COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING IN BUILDING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: A STUDY OF FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, BAUCHI

ABSTRACT This study conducts a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of digital and traditional advertising in building consumer engagement, with a specific focus on the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Nigeria. Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving media landscape, the research addresses the critical question of which advertising medium more effectively drives key engagement metrics. The study employed a descriptive survey research design, administering a structured questionnaire to a census sample of 114 academic staff from the School of Business. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (simple linear regression) to test three hypotheses. The findings reveal a statistically significant superiority of digital advertising over traditional advertising across all measured dimensions. Specifically, digital advertising demonstrated a strong positive impact on brand recall and recognition (R² = 0.796, p < 0.001), click-through rates (R² = 0.772, p < 0.001), and social media interactions (R² = 0.830, p < 0.001). The results indicate that the interactive, personalized, and measurable nature of digital platforms makes them more effective in capturing consumer attention, prompting immediate action, and fostering two-way communication. The study concludes that digital advertising is the dominant medium for achieving contemporary marketing objectives. It recommends that businesses and institutions prioritize digital advertising strategies, invest in personalized and interactive content, and relegate traditional advertising to a supplementary role for broad-reach credibility.