This  study  centered  on  advertising and  traditional  medicine.  It was  an  evaluation  of trends  and implications in developing countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia. The objectives were: To find out the outstanding form of traditional medicine that receive high level of advertising; know the most common strategy of advertising applied in presentation of traditional medicine; find out the outstanding reason that people patronize traditional medicine; know the category of persons who respond effectively to traditional medicine advertising in developing countries. Two theories have been  applied  in  this  study  as  the  means-end  chain  model  and  affective  response  theory.  The population of the study was pegged at 263,300,000 persons in the three countries of Nigeria, Ghana and  Liberia  with  a  sample  size  of  384  persons  while  the  instrument  of  questionnaire  was proportionately  distributed  through  an  online  survey  method.  A  descriptive  online  survey  was implemented,   and   data   was   analysed   using   both   descriptive   statistics (frequency   counts, percentages)  supported  by  pie  charts  and  basic  inferential  tools  such  as  chi-square  tests  to determine  associations  between  demographic  variables  and  patterns  of  traditional  medicine patronage.  From  the  responses,  it  was  ascertained  thatroots  traditional  medicine  received  the highest attention of advertising with 198 or 52% response out of 384 persons. The least was powder traditional  medicine with 17  or  4  %.  Further  analysis  showed  that  advertising  strategies such  as testimonial appealsand dramatization were more influential among younger respondents, while older respondents relied more on culturally transmitted knowledge. Part of conclusions is that the traditional  medicine  sellers  should  focus  more  on  taking  the  messages  of  products  beyond  the confines  of  communities by the  adaptation  of  modern ways  of  advertising.  Generally,  the  study backs communication and health programme learning by emphasizing how advertising changing aspects shape public knowledge and health-seeking actions in developing circumstances.

Abdullahi, A.A. (2011) Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in Africa. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 8, 115-123. https://doi.org/10.4314/ajtcam.v8i5S.5

Akpan, U. U. (2021). Print media management and ethical advertising under recession. Journal of Media Management and Entrepreneurship, 3(1), 18–28. https://doi.org/10.4018/jmme.290302

Akpan U. (2021).  Social Media and Citizens’ Participation in E. Governance of Edo and Imo states of Nigeria. Mkar Journal of Mass Communication 6(2) pp 105 -124, ISSN:2360-9540, A publication of the Department of Mass Communication, College of Social and Management Sciences, University of Mkar, Mkar, Nigeria

Akpan, U. U. (2022). The challenges of indigenous communication. In: I. Nsude (Ed.), African communication systems in the era of artificial intelligence (pp. 821–832). Enugu: Rhyce Kerex Publishers. 25, Ogunbiyi Lane, Ogui, Enugu, Nigeria. E-mail: rhycekerexpublishers@yahoo.com   ISBN: 978-978-59251-4-2

International Journal of International Relations, Media and Mass Communication Studies. (2021). International Journal of International Relations Media and Mass Communication Studies. https://doi.org/10.37745/ijirmmcs.15

Azevedo MJ. The State of Health System(s) in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities. Historical Perspectives on the State of Health and Health Systems in Africa, Volume II. 2017 Feb 3:1–73. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-32564-4_1. PMCID: PMC7123888.

Bogdan, N. (2014). Theoretical framework of advertising: Some insights. Studies and Scientific Researches – Economics Edition, 19, pp. 14–21. 

Chukwuma, B., Duru, K. C., Diwe, K. A., Uwakwe, C. A., Duru, I. A., Merenu, A. C., Iwu, U. R., & Oluoha, I. O. (2016). Combined orthodox and traditional medicine use among households in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria: Prevalence and determinants. World Journal of Preventive Medicine, 4(1), pp.5–11.

Dong, J. (2013). The Relationship between Traditional Chinese Medicine and Modern Medicine. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/153148

Gardner, M. P. (1985). Mood states and consumer behavior: A critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 12(3), pp.281–300.

Gutman, J. (1982). A Means-End chain model based on consumer categorization processes. Journal of Marketing, 46(2), 60–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224298204600207

Gyasi, R. M., Asante, F., Abass, K., Yeboah, J. Y., Adu-Gyamfi, S., & Amoah, P. A. (2016). Do health beliefs explain traditional medical therapies utilisation? Evidence from Ghana. Cogent Social Sciences, 2(1), 1209995. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2016.1209995

Holbrook, M. B., & O’Shaughnessy, J. (1984). The role of emotion in advertising. Psychology and Marketing, 1(2), 45–64. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.4220010206

Isola, O. I. (2013). The “Relevance” of the African Traditional Medicine (Alternative Medicine) to Health Care Delivery System in Nigeria. ˜the œJournal of Developing Areas, 47(1), 319–338. https://doi.org/10.1353/jda.2013.0004

James, P. B., Wardle, J., Steel, A., & Adams, J. (2018). Traditional, complementary and alternative medicine use in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. BMJ Global Health, 3(5), e000895. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2018-000895

Maung, T. M., Deborah, S. G., & Tun, A. A. (2019). Traditional medicine versus modern medicine in rural area of Kedah State, Malaysia. Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 14(1), pp.5–8.

Moyo, M., Aremu, A. O., & Van Staden, J. (2015). Medicinal plants: An invaluable, dwindling resource in sub-Saharan Africa. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 174, 595–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.04.034

Nwedo-Nzeribe, G. (2022). Audience perception of outdoor advertisement use by herbal remedies providers in South-east Nigeria. Journal of Medicine and Healthcare, 4(2), pp.1–9. 

Ogunsola, O. K., & Egbewale, S. O. (2018). Factors influencing the use of herbs and combination with orthodox medicine for healthcare management in Ibadan, Nigeria. World News of Natural Sciences, 17, pp.39–47.

Tabi, M. M., Powell, M., & Hodnicki, D. (2006). Use of traditional healers and modern medicine in Ghana. International Nursing Review, 53(1), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-7657.2006.00444.x

Population Reference Bureau. (2023). Regions and countries population. (https://www.prb.org/international/indicator/population/table)

Soori, B. Regmi, K. & Pappas, Y. (2024). Factors influencing the integration of traditional medicine and mainstream medicine in mental health services in West Africa: A systematic review using narrative synthesis, Community Mental Health Journal 60(6):1-14 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01263-w

Saslis-Lagoudakis, C. H., Hawkins, J. A., Greenhill, S. J., Pendry, C. A., Watson, M. F., Tuladhar-Douglas, W., Baral, S. R., & Savolainen, V. (2014b). The evolution of traditional knowledge: environment shapes medicinal plant use in Nepal. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 281(1780), 20132768. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2768

Uzima, I. B. (2024). Advertising and Journalistic objectivity: an issue of ethics in African’s media in a case of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Advances in Journalism and Communication, 12(01), 73–91. https://doi.org/10.4236/ajc.2024.121004