CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Much of the early history of advertising in Nigeria largely centers on the activities of the offshoots of multinationals such as Unilever and its advertising agency, LINATS. (Ozoh, 2001,). A more vigorous industry emerged much later with first major impetus being provided by the Nigeria Enterprise Promotion Decree of 1972 otherwise known as Indigenization decree. The decree had provided for advertising as a wholly business with exclusive ownership reserved for Nigeria. Nigerians were suddenly thrust into the position of major drivers in the industry even when they were not ready to assume such post.
But the incipient signs of the emergent activism and vitality that were later to characterize advertising were evident of the Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN). The association struggled relentlessly over the years raising the sensitivity of the public and the government to the problems and interest of the advertising industry. The struggles of the AAPN (which was an Umbrella organization of the advertising agencies in Nigeria) were to pay off in 1988, when government accorded legislative recognition to the profession. In that year, government promulgated a decree now tagged Decree 55 of 1988. The decree established the advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and gave it the following powers and functions;  
Determining who advertising practitioners are.
Determining what standards of knowledge are to be attained by persons seeking to become registered as members of the advertising professions and reviewing these standards from time to time.
Securing in accordance with the provision of the decree, the establishment and maintenance of the register of practitioners and the publication from time to time of the list of the persons.
Regulating and controlling the practice of advertising in all its aspects and ramifications.
Conducting examination in the profession and awarding certificates or diploma to successful candidates when appropriate and for such purpose the council shall prescribe fee to be paid in respect thereof.
With the coming of APCON, advertising assumed full fledged professional status. The profession is usually characterized by a defined body of knowledge and skill which its members must acquire a formal mode of admission and licensing before one could become a member of the profession. Advertising has by virtue of decree 55 acquired these characteristics. Advertising has all over the years assumed a powerful communication force highly visible and one of the most important tools of marketing communication that helps to promote sale of products, services, ideas and images etc. Advertisements are seen in newspapers, magazines, on televisions and internet and are heard on radio.
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), (1993,p.2), defined advertising as “a form of communication through media about products,services or ideas paid for by an identified sponsor.” Bovee and Arens (1992,p.7 ) defined advertising as “ non-personal communication of information, usually about products (goods and services) or ideas by an identified sponsor through various media.” Ulanoff (1977,p.17) also defines advertising as “a tool of marketing for communication of ideas and information or time on the media or uses another communication vehicle to carry its messages and its openly identifies the advertiser and his relationship to sales effort.”
All these explains advertising as a non-personal messages meaning there is no personal interaction between the advertiser and the audience expect in the case personal selling where there is face-to-face presentation and promotion of the product or services by the sales person. It is usually delivered through a media and often viewed as the intrusion. It is also paid for by an identified sponsor. This reflects the fact that the space or time for an advertising messages generally must be brought by a sponsor. Advertising plays a vital role not only to the agencies that practice it but to the manufacturers, media and customers as well. In media for example advertising constitutes a source of income. Newspaper as a rule receive two third of their revenue from adverts. The survival of radio, television magazines and other channels of mass communication without advertisements is better imagined than real. More so, one best appreciates the beauty, elegance and glamour which advertisement add to the entertainment nature of the media when we imagine the absence of such interline to promote products and services during programmers‟ on radio and television. As for consumers, advertising is educational; people learn about new products and services or improvements in existing ones through advertising. In addition, most advertisements help in producing psychological effects and can help in changing only mental states of audiences and predispose them towards the purchase of the advertised products and services. From the advertising point of view Doghuje (1985,p.19) says “advertising is a marketing tool whose sole aim is to build preferences for advertised brands or services”. Advertising is best at creating initial awareness of a product or services building an image and reinforcing existing impressions consumers have of a brand. It also stimulates demands, strengthens other promotion mix elements, develops brand preference cut costs, and serves as competitive weapons for marketers. It is on this premise that organizations are rapidly learning that an efficient and effective communication with target audience can be the difference between marketing success or failure. Marketers are keenly interested in new ways of effectively communicating with consumers especially through advertising. They are more concerned with developing tactics and strategies of marketing and advertising the products and services to the consumers.