Abstract

This study examined the synergistic role of public relations and advertising in building brand equity, with a focus on the integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategies of MTN Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey design, the research targeted consumers of MTN Nigeria residing in Lagos State, purposively selecting Alimosho Local Government Area the largest in the state by population as the study location. Within Alimosho, Agbado/Oke-Odo Council Ward was chosen, and five communities (Aboru, Abule-Egba, Agbelekale, Ajasa, and Alagbado) were selected for data collection due to their high population density, accessibility, and visible MTN brand presence. The study population was 1,503,176, and the sample size of 384 respondents was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula. A structured questionnaire using a four-point Likert scale captured respondents’ perceptions of MTN’s PR and advertising activities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage distributions. Findings reveals that MTN Nigeria demonstrates a high degree of integration between public relations and advertising in its marketing communications, leveraging both tools to create consistent brand messaging and foster strong consumer relationships. Based on the findings, the study concludes that the integration of public relations and advertising within MTN Nigeria’s Integrated Marketing Communication strategies exerts a significant synergistic effect on building brand equity among consumers in Lagos State. The study recommended that MTN Nigeria should deepen the integration of its public relations and advertising strategies by adopting a more consumer-centric and data-driven approach that ensures consistency of messages across all platforms.