Media Matters: A Comparative Analysis of Mass Media's Impact on Consumer Purchasing Decisions in District Mardan and Peshawar
Keywords:
Consumer buying behavior, mass media impact, social media marketing, demographic considerations, traditional media, urban and rural consumers, impulse buying, celebrity endorsements, product discovery, market segmentation.Abstract
Given demographic elements including age, gender, income, education, and geography, this study investigates how mass media influences consumer-buying behavior in Mardan and Peshawar, Pakistan. With platforms like Facebook and YouTube driving product discovery, the mixed-methods study shows that social media dominates, especially among younger (21–40 year) urban and higher-income customers. Older and rural groups still find influence in traditional media. Men give pricing and practicality first priority; women respond more to emotive and celebrity-endorsized commercials. While lower-income groups act more quickly and impulsively, higher-income and educated consumers rely on internet platforms for thorough comparisons. Urban customers show spontaneous purchase; rural consumers depend on TV, radio, and community influence. The results highlight the importance of customized, platform-specific advertising tactics to involve different segments and provide actionable insights for legislators and businesses to maximize outreach and stimulate development.
