerations
The research will be carried out by taking approval from the respective department/
agencies’ government, news channels and government.
3.9 Division of the study/work plan
In the first section of the thesis the nature of the advertisements will be analyzed in
detailed way by asking respondents from the FAST and IIUI Paskenta. Once gathered data it will
be employed across Pakistan by systematic random sampling in order to know the true nature of
social media advertisements.
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In the second section a consumer preference will be gathered after the outbreak of pandemic
such as Covid-19. However, for data collection the concerned population will be asked about
their preference advertisement and its section as compared to other advertisement on social
media.
In the third section this will be analyzed from the data that wither consumer preferred more
social media advertisement after the surge in covid-19 or any other related sources.
Finally, it will be the different type of impacts of social media advertisement will be asked from
the unit of analyses after the dawn of covid-19 in the developing country like Pakistan.
4.0 References
Ali Taha, V., Pencarelli, T., Škerháková, V., Fedorko, R., & Košíková, M. (2021). The Use of
Social Media and Its Impact on Shopping Behavior of Slovak and Italian Consumers
during COVID-19 Pandemic. Sustainability, 13(1710).
Diresta, A. E., Williford, K. T., Cohen, D. A., & Genn, B. A. (2020, April 20). The Impact of
COVID-19 on Your Advertising and Marketing Campaigns. Holland & Knight Alert.
Jawaid, M. H., & Karim, E. (2021). Factors Affecting Consumer Buying Behavior in E-
Commerce Business during Outbreak of Covid-19: A Case Study on Top E-Commerce
Websites. MPRA, 110476.
Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and Gratifications Research. The Public
Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523.
Katz, E., & Foulkes, D. (1962). On the Use of the Mass Media as “Escape”: Clarification of a
Concept. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 26(3), 377–388.
Shed, Jagdish, (2020). Impact of Covid-19 on consumer behavior: Will the old habits return or
die? journal of business research,117.
2019 (COVID-19) outbreak – an update on the status. Mil. Med. Res. 7 (11). https://
[Link]/10.1186/s40779-020-00240-0
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