The AIDA marketing model was originally created by St Elmo Lewis to break down how an advert should work (drive Awareness, spark Interest, create Desire and prompt Action). However, it has been re-used by many marketers to represent the first part of the customer journey instead. There are other models such as the RACE model (Chaffey) which offer a more thorough representation of this.
AIDA is a model within the class known as hierarchy of effects models or hierarchical models, all of which imply that consumers move through a series of steps or stages when they make purchase decisions. These models are linear, sequential models built on an assumption that consumers move through a series of cognitive (thinking) and affective (feeling) stages culminating in a behavioural (doing e.g. purchase or trial) stage.Demetrios Vakratsas and Tim Ambler, "How Advertising Works: What Do We Really Know?" Journal of Marketing Vol. 63, No. 1, 1999, pp. 26–43 , .
Steps proposed by the revised AIDA model The steps proposed by the AIDA model are as follows:Priyanka, R., "AIDA Marketing Communication Model: Stimulating a purchase decision in the minds of the consumers through a linear progression of steps", International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Social Management, Vol. 1, 2013, pp 37–44.E. St Elmo Lewis, Financial Advertising. (The History of Advertising), USA, Levey Brothers, 1908
Attention – The consumer becomes aware of a category, product or brand (usually through advertising) ↓ Interest – The consumer becomes interested by learning about brand benefits & how the brand fits with lifestyle ↓ Desire – The consumer develops a favorable disposition towards the brand ↓ Action – The consumer forms a purchase intention, shops around, engages in trial or makes a purchase
Some of the contemporary variants of the model replace attention with awareness. The common thread among all hierarchical models is that advertising operates as a stimulus (S) and the purchase decision is a response (R). In other words, the AIDA model is an applied stimulus-response model. A number of hierarchical models can be found in the literature including Lavidge's hierarchy of effects, DAGMAR and variants of AIDA. Hierarchical models have dominated advertising theory,O'Shaughnessy, J., Explaining Buyer Behavior, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1992 and, of these models, the AIDA model is one of the most widely applied.Diehl, D. and Terlutter, R., "The Role of Lifestyle and Personality in Explaining Attitude to the Ad", in Branding and Advertising, Flemming Hansen, Lars Bech Christensen (eds), p. 307
As consumers move through the hierarchy of effects they pass through both a cognitive processing stage and an affective processing stage before any action occurs. Thus the hierarchy of effects models all include Cognition (C)- Affect (A)- Behaviour (B) as the core steps in the underlying behavioral sequence.Howard, J.A. Marketing Management, Homewood, Ill. 1963 Some texts refer to this sequence as Learning → Feeling → Doing or C-A-B (cognitive -affective-behavioral) models.
Cognition (Awareness/learning) → Affect (Feeling/ interest/ desire) → Behavior (Action e.g. purchase/ trial/ consumption/ usage/ sharing information)Howard, J. A." in: P. E. Earl and S. Kemp (eds.), The Elgar Companion to Consumer Research and Economic Psychology, Cheltenham 1999, pp 310–314.
The basic AIDA model is one of the longest serving hierarchical models, having been in use for more than a century. Using a hierarchical system, such as AIDA, provides the marketer with a detailed understanding of how target audiences change over time, and provides insights as to which types of advertising messages are likely to be more effective at different junctures. Moving from step to step, the total number of prospects diminishes. This phenomenon is sometimes described as a "purchase funnel". A relatively large number of potential purchasers become aware of a product or brand, and then a smaller subset becomes interested, with only a relatively small proportion moving through to the actual purchase. This effect is also known as a "customer funnel", "marketing funnel", or "sales funnel".
The model is also used extensively in selling and advertising. According to the original model, "the steps to be taken by the seller at each stage are as follows:
Stage I. Secure attention.
Stage II. Hold attention Through Interest.
Stage III. Arouse Desire.
Stage IV. Create Confidence and Belief.
Stage V. Secure Decision and Action.
