Abstract:

This study examined the audience perception and reaction towards programmatic advertising messages in a commercial business district (CBD) in Nigeria. Focusing on digital modes of creating product awareness, the study’s major objective was to show target audiences’ transcendence from telephone message receivers to online transaction activators. Applying quantitative survey approach, two hundred copies of questionnaires were operated on active mobile telephone and bank account owners, aged 18 to 45; all possessing credit cards, necessary for online transactions. Direct field operation resulted in 100% return rate of the copies. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) was adopted to show that personal attitude and disposition are essential in driving a consumer to accepting the positive intentions of messages. Results indicated a poor knowledge of programmatic advertising among the respondents as they understood it better as “e-advertising.” More than two-thirds of the respondents indicated that click e-advertising messages once it appears on their digital devices. 46.5% of the respondents said they click the messages immediately, 36% disclosed that they click at a later time, while 17.5% said they don’t click the messages. Majority of the audience said programmatic advertising messages were irritating, whilst more than two-thirds of the positively disposed respondents made either instant or delayed reactionary transactions. The study concluded that users’ perception of e-advertising messages as irritating, disturbing and annoying was injurious to programmatic advertising. Big data application was therefore recommended to ensure that audiences of programmatic advertising receive only individually customized and needful messages to produce positive response rate in the nearest future.