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SKIN WHITENING PRODUCT: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AND STIMULATE THE

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISEMENT

Conference Paper · December 2016

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 SKIN WHITENING PRODUCT: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AND
STIMULATE THE CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL
MEDIA ADVERTISEMENT

Ida Puteri Bt. Mahsan1 Mohd Fauzi Harun2, Mohd Yusof Bin Zulkefli3 and Muhamad Qamar Rahman Bin
Md Isa4
1, 2
Advertising Department, Faculty of Art and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar,
Perak, Malaysia
idam@utar.edu.my, fauzih@utar.edu.my
3, 4
Public Relation Department, Faculty of Art and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman,
Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
yusofz@utar.edu.my, qamar@utar.edu.my

ABSTRACT

Consumers are exposed to thousands of ads and hampered companies to create a unique position
in creating consumer attention. Social media such as Instagram and Facebook helps companies to create
unique ads and engender a positive effect on the attitude and sales intention towards the brand.
Advertisers use this medium to engage with online potential buyers as repertoire to be connected as a part
of their integrated marketing communications strategy. Not just posting their ads as publicity but in
conjunction with parallelizing the brand awareness and sales strategy, direct marketing, and public
relations. Advertisers utilized the usage of social media by reviewing the testimonial about the
effectiveness of their product by enhancing the comments and feedback of the customers. However, not
all the advertised product is reliable because they are unregistered with the authority. This could cause
with the misleading information and the users will easily trapped by the copy or/and visuals image
featured in the ads. In addition, most of the consumers or potential buyers just rely solely on the
information which is fed by the advertisers. The objective of this research is to discover consumers‟
opinion towards persuasiveness and believability in social media advertisement. This research is
developed by using the mixed method in enhancing survey and content analysis. The important of the
research is to look at the key factor implied by the marketers using visual in attracting the audience and
how they motivate the potential buyers in their online purchasing process.

Keywords: Consumer Behavior, Online Advertising, Purchasing Decision, Social Media

INTRODUCTION

The landscape of advertising has changed dramatically in recent years worldwide. Advertising
nowadays appears in different media or forms of communication whereby digital advertising and
marketing continues to surge. The advertising industries always attempt to follow where consumers go
especially with the existence of blogs, social media and search engine optimization system, which
indirectly helps facilitate marketing and business activities (Bernama, 2014). Advertising is applied with
the aim of influencing people to think or to act in a particular way or providing information (Jen Green,
2012). No doubt, social media is the best opportunity available for a brand to connect with prospective
consumers with low cost as mentioned by Sisira Neti (2011). However, these ads mainly offer promises
with dubious information and most of the consumer relies on the information presented by the ad.
The ability of the public to access the Internet such as social media in a variety of mediums
encourage certain groups to took the opportunity to influence the public in making choices related to
health products such as whitening product according to Pharmaceutical Department of Health Ministry
(2015). Most cases involve the products which are unregistered under the Ministry of Health that may
contain hazardous chemicals and scheduled poisons. Many are unaware that these product advertisements
are the lack of approval by the Medicine Advertising Board under the Health Ministry. Moreover, online
purchases make it even easier for consumers to obtain these products.‟Lebih putih‟,‟cerah seawal 3 hari‟
and ‟cerah sempurna‟ are among common headlines used to get user attention or to entrap users. This is
what advertising does, it presents typical dreams of human life, promising that a particular product will
elevate or empower one to become or to remain what one ought to be (Lars Reuter, 2003). Women who
are obsessed with beauty and perfection should be careful in choosing beauty products especially those
ads that displayed product testimony with the decent result of pretty faces, supple and radiant skin. Mass
media also have revealed a lot of incidents that befall over the use of forbidden substances and
unregistered products which are sold online. Advertisements can change consumers‟ perceptions by
visualizing the importance of an attribute or even solving their problems as marketing stimuli (Kruti Shah
& Alan D‟Souza, 2009). Hence, it is important to study their marketing and communication strategies
through their advertisement content on buyer‟s behavior.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Having fair skin is considered an important element in assembling beauty especially women in
Asian cultures. This has effects on the growth of skin whitening and lightening products that occurred in
the markets. Thanks to social media, the advertising world has transformed and is regarded as the most
effective in terms of the cost other than the useful method to obtain necessary information on consumer-
to-consumer connection (Jalal Hanaysha, 2016). The emergence of social media has changed the
presented knowledge, needs, and expectations of consumers in terms of information search, information
sharing and decision making (Furguson, 2008).

