The influence of Facebook advertising on consumer purchasing behaviour such as impulse buying in the UK fast food industry
Background and Aims:
To investigate the impact of Facebook on the purchasing behaviour of consumers in UK fast food industry
The fast food industry in the UK is dominated by big international brands such as the Macdonald’s, Nandos, KFC, and Burger King. However, local brands are also competing for the market making advertising an important activity in the industry. The growth of the industry can be associated with marketing strategies that involve use of social media such as Facebook to entice customers to purchase certain foods. Social media advertising can lead to changes in consumer behaviour though posting menus and prices on Facebook. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of advertising fast food items on Facebook on consumer buying behaviour. The research will focus on how customers decide to purchase an item posted on the social media after looking at the appearance, packaging, price, the likes, or comments. The study will also compare consumption of fast foods in other countries as well as impact of other social platforms such as You Tube on consumer buying behaviour.
Literature:
Identify at least 6 papers (add more if you can) that have been written in this area, summarise what has been found, and state what questions still remain unanswered. Complete the following grid
Author and year
(e.g. Smith, 2010)
Method used
Sample/
Demographic
Main findings
Questions posed
1
Hanaysha, J., 2016.
Data collection was conducted by survey instruments administered to 384 clients at various places in East Coast area of Malaysia. Convenience sampling technique was used to collect data from participants. Analysis was by statistical package for social sciences software.
1000 buyers using the social media and 1000 non-users.
The result showed that social media adverts have significant positive impacts on brand equity such as brand image, loyalty, preferences, and leadership.
How does the use of social media in other countries to market fast foods compare with the UK?
2
Tan, L., Ng, S.H., Omar, A. and Karupaiah, T. 2018.
The study used a site called SocialBlade.com to identify the YouTube Videos with the greatest popularity among kids. Adverts that appeared during viewing were noted and analysis done for type of items on promotions. Foods and beverages’ ads were then coded depending on type and method used for persuasion.
250 YouTube videos.
187 adverts were noted in sample videos. Food and beverage averts had the highest percentage at 38%. In this 56.3% were promotions noncore foods in which the taste appeal was 42.3%, uniqueness 32.4%, the incorporation of animation 22.5%, fun appeal 22.5%, promotional figures 15.5%, prices 12.7%, and health and nutritional benefits 8.5%
How does Face book compare with other social media platforms in influencing customer behaviour towards fast foods?
3
Kim, W.G., Li, J.J. and Brymer, R.A., 2016
The researchers visited a regional restaurant chain with excess of 70 hotels in sixteen states in the US.
A chain company with 70 restaurants in 16 states.
The study reveals that the online reviews by buyers significantly affect the restaurant performance positively. Furthermore, clients’ overall ratings, guests handed in one labour hour, as well as the food quality affects hotel performance.
Are there any negative impacts of customer reviews via social media?
4
Radwan, H.R.I., 2016.
A survey was carried out with 35 questionnaires distributed to sales managers in 4 and 5-star hotel located in Makkah. Thirteen semi-structured questions were answered by the participants and analysis done to find out how they utilised social platforms for marketing.
35 marketing managers.
The work showed that restaurants utilise social media for marketing to update the services being offered as well as foods being served. A few hotels effectively have turned the social media into a system for communicating and building good ties with buyers.
Is the social media the only means of attracting customers?
5
Camilleri, M.A. (2017).
The study involved use of survey questionnaires emailed to the management belonging to hotels and restaurants associations.
395 respondents.
Digital communication as well as the traditional media is capable of improving company image or the firm’s reputation.
What is the importance of corporate image for restaurants?
6
Hudson, S., Huang, L., Roth, M.S. and Madden, T.J., 2016
The study aimed at establishing the impact of individual and national differences on the link between the usage of social media and client brands relationship. The first research involved a survey of buyers in France, the United Kingdom and United States and compared the effect of those that used social media those who did do not.
18-35 years old consumers.
The findings reveal that advertising on social platforms as creates connections with clients. This helps to create an excellent client relationship with the company brands. Therefore, firms that need to market their hotel products can benefit greatly by using the platform.
