CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PREFERENCES OF BALLPOINT PENS IN COIMBATORE

Submitted to the Department of Communication and Media Studies, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Master of Journalism and Mass Communication By

Name : Ashok kumar.M 12JMPOO2

Department of Communication and Media Studies Bharathiar University Coimbatore 46

DECLARATION I, Ashok kumar.M , hereby declare that the thesis, entitled CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PREFERENCES OF BALL POINT PENS IN COIMBATORE, submitted to the Bharathiar University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of Master of Journalism and Mass Communication is a record of original and independent work done by me during 2012under the supervision and guidance of Dr. M. SRI HARI ASSISIANT PROFFESSER, Department of Communication & Media Studies and it has not formed the basis for award of any Degree or other similar title to any candidate in any University.

Signature of the candidate

(Ashok kumar.M)

CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the thesis entitled CONSUMER AWARENESS AND PREFERENCES OF BALL POINT PENS IN COIMBATORE, submitted to Bharathiar University, n partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Journalism and Mass Communication is a record of original research work done by Mr. Ashok kumar, during the period 2012 of her study in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore under supervision and guidance, and the thesis has not formed the basis for the award of any degree or other similar title to any candidate of any University.

Signature of Guide

Viva voce examination held on _______________ Examiners:

Internal External

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my sincere gratitude to Dr.P.E.Thomas, Associate Professor and Head-in Charge, Department of Communication and Media Studies, Bharathiar University for his constant encouragement throughout my research study. I thank Dr. M. Srihari, Assistant Professor, Communication and Media Studies, Bharathiar University, for his excellent guidance, support and advice. I also thank Miss. Sandeep Kaur Assistant Professor, Communication and Media Studies, Bharathiar University, for her support. I also thank non-teaching staff of the department for their valuable services. I place on record my gratitude to my classmates and society for their kind cooperation.

Ashok kumar .M

ABSTRACT This descriptive study is a survey report of consumer preference and their awareness toward ballpoint pens. Adopting convenience sampling procedure, the study enquired 102 respondents from the locality of Coimbatore city. Questionnaire is used as a data collection tool to solicit responses from the respondents. The data are analyzed in the form of percentage analysis and the results are interpreted. The study results reveal that price, brand, availability, pen point, and brand ambassador are the divers of consumer preference toward ballpoint pens. Consumers come to know about branded ballpoint pens through their peers, retailers, and advertisement. Cello and Reynolds hold equal positions in the consumers mind when it comes to choice of buying.