THE EFFECTS OF SMS ADVERTISING ON BRAND ATTITUDE AND PURCHASE INTENTION: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The role of SMS technology as a way of mobile messaging is diminishing while usage of mobile instant messaging applications is growing. This situation might lead marketing professionals to question the value of SMS technology as a way of effectively reaching consumers. However, it must not be overlooked that mobile phones are still capable of receiving SMS messages, even though less messages are being sent. This study examines the changes in brand attitude and purchase intention upon exposure to SMS advertising messages. An experiment was conducted on 47 university students. According to the findings, exposure to SMS advertising messages creates a statistically significant difference on attitude toward brand. The use of rational and emotional ad appeals did not lead to a significant difference on brand attitude. When users and non-users of the brand compared, statistically significant difference occurred only on the non-user group. There is no significant difference on any of the conditions tested for purchase intention. The findings indicate that SMS advertising is still a viable option for marketers who are trying to enhance brand attitude