How is the consumer uncertainty about restaurants prevented via social media?
7
Lwin, M.O., Malik, S., Ridwan, H. and Au, C.S.S., 2017
This research determined the impact of media exposure as well as parent’s mediation on Indonesian kid’s fast food intake in metropolitan and suburban regions. The result were then compared.
394 child-mother pairs.
Consumption of fast food was found to have a positive relation with how a child was exposed to broadcast media in metropolitan kid as well as use of online and social media in suburban kids. In children in which parents controlled consumption habits for lower fast food consumption was recorded. This was particular for suburban children.
Is the social media wholly to blame for consumption of fast foods?
Li, W. and Darban, A., 2012.
The aim of the study was to establish the effect of online social networks (Facebook) on consumers’ buying decisions in food retailer shops.
Face-to-face and telephone
Interviews was done with 11 interviewees
Online social networks have
impact on consumers’ purchasing decision processes to different extent to different retailer shop.
How does Facebook’s comments influence buyers decision to make purchase of fast food items.
Fraser, L.K., Clarke, G.P., Cade, J.E. and Edwards, K.L., 2012.
The purpose of study was to explore the factors, which affect young consumers' attitudes
towards fast-
food advertising in Facebook .
4 focus groups with young consumers belonging 2 Egyptian cities.
The research results revealed that Facebook is an excellent platform for advertising fast foods.
State and briefly explain the marketing theory that could be applied in your study
The theory t be used is the Hawkins Stern Impulse Buying Theory- the theory deals with consumer behaviour and rational action due to external stimuli such as seeing. When restaurants upload images of the services and commodities on social media, clients may be entices to make purchases on impulse. The theory is important since it explains the impact in the consumer buying behaviour on seeing images of fast foods posted on Facebook.
What perspective will you take and why it is appropriate(Qualitative/Quantitative)
Qualitative approach using systematic review of literature and the questionnaire interview technique will be applied. Qualitative approach is appropriate since it enables an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. It provides insights into the problem helps in developing ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative research (Astalin, 2013).
Provide details of the people who will be involved in your data collection (survey respondents/interview participants) and outline your plans for recruitment
The study will employ primary methods to collect first-hand data by use of questionnaires. The questionnaires to be used will be an open-ended to avoid limiting the opinions of the participants. Three types of stakeholders; managers, employees, and customers of fast food restaurants will be recruited through official emails. The respondents will constitute 3 participants in each of three categories of stakeholders selected through random sampling technique.
State the method that you intend to use to gather your data (Survey/Interview/other) and why it is an appropriate choice
Method (Interview/Survey)
Argument for use
1
Interview/ survey
It offers comprehensive responses from the participants
2
Systematic literature review
It offers reliable information from different studies carried out earlier.
If you are undertaking any fieldwork for your study please give an accurate description of your plan for data collection
Data collection will be through open-ended questionnaires delivered to selected stakeholders such as customers, managers, and employee. Each category will have 3 participants. The interviews will be carried out at the restaurants’ premises on a date and time agreed with the management. Each questionnaire will be completed at a maximum of 10 minutes and will have open 8 open-ended questions.
Discuss any potential ethical issues surrounding your research
The ethical issue that emerged was confidentially and privacy concerns as the respondents needed to disclose information related to their companies and consumers.
Please indicate that you have discussed any issues with your supervisor (delete as appropriate)
No
Explicitly state the scope and limits of your study, what will be covered and what is beyond the range of your study
Included in the study
Outside the scope of the study
Impact of social media on the purchasing behaviour of consumers in the American fast food industry.
Marketing theories.
Social media use in other industries.
References
Astalin, P.K., 2013. Qualitative research designs: A conceptual framework. International Journal of Social Science and Interdisciplinary Research, 2(1), pp.118-124.
