Analyzing Impact of Social Media Advertising on Customer Attitude

This dissertation proposal aims to analyze the impact of social media advertising on customer attitude, focusing on Amoy Food in Hong Kong. The research will employ a mixed-methods approach, utilizing questionnaires from 10 managers for primary data collection and incorporating secondary data from books, journals, and online resources. An inductive research approach will be adopted to formulate new theories based on the collected data. The study will explore various aspects of social media advertising, its effects on customer attitude, and recommend tailored strategies for Amoy Food to enhance its social media marketing efforts. Ethical considerations, including data confidentiality and plagiarism, will be strictly adhered to throughout the research process. The proposal outlines a detailed timetable for the completion of the study, encompassing literature review, data collection, analysis, and report preparation.

Dissertation
(Research Proposal)

ABSTRACT
Social media is considered to be an effective marketing tool that is being used by the
organizations to attract and tap large number of customers towards it. The present research will
be conducted with the aim to “To analyse the impact of social media advertising on customer
attitude – a study of Amoy food in Hong Kong.” To serve this purpose, primary type of data will
be collected from 10 managers in the form of questionnaire so that the purpose clan be served.
Further, the researcher will opt for inductive type of research approach where new theories can
be formulated based upon the outcome of primary data. Further, secondary type of data will also
be collected through books, journals and other online websites to concrete the basic knowledge
about the subject matter. In the end, based upon the outcome of primary and secondary data,
recommendation will be given to Amoy foods so that it can enhance its social media marketing
strategies and make the best out of it.

Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
Overview......................................................................................................................................1
Aims and objectives.....................................................................................................................1
Importance of research................................................................................................................1
Research questions.......................................................................................................................1
Structure of the proposal..............................................................................................................1
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................2
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................3
Research philosophy....................................................................................................................3
Research approach.......................................................................................................................4
Research design...........................................................................................................................4
Technique of data collection........................................................................................................4
Sampling......................................................................................................................................4
Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 4: ETHICAL ISSUES...................................................................................................4
CHAPTER 5: TIMETABLE...........................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Overview
Amoy foods is one of the leading frozen food manufacturers and suppliers which provides
wide variety of authentic Asian cuisine for foodservice industry. It is situated in Hong Kong. The
company is already involved in social media marketing strategy (Venkatesh and et.al., 2010).
However, the present research will be conducted to study the impact of social media advertising
on customer attitude.
Aims and objectives
Aim: “To analyse the impact of social media advertising on customer attitude – a study of
Amoy food in Hong Kong.”
Objectives:
 To understand various aspects of social media advertising.
 To analyse the impact of social media advertising on customer attitude.
 To recommend Amoy food on social media advertising strategies.
Importance of research
The research holds adequate amount of importance in understanding the impact of social
media advertising on customer attitude. It will help in suggesting better social media marketing
strategies to Amoy food which can be implemented by it to attract large number of customers
(Amatulli and Guido 2011). Further, the topic is important to be studied as it will help in
understanding altogether different aspect of social media advertising which can ultimately help
in growth and development of the business.
Research questions
 What are the various aspects of social media advertising?
 What is the impact of social media advertising on customer attitude?
 What are the social media advertising strategies that can be recommended to Amoy food?
Structure of the proposal
The proposal will flow in the following manner:
 Chapter 1: Introduction
 Chapter 2: Literature review
 Chapter 3: Methodology
 Chapter 4: Ethical issues
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 Chapter 5: Time table
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Kim and Ko (2012), social media advertising is a method of marketing
products and services on social media platforms. These are the advertisement that helps in
serving the users on social media platform. The main advantage of this type of advert6isement is
that it helps in high conversion rate of sales which leads into revenue with lower cost of
acquisition. However, in comparison to this, as per the views of Brand, (2011), it is a form of
internet marketing that make use of social networking websites to serve as a marketing tool. It
helps the entity to increase its brand exposure and enhance the reach to the customers. One can
join groups, join clubs of their interest, etc. it helps in gathering the data of potential customers.
The main issue with respect to business perspective is that the activity can be time consuming.
Further, it requires time to develop the interest and customers and increase sales through it.
According to Rageh Ismail and Spinelli (2012), there are various advantages of using social
media advertising activity for promoting a business. It can help in driving traffic towards the
website so that majority of the potential customers can be attracted through it. It can help in
broadening the reach of a company can easily tap customers from all around the world. It also
helps in developing one to one relationship with the clients and personalised messages to them
helps in making the customers feel valued. Increased brand presence is also initiated by the
organization if it involved in constant advertising and tapping customers through social media
advertising tools. However, in comparison to this, as per the views of Nagurney and Yu (2012),
there are various disadvantages that are attached to social media advertising. If the company has
not set any goal or formulated a specific social media advertising strategy, in that case, the
revenue of the company can be affected due to its reduced benefits. There other resources that
are required to opt for better online presence. In that case, the requirement can arise for paid
promotions and boosting up of the posts. It can add up to the marketing coast of the business.
Further, another disadvantage can be there is a higher risk of inappropriate or unwanted
behaviour at the social networking websites. It can include bullying and harassment posts from
the side of the dissatisfied customers. There are higher chances of greater exposure to leakage of
information, negative feedbacks and hacking (A Simple 3-Step Approach to Increasing
Conversions and ROI with Social Media Advertising, 2017).
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According to Miller and Mills (2012), social media platform plays an important role in
staying in touch with the customer in the most interactive manner. It helps in integrating brand
with them in the most innovative way. It alters their decision-making process and can easily
switch their brands if they find something interesting on other company. It affects their
purchasing decision and a word of mouth is also created by the other customers which helps in
attracting new people as potential customers towards the company. Another important aspect of
social media advertising is addressing the taste and preferences of the customer based on which
can be made available by the organization. Purchasing decision of a consumer is a complex
combination of internal and external influences being made on buying behaviour of an
individual. Online social networking websites have been able to range themselves in networking
websites, blogging, YouTube, Facebook and other virtual medias that can give ample chances to
the companies to interact and serve their customers in the best possible manner. This channel is
genuine and credible enough in comparison to any other advertising companies. However, in
comparison to this, asper the views of Matthiesen and Phau (2010), using social media
advertising as a marketing tool can be found intrusive to some of the customers. They may not
feel safe in disclosing their private information on such an open platform like social media. It is
due to the fact that the security level at social networking websites is quite hampered. There can
be bitterness present in the minds of people that can come out in the form of hacking accounts,
unsecured and unauthentic sign ins etc.
According to Kim and Ko (2010), social networks are mostly free and anybody can join the
same. But in order to have rigorous advertisement, it become important for the companies to pay
certain amount as charges to the social media websites in order to target customers. Rather than
using it as a marketing tool, companies must use it in collecting information. It can help in
collection of data where the best services and products can be offered by the companies
afterwards. Further, another potential downside of using social media advertising is that it is
easy to gather the trust of current loyal customers, but it becomes difficult for the companies to
attain new business.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Research philosophy
There are various types of research philosophies, such as, positivism, interpretivism, etc. In
the present research interpretivism philosophical approach will be used. It will help in providing
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appropriate solution to the research problem (Workman and Cho, 2012). All the facts and figures
will be revealed that can help in reaching to authentic results.
Research approach
It is another important aspect which is of two types, such as, inductive and deductive. In
the present research, inductive approach will be used so as to discover a new theory based upon
the data being collected for the research and analysis being made through it.
Research design
Research design is a blueprint to collect, analyse and measure data. Some basic types of
research design are, descriptive, exploratory and explanatory. In the present research, descriptive
research design will be used by the researcher. It helps in yielding rich data that can further help
in providing suitable recommendations to Amoy foods.
Technique of data collection
There are basically two types of data collection strategies. These are primary and
secondary. In the present research both types of data collection techniques will be used where
primary data will be collected through questionnaire method and secondary data will be collected
through books, journals and online material.
Sampling
For the present research, data will be gathered from 10 managers as they are the best
people to reveal that impact of social media advertising on customer attitude of Amoy foods.
Data Analysis
There are basically two types of data analysis techniques. These are, qualitative type and
quantitative type (Kapferer, 2012). In the present research, qualitative type of data analysis
technique will be used by the researcher. Within it, themes will be formulated to reach to the
effective results.
CHAPTER 4: ETHICAL ISSUES
There are various types of ethical issues that are present in conducting the present research.
Hence, all the important aspects will be considered by the researcher. These are:
 Citation and plagiarism: Proper citation and rephrasing will be done by the researcher by
following all the rules and regulations of plagiarism (Kim, 2012).
 Data confidentiality: All the data being collected from the managers will be kept
confidential and no data will be disclosed on public domain.
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CHAPTER 5: TIMETABLE
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Preparation of research proposal
Literature Review
Preparing Aims and objectives
Collecting secondary data of secondary data
Analysing secondary data
Development of research approach, design,
philosophy etc.
Assessment of research methodology
Collecting primary data
Analysis of data
Preparation of research findings
Final submission
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
Amatulli, C. and Guido, G., 2011. Determinants of purchasing intention for fashion luxury goods
in the Italian market: A laddering approach. Journal of Fashion Marketing and
Management: An International Journal. 15(1). pp.123-136.
Brand, C. P., 2011. Italy and the English romantics: the Italianate fashion in early nineteenth-
century England. Cambridge University Press.
Kapferer, J. N., 2012. The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic
thinking. Kogan page publishers.
Kim, A. J. and Ko, E., 2010. Impacts of luxury fashion brand’s social media marketing on
customer relationship and purchase intention. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing. 1(3).
pp.164-171.
Kim, A. J. and Ko, E., 2012. Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An
empirical study of luxury fashion brand. Journal of Business Research. 65(10). pp.1480-
1486.
Kim, H., 2012. The dimensionality of fashion-brand experience: Aligning consumer-based brand
equity approach. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International
Journal. 16(4). pp.418-441.
Matthiesen, I. M. and Phau, I., 2010. Brand image inconsistencies of luxury fashion brands: A
buyer-seller exchange situation model of Hugo Boss Australia. Journal of Fashion
Marketing and Management: An International Journal. 14(2). pp.202-218.
Miller, K. W. and Mills, M. K., 2012. Contributing clarity by examining brand luxury in the
fashion market. Journal of Business Research. 65(10). pp.1471-1479.
Nagurney, A. and Yu, M., 2012. Sustainable fashion supply chain management under
oligopolistic competition and brand differentiation.International Journal of Production
Economics. 135(2). pp.532-540.
Rageh Ismail, A. and Spinelli, G., 2012. Effects of brand love, personality and image on word of
mouth: The case of fashion brands among young consumers. Journal of Fashion
Marketing and Management: An International Journal. 16(4). pp.386-398.
Venkatesh, A. and et.al., 2010. The aesthetics of luxury fashion, body and identify
formation. Journal of Consumer Psychology 20(4). pp.459-470.
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Workman, J. E. and Cho, S., 2012. Gender, fashion consumer groups, and shopping
orientation. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal.40(3). pp.267-283.
Online
A Simple 3-Step Approach to Increasing Conversions and ROI with Social Media Advertising.
2017. [Online]. Available through < https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-advertising >.
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