Internet Advertising

A properly designed online advertisement campaign not only can hit the door of targeted
demographic but faster within a second. With so many options available, it is widely used for any
business to use it as their marketing strategies to expand their reach other than traditional media. Online
advertising is a two-sided market (Rochet and Tirole, 2003; Anderson and Gabszewicz, 2005), where it
operates as a platform that facilitates the relationship between consumers and advertisers.
According to David S. Evans (2009), Internet advertising is efficient toward consumers and
advertisers. Internet advertising is more economical to reduce resources in creating content toward
consumers and potential buyers instead of magazine and newspaper advertisement. Other than that,
internet advertising helps in increasing the accuracy between the buyer and seller. Advertisers are more
likely to have greater ability to target their right consumer and directly injecting the message to the right
consumer. This practice is called behavioral targeting. There are three types of internet advertising which
are widely used in promoting products such as display advertising – the web banner/ banner ads, social
networking advertising – Instagram, Facebook and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (Chowdhury, T.,
& Debi, H. R., 2013). This type of media also comes in different appearances such as still or animated
images and interactive media including audio and video. Previously the web banner, blog, websites and e-
mail were examples of option in digital advertising. As time flew, social media such as Facebook and
Instagram are currently the most effective and efficient platforms not just to follow trends but also a place
where there are many users (Walter & Gioglio, 2014). Social media is an opportunity for a business to
expand into higher rankings.

Social Media Advertisement

Advertisement in social media and buying behavior has now become a common discussion where
it involves decision processes and acts of people involved in buying and using desired product. Buying
decision is influenced by many factors such as the consumer's societal role, cultural environment and
desires (Gagandeep Nagra & R Gopal, 2013). So it is not surprising that today we can see almost every
business will benefit from the use of this technology as an opportunity to market their products and
services offered in larger markets.
According to Sajjad Husain, Ali Ghufran & D.S. Chaubey (2016) social media marketing, or
SMM, is a form of internet marketing that implements various social media networks to achieve
marketing communication and branding goals. Hence, it is no doubt that social media emerged as a new
mechanism for a brand to interact with its customers and the other way around. According to Dan Zarrella
(2010), social media is such a great equalizer for businesses whereby big brands can be outsmarted
without making huge investments and small brands can make big names for themselves. It costs almost
nothing but it is easy to start and it can have a huge financial impact on the business. In Malaysia alone,
the number of active Internet users in 2015 exceeds 20.1 million with 16.8 million of them are active in
social media based on data issued by Ministry of Communication & Multimedia. Data by
OpenMindsResources.com showed that 65 percent of Internet users now prefer to buy goods online than
face to face (Star, 2016). This is because social media is used by all levels of society. Social media is not
just a platform of publicizing but it also facilitates the interaction and communication between a brand
and its customers (Jalal Hanaysha, 2016). With more targeted audiences, the advertisement may affect
more potential buyers. However, not all advertisement guarantees the quality or even the authenticity of
the product. Advertisement can be so manipulative, the best advertisement was the one based on people‟s
desire without making a real effort (Kruti Shah & Alan D‟Souza, 2009). Indeed, consumers can be easily
drifted by what is displayed on the ad even though it is unproven in terms of medical science. Hence, the
consumers deceived by the beauty products‟ ad that promises maximum results although many cases of
fraud and suspicious product in the market especially those which were marketed through social media.

METHODOLOGY

The research methodology used for this study was content analysis and quantitative method using
questionnaire. Non-probability quota sampling was used with the size of 120 respondents with the age of
18-40 years old to find out the consumers‟ opinion towards persuasiveness and believability in social
media advertisement. The questionnaire was divided into 3 different sections which are the background
of the respondent, consumer sentiment towards online shopping and the content as well the elements of
the advertisement. Nominal and Likert-Scale was used as survey question in most of the questions in
section two and three. In addition, in order to increase the study‟s credibility in term of content and
structural effectiveness of the contents, the study also went through revisions during the pretest and pilot
study (confirm that content validity and construct validity) before it conducted a large-scale survey.
Figure 1.0: List of skin whitening brands as case study

Shee Candy Oceana Orchid Phyto Astaxanthin Austra White Collagen B17
Plus Abyadh
A total of four brands were surveyed and inspected in this study selected based on a selected
period (advertisement were seen between January to April on Facebook and Instagram) and these
products were merely depending on online advertisements as their marketing strategy. These products
were shown in Figure1.0 above. The advertisement later was screen-captured/saved to compare their
context in term of content, visual and their approach (message strategy). This study is using both manifest
and latent content analysis to create inferences objectively on the characteristics of the advertising.
Conceptual framework of the questionnaire is explained as below;

Figure 1.1: The relationship between independence variables and dependent variable

Independent Variables Dependent variable

Copy consumers‟ opinion

towards
persuasiveness and
Visual
believability in
social media
Color advertisement.

