CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF NARRATIVE ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS IN NIGERIAN TELECOM COMMERCIALS ON YOUTUBE

Abstract

Though storytelling is seen as an effective means of advertising, few studies have been carried out to determine how the consumer perceives this strategy when used in telecommunications commercials in Nigeria. The objectives of this paper   are to examine the exposure of the consumer to telecommunications commercials in YouTube Channels; and determine consumers’ perception on the effectiveness of storytelling in engagement. The data for this study came from surveys conducted among 400 undergraduate students in Lagos as well as content analysis of 19 telecommunications commercials. The study employed a survey research design with data obtained from 400 undergraduate students in Lagos selected through convenience and purposive sampling using a structured questionnaire whose content validity was established through expert review and reliability confirmed with Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.72 to 0.85. Results indicated that respondents had moderate to high levels of exposure to commercials for telecom companies in Nigeria on YouTube. The storytelling strategy was deemed to be particularly successful in making telecom brands more relatable (weighted mean = 4.04) and engaging (mean = 3.54), while YouTube was considered an appropriate medium (mean = 3.86). At the same time, the techniques employed were rated as moderately effective when it comes to attracting people's attention (mean = 2.88) and influencing their emotions (mean = 2.83). These findings suggest that linear and culturally grounded narratives may help build psychological closeness and long-term affinity with telecom brands, but they might fall short of producing strong immediate attentional or emotional impact in a skippable digital environment. The study indicates that current storytelling approaches appear to function more as emotional primers than as drivers of deep narrative transportation. This research contributes to understanding audience responses to digital advertising in a Global South context and highlights potential trade-offs between relatability and deeper engagement. Practical implications for telecom brands and advertising agencies are discussed, along with suggestions for future studies that incorporate behavioural measures and broader demographic samples.