THE EVOLUTION OF NATURAL HAIR IN ADERTIVISING AND ITS EFFECT ON CONSUMER BEHAIOUR AMONG MOUNTAIN TOP UNIVERSITY

This study examines how natural hair has historically been ignored and negatively standardized in advertising, which has led to a systematic prejudice that has driven Black consumers onto chemical straightening products and promoted eurocentric beauty ideals. The evolution of natural hair advertising and its Effect on Consumers Behaviour" explores the current change in media representation of natural hair, which has been greatly impacted by the emergence of social media advertising .The major goal of this study was to evaluate critically how male and female students at Mountain Top University (MTU) perceive themselves regarding , their brand loyalty, and how their purchase decisions are affected by the changing representation of natural hair in advertising. The study, used the Social Identity Theory as a foundational theoretical framework ,which assumed that positive and genuine portrayal of natural hair would boost self-esteem and have a direct impact on customer behaviour.A mixed-methods approach was used, integrating qualitative information from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with quantitative data from 231 students questionnaire. This methodology enabled us to get a thorough understanding of the psychological and economic effects of media portrayal of natural hair in advertising. Important results show that MTU students see a significant change toward authentic and empowering representations of natural hair. The respondents' increased cultural pride and self-acceptance are substantially correlated with this positive representation. Majority of students reported a stronger inclination to support and show loyalty toward brands that authentically reflect natural black aesthetics, confirming a substantial correlation between empowering advertising and consumer behavior. According to the study's findings, the positive development of natural hair images is an important step toward inclusiveness since it has a significant impact on consumer identity and increases demand for goods that support empowering advertising narratives of natural hair