NJOMACS

In fast-moving consumer goods, marketing communication planning is often done by the brand manager, but experienced by consumers in retail conditions, at price cues, on product availability, packaging visibility, and when using the product. This study critically investigates the communication and re-interpretation of selected Chi Limited products in General Trade, Modern Trade and On-premise retail environment in Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria. The study is anchored on Integrated Marketing Communication, Consumer Control Theory, and Consumer Information Processing/Cue Utilization; and views marketing communication as a channel mediated cue system, instead of advertising activity alone. The paper uses a critical analytical case study design, which includes a semi-structured key-informant interview with a salesperson who is conversant with Chi Limited channel execution, short open-ended confirmations from ten consumers (parents) and an on-premise confirmation with a bar attendant. Findings indicate that controllable factors—such as packaging, visibility, pricing, promotion, and distribution—are affected by uncontrollable or less controllable factors (such as exchange-rate pressure, retailer substitution, availability gaps, shelf-life time loss, consumption-stage practices such as decanting). The paper proposes that coherence in Fast Moving Consumer Goods marketing communication does not only occur during the planning stage, but is verified, undermined and/or re-authored during retail and consumption contexts. The study makes an important contribution to the marketing communication literature through the demonstration of the role of retail mediation in retailing brand meaning in everyday contexts in Nigeria for FMCGs.