Skin whitening product ads in social

media (Facebook & Instagram)

The independent variables that used in the study were chosen based on the basic principles of
design (Samara, 2007). These elements of design are cognitively influence the consumer believability and
act as „middle man‟ in persuade the audience. The copy will cover hashtag word used in Instagram or
even words used as ads post, the advertisement headline, bodycopy and slogan/tagline of the product. In
visual, the study will focus on packaging, props/elements used, logo and who will be appeared in the ads
(if any). Color attraction in creating attention of the viewer also part of the study as to look out the color
combination as to complete the whole package of advertising layout.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

Persuasiveness and believability of social media advertisement

The key to a successful advertising or even marketing campaign lies in consumer buying
behavior. Generally, an online advertising that does not carter specific audiences will drown together with
its message. Hence the only way to reach the potential consumer and to influence their purchasing
decision is to understand their buying behavior. Purchasing right skincare products in the online medium
does matter to the consumer. Furthermore, it is related to their believability and persuasiveness.
According to the survey that has been conducted, the majority of the respondents will purchase skincare
product only if the brand has the believability elements. The element of the believability will occur when
the potential customer gets the information from the other users who are using the same brand. Besides,
the majority of the respondents also influenced and persuaded by others, from the benefits of the products.
Since the product are sold online, thus the persuasiveness of the advertisement must be captured their
attention. Respondents also often gather as much information from any sources and peers about the
particular skincare product advertised online before purchasing. Most of the respondents agreed to be
loyal customers towards their favorite brands of skin care product because it is hard to gain their
believability and persuasiveness. This is due to the current skin care product is effective enough to them.
All the respondents agreed that they are kind of loyal customer to skincare products that they are used
because it is effective to them and makes them feel satisfied. Due to this matter, they are very cautious in
trying new skincare products especially advertised online. Hence, most of the respondents will not take
any chances in buying unfamiliar brands of skincare product but consider a proper testimony to proof
about the effectiveness of the products and special promotional marketing such as discounts, coupon or
even free gift. Factors influence buying decisions towards consumer are quality, price, brand, ingredients,
promotion, advertisement, and packaging. They will look carefully to find the best value for the money.
However, they are several approaches used by marketers to influence consumer using online
advertisement which is visual/image, followed by copy and color. Consumer behavior is said to be an
applied discipline as some decisions are significantly affected by their behavior or expected actions.

Impact of visual, color and copywriting in whitening skincare product online ads

Great advertising is delivered through the right media to the right target audience. Hence, to be
effective, the message delivered need to tackle attention and create interest through copywriting, visual
used or even colors. Within the four-month periods in observing advertisement that appear on Facebook
and Instagram, there are four brands of skin whitening products that frequently appear in three different
accounts of those media socials which are Oceana Orchid, Phyto Astaxanthin plus Abyadh, Austranesia;
Austra White Collagen B17 and Shee Candy. These brands are representing advertisement that basically
depending on online advertisement to market their products and not well known. It is indisputable that an
online advertisement is a great tool and low-cost platform in marketing a new product especially skin
whitening product that keeps growing in the market. Based on the analysis and observation of four brands
as stated, marketers are using a different approach of visual in term of a subject, color combination, visual
arrangement and copywriting.

Figure 1.2: Graph on how social media advertisement elements impact towards audience

