Title:   SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISEMENT INFLUENCE ON CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOUR AND POTENTIAL ADDICTION TO ENERGY DRINK BEVERAGES AMONG UNDERGRADUATES IN NSUKKA, NIGERIA

Abstract
Social media advertising has altered the landscape of marketing globally impacting on products such as energy drinks whose appeal have become a global phenomenon. Today energy drinks are typically marketed as functional beverages that enhance alertness, improve concentration and increase physical stamina. It has also become a global youth culture phenomenon typically marketed with branding that emphasize improved vitality, high performance and adventure associating consumption with social status and modern lifestyle. Nigerian youths like their counterparts all over the world constitute a significant proportion of online users and have become prime targets for social media digital advertising. Companies increasingly leverage platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp to promote their products through viral campaigns, influencer endorsements and interactive content. The Social Learning Theory, developed by Albert Bandura served as the theoretical framework underpinning this research. The study assessed Nigerian youths aged 15–30 using 379 undergraduate students at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The survey research design was utilized and data was collected using the questionnaire. Findings of the study indicated high exposure to social media advertisements with significant awareness of their persuasive effects on consumption behaviour. Findings showed that influencer endorsements, viral trends and peer behaviour strongly shaped youths' energy drink intake, with many respondents reporting habitual consumption and mild withdrawal symptoms, indicating potential dependency. The study recommends that peer education and youth engagement should be strengthened through youth-centered programs to integrate discussions on the health effects of energy drinks with respondents emphasizing the need for stricter regulations, visible health warnings and responsible influencer marketing.

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Publication Date: 2026-08-19