University of Buea: Veteran PR & advertising expert, Enow Daniel Bisong, bags PhD.

Professor Yenshu Emmanuel Vubo chaired the powerful six-member panel. Other members of the panel were; Professors Thomas Atenga and Emmanuel Nwahanye as rapporteurs, Professor Henry Muluh as member. Professor Julius Che Tita was the main supervisor and while Professor Kingsley Ngange was co-supervisor of the work.

The thesis was titled: “Effectiveness of brewers' responsible drinking messages against alcohol abuse amongst higher education students in Buea”. 

The candidate said he sought to understand the effectiveness of messages from brewers calling on consumers to be responsible in their drinking habit.

The study focused on undergraduate students from the University of Buea, Catholic University Institute of Buea and Higher Institute of Business Management and Technology. Some 774 respondents were surveyed.

The researcher said findings show that 100% of the respondents were significantly aware of the dissemination of such responsible drinking messages from brewers. A significant majority also indicated that they understood the messages. 

Despite the awareness and knowledge, the study, Enow Bisong also stated, revealed that the messages had no significant effect on the alcohol related attitudes and behaviours of students.

After more than three hours of grilling by the six-member panel, the Chair, Professor Yenshu Emmanuel Vubo, saluted the candidate for his eloquent presentation. 

He added that the thesis was well written based on grounded research, topical with good interpretation and analysis. 

Speaking to the press after the defence, the co-supervisor of the thesis, Professor Kingsley Ngange, said it was a contemporary issue that needed much attention from scholars. 

Prof Ngange said the candidate had brought his experience from the industry into academia, which will boost knowledge on the subject.

On his part, the candidate, Enow Bisong, said he met the required standards and that the findings were good and useful for policy. 

He indicated that his experience in marketing from 1982-1996 caused him to take interest in the research.

Protecting consumers’ interest

His extensive work in the advertising industry in Cameroon, Enow Bisong also said, had motivated him to carry out a study that seeks to protect consumers of beer rather than entertain them with beer. 

As a member of the National Advertising Council, Enow Bisong said he was in a better position to address the issues, having had the experience as a marketer and now as a prosecutor.

“…I was looking at how to protect the consumers and help the breweries and other alcohol producers and sellers to know the consumers are our priority. That is why we were looking at the effectiveness of responsible drinking messages,” the candidate stated.

The researcher said even though consumers are aware of responsible drinking messages from brewers, they do not trust the brewers. 

This, he said, was visible because most of the consumers could not remember which part of the advert talks about responsible drinking. Others, he indicated, said the messages come few seconds to the end of an advert or are not legible in printed adverts.

The dominant messages in most advertising and promotional messages from the brewers, the researcher said, findings revealed were on promoting alcohol. 

On the other hand, the researcher said messages on responsible drinking only appear on  the sidebar making it difficult for the consumers to notice.

In this light, the researcher challenged brewers to understand that their messages are not effective. 

This, he said, produce separate messages for responsible drinking and for the promotion of their brands because it is the brewer’s responsibility to educate clients on the risks associated with alcohol consumption. 

Such messages, he added, should be graphic enough to highlight the consequences of abusive consumption that expose consumers to difficult health conditions. 

He recommended that the government should produce and implement the regulatory texts to guide the advertising and sales of beer.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0: 3190 of August 05, 2024