Based on the survey, the most influential elements that trigger their attention are visual as
information which is the product image itself. This can be seen in all the advertisement used other than
comes with a posting of testimonial picture to create believability towards the audience. Moreover, all
advertisements are adding as well benefits of using before and after or even problem/solution message
format even though not many of them now believe in that so much. Just like any other product, they want
to create better conviction by real experiences of real people and make the potential buyer think about
how it will work for them. However, this kind of posting is only available when we are going through to
their official Facebook page. From the survey, respondent also highly considered the arrangement of
background images that gives the enhancement of product reputation. The majority of the advertisement
also emphasize of their product appearance other than featuring a flawless and fair woman as part of their
advertisement content which delivering a message of enhancing fair complexion for a stunning look. This
kind of ads can increase a credibility strategy to intensify the believability of a message. Thus, the not
only audience have to stop (get attention) and pull (create interest) but clearly communicating the prime
message which is an important part of the perceptual process in buying process. Plus with the subcultural
factor such as the belief that fair skin makes you beautiful also affect purchasing behavior. As a new
product in the market, they do not just want the user to get used to the product look but the image of the
product also causes the audience to likes, comments, and shares the advertisement.
Most of the colors used in the advertisement were soft color and contradictory with the surveys
where the majority believes that more color applied in the ads enable to create attractiveness thus will
effectively affect consumer purchasing decision. The softer color might not be a great approach in doing
social media ads as it can‟t create attention and even blend with the media interface. Colors to them not
just affect the brand image but stimulate impulsive action. Even though softer color reflects their brand
essence but brighter color captivate call to action especially Facebook ad where it is not only conducted
by desktop but mobile devices as well whereby it is often in bite-sized pieces. Other than that, the survey
specifically identified a high-end color (black and gold) color category gives more persuasiveness
element of attraction and this has been applied in one of the advertisements which is Phyto Astaxanthin
plus Abyadh ads.
Even though the visual content is far more influential than textual content in this study, the
marketers also emphasize on the copywriting since it is one of the factors of marketing stimuli of the ads
other than the information provided in the post that can increase buyer decision process. The marketer
tries different catchphrase to grab consumer attention on their products. Even though copywriting is the
second influence factor, most of the marketers try to focus consumer attention by stating the benefits of
their products other than the result. The survey shows that the consumer actually more likely to consider
searching information on their official Facebook or even Instagram after they captivated by the ads. This
does align with the most of the brand in this study where they do have a series of advertisement that they
post together by adding new attributes to the attitude formation process where the strategy was adding or
highlight unique feature or benefits other than fair skin. Some picture posting has also been provided with
some supplementary information that can boost their confidence towards the brand. This posting is being
uploaded time to time as to stay active and increase engagement. However, the most important part of the
ads that they failed to provide is the product advertisement registration number from Malaysian Health
Ministry. This is because the consumer does believe that the serial number is an important element to
inspire trustworthiness towards the product. This means, the level of awareness has increased among the
consumer. The consumer preferred a marketer who provides company contact details in order to enable
the consumer to find more information on the product or even company background. This can only be
seen in two of the advertisement where they provide web and telephone numbers. Simplify purchasing
procedure and promotion such as free gift, discount, extra pack and etc that will encourage the consumer
to buy are some of the criteria‟s that also impulse buyer towards the brand. However, within the four
months of observation, there is no special promotion conducted by any of the brands.

SUMMARY & SUGGESTION

Today with dozens of whitening product ads in the market, marketers try to use various
approaches in grabbing potential buyers‟ attention. Visual captured the audience‟s attention easily in
regards to the whitening product ads. However, the image of the product in each advertisement still be the
best essence to use other than testimonial features as the vital marketing strategies to persuade the
consumer to buy the product to increase their believability. Therefore, marketers need to have varieties of
their product image with a different setting, background or even different supporting image to test how
different images can drive different audience attention. In other words, the uniqueness is the key point in
grabbing the audience attention. The target audience in social media advertisement can be set with a few
categories, hence, the advertisement supposed to be designed that suit to the various audience. However,
the element of consistency should not be overlooked to tie each ad together. This is to ensure that the
campaign easily recognizable and encourage further engagement with followers. Furthermore, good
appearance of advertisement is not assurance its effectiveness because today consumer is wise in
searching information of a product. Customer feedback/comments of the product are their first step in
searching for evidence and medium to retain current and attract new customer but don‟t solely depend on
social media platform as audience nowadays need additional information sources to increase their
believability such as the official web. The marketers also should clearly state their product registration
number for consumers‟ references for the validity of the products and increase its credibility. The
headline used should be customized to cater different potential buyer interest and suits for each social
media platform. Only then the content distribution efforts bear fruit. The idea of using different visual
content and headline is not just driven different audience attention but also very helpful in updating their
ads and post. In addition, the word/phrase used for social media posting or even hashtag for Instagram
should be determined by the targeted audience social personas that can stand out in the social feed.
Colors also play an important role to persuade consumer purchasing intention, especially in an
online platform. Majority believe that interpret a message is easily and faster from an image but it‟s not
just a pictures because it also represents colors. Consumers are mostly attracting to the good color
combination that represents excitement and warmth. Same goes with high end and classy color
appearance advertisement persuade the consumer to click the advertisement and to achieve the outcome
that they looking for. Therefore, this finding, in reality, is beneficial not just for marketers to fully utilize
in designing online advertisement and maximize their potential to produce a favorable consumer attitude
but explain the social changes especially in consumer behavior towards online marketing especially social
media user by captivating their experiences, attitudes, moods, and behaviors. With the growth of online
advertisement marketers should emphasis on behavior change of consumer to tackle and systematically
influence impulsive purchasing behavior from a single advertisement. In addition, for future research
direction, a comparison studies can be conducted to compare the social media advertisement in different
platforms other than Instagram and Facebook. Alternatively, researchers could explore and clarify the
interaction process in an online advertisement that leads to stimuli the audience in buying process.

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