Camilleri, M.A., 2017. The promotion of responsible tourism management through digital media. Tourism Planning and Development. (forthcoming). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3037930
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Camilleri/publication/319819757_The_Promotion_of_Responsible_Tourism_Management_Through_Digital_Media/links/59d7dff10f7e9b12b361272c/The-Promotion-of-Responsible-Tourism-Management-Through-Digital-Media.pdf
Dahl, S., 2018. Social media marketing: Theories and applications. London: Sage.https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=iPlNDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=Social+Media+Marketing+for+Restaurants&ots=plx2QPn6D5&sig=k3bpcTZXm9JH-du9iMjz_9_BtLc&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Social%20Media%20Marketing%20for%20Restaurants&f=false
Fraser, L.K., Clarke, G.P., Cade, J.E. and Edwards, K.L., 2012. Fast food and obesity: A spatial analysis in a large United Kingdom population of children aged 13–15. American journal of preventive medicine, 42(5), pp.e77-e85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4308093/
Hudson, S., Huang, L., Roth, M.S. and Madden, T.J., 2016. The influence of social media interactions on consumer–brand relationships: A three-country study of brand perceptions and marketing behaviors. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33(1), pp.27-41.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/28a4/22c954c5b81d1c1b358b4cbe26f10811c949.pdf
Gaber, H.R. and Wright, L.T., 2014. Fast-food advertising in social media. A case study on Facebook in Egypt. Journal of Business and Retail Management Research, 9(1), pp.52-63. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/23238/1/FastfoodandFacebook.pdf
Li, W. and Darban, A., 2012. The impact of online social networks on consumers' purchasing decision: The study of food retailers. http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:532049/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Lwin, M.O., Malik, S., Ridwan, H. and Au, C.S.S., 2017. Media exposure and parental mediation on fast-food consumption among children in metropolitan and suburban Indonesian. Asia Pacific
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 26(5), pp.899-905.https://search.proquest.com/openview/58cf5c41aa2ddde855861ead807544d3/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=45812
Radwan, H.R.I., 2016. Evaluating the effectiveness of social media as a marketing tool in the hotel sector: A case study on four and five star hotels in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Heritage, Tourism, and Hospitality, 8(1), pp. 151-169. http://journals.fayoum.edu.eg/index.php/Tourism/article/viewFile/27/28
Tan, L., Ng, S.H., Omar, A. and Karupaiah, T., 2018. What's on YouTube? A case study on food and beverage advertising in videos targeted at children on social media. Childhood Obesity, 14(5), pp.280-290.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/chi.2018.0037
SECTION 2: Project Details
Project Title:
The influence of Facebook advertising on consumer purchasing behaviour such as impulse buying in the UK fast food industry
Project Synopsis:
The research focuses on various aspects of digital marketing, endorsement, promotion, and advertising in relation to increasing the productivity and sales of the member of firms to maximise their profitability. The Facebook will be the main social media to be explored in this research in the UK. However, the study will also compare advertisement with other social platforms as well as other countries.
This study investigates the impact Facebook has on the purchasing behaviour of consumers in the UK fast food industry. It will also use existing literature find the influence of other online platform such as You Tube on the decisions, intentions, preferences, and attitudes of the consumers in various countries to provide comparison. Furthermore, it will explore ways through which international brands in the industry such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Subway, Burger King, KFC, and Taco Bell incorporate the aforementioned platforms into their operations.
The study is a qualitative research; thus, it will dwell on a qualitative methodology using systematic review of literature and the survey/interview technique. Qualitative research is important as it will facilitate understanding of the underlying reasons, motivations of use of online media for marketing by analysing several sources. Essentially, it will employ primary methods to collect first-hand data such as use of questionnaires. The questionnaires will be open-ended to avoid limiting the feedback of the participants and the interviews will serve as means of determining the legitimacy of their responses on the questionnaires.
The research will involve three types of stakeholders for data collection that include managers, employees, and customers of fast food restaurants in the UK. Five fast food restaurants will be selected for this study. Each category will have 3 participants who will be required to fill open-ended questionnaires on use of social media as a marketing tool. The participants will be invited for the research through emails after which the questionnaires will be delivered to the places and time identified by the management. Literature review will also be carried out on studies related to the topic to enable understanding of the topic. In addition, the literature reviewed will help in determining what has been done and any existing gap.
