COMPARING THE EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING VERSUS WORD OF MOUTH ON THE CHOICE OF A PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE IN CAMEROON

The higher education sector in the world and in Cameroon is experiencing increased competition in connection with the liberalisation of activities and the creation of numerous private higher education institutes (PHEI). The creation of strong brands through the mobilisation of media and non-media means of communication is the preferred strategy of the players. However, the majority of PHEIs in Cameroon have many shortcomings in terms of implementing an integrated communication strategy, and adopt an ambiguous positioning. The aim of this research is to show the impact of advertising and word of mouth on the decision to choose a higher education institution in Cameroon. Based on a questionnaire survey of newly enrolled students in three PHEIs in the city of Douala, and a multinomial logistic regression model, the empirical results obtained indicate the absence of a word-of-mouth effect and the relative effectiveness of internet advertising and poster advertising. The absence or weak effects of TV and radio advertising indicate a lack of professionalism in the implementation of communication strategies.