Stage VI. Create Satisfaction."Kitson, H.S., Manual for the Study of the Psychology of Advertising and Selling, Philadelphia 1920, p. 21
Criticisms A major deficiency of the AIDA model and other hierarchical models is the absence of post-purchase effects such as satisfaction, consumption, repeat patronage behaviour and other post-purchase behavioural intentions such as referrals or participating in the preparation of online product reviews.Egan, J., Marketing Communications, London, Thomson Learning, pp 42–43 Other criticisms include the model's reliance on a linear nature, and hierarchical sequence. In empirical studies, the model has been found to be a poor predictor of actual consumer behaviour.Bendizlen, M.T., "Advertising Effects and Effectiveness," European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 27, No. 10, pp 19–32. In addition, an extensive review of the literature surrounding advertising effects, carried out by Vakratsas and Ambler found little empirical support for the hierarchical models.
Another important criticism of the hierarchical models is their reliance on the concept of a linear, hierarchical response process.Huey, B., "Advertising's Double Helix: A Proposed New Process Model" Journal of Advertising Research, May/June, 1999, pp 43–51; Belch, G. E. and Belch, M.A., "Evaluating The Effectiveness of Elements of Integrated Marketing Communications: A Review of Research", Occasional Paper, <Online: cbaweb.sdsu.edu> Indeed, some research suggests that consumers process promotional information via dual pathways, namely both cognitive (thinking) and affective (feeling) simultaneously.Yoon, K., Laczniak, R.N., Muehling, D.D. and Reece, B.B., "A Revised Model of Advertising Processing: Extending the Dual Mediation Hypothesis", Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, Vol. 17, no. 2, 1995, pp 53–67 This insight has led to the development of a class of alternative models, known as integrative models.
Variants
In order to redress some of the model's deficiencies, a number of contemporary hierarchical models have modified or expanded the basic AIDA model. Some of these include post purchase stages, while other variants feature adaptations designed to accommodate the role of new, digital and interactive media, including social media and brand communities. However, all follow the basic sequence which includes Cognition- Affect- Behaviour.Barry, T.E., "The Development of the Hierarchy of Effects: An Historical Perspective," Current Issues and Research in Advertising, vol. 10, no. 2, 1987, pp. 251–295
Selected variants of AIDA:
Basic AIDA Model: Awareness → Interest → Desire → ActionPriyanka, R., "AIDA Marketing Communication Model: Stimulating a Purchase Decision in the Minds of the Consumers through a Linear Progression of Steps", International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in Social Management, Vol. 1, 2013, pp 37–44. Lavidge et al's Hierarchy of Effects: Awareness → Knowledge → Liking → Preference → Conviction → PurchaseLavidge, R.J. and Steiner, G.A., "A Model for Predictive Measures of Advertising Effectiveness", Journal of Marketing, October, 1961, pp 59–62 McGuire's model: Presentation → Attention → Comprehension → Yielding → Retention → Behavior.McGuire, W. "An Information Processing Model of Advertising Effectiveness", in Behavioral and Management Science in Marketing, Harry L. Davis and Alvin J. Silk, eds. New York: John Wiley, 1978, pp 156–80. Modified AIDA Model: Awareness → Interest → Conviction → Desire → Action (purchase or consumption)Barry, T.E. and Howard, D.J., "A Review and Critique of the Hierarchy of Effects in Advertising," International Journal of Advertising, vol 9, no.2, 1990, pp. 121–135 AIDAS Model: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action → SatisfactionBarry, T.E. and Howard, D.J., "A Review and Critique of the Hierarchy of Effects in Advertising", International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 9, no. 2, 1990, pp 121–135 AISDALSLove model: Awareness → Interest → Search → Desire → Action → Like/dislike → Share → Love/HateWijaya, Bambang Sukma (2012). "The Development of Hierarchy of Effects Model in Advertising", International Research Journal of Business Studies, 5 (1), April–July 2012, p. 73-85 AIDA - Careca do Marketing Model → Attention → Interest → Decision → Action06 "Camadas do Marketing", Djeison Moreira
Origins The term, AIDA and the overall approach are commonly attributed to American advertising and sales pioneer, E. St. Elmo Lewis.Barry, T.E., The development of the hierarchy of effects: an historical perspective, USA, 1987 In one of his publications on advertising, Lewis postulated at least three principles to which an advertisement should conform:
According to F. G. Coolsen, "Lewis developed his discussion of copy principles on the formula that good copy should attract attention, awaken interest, and create conviction.""Pioneers in the Development of Advertising," Journal of Marketing 12(1), 1947, p. 82 In fact, the formula with three steps appeared anonymously in the February 9, 1898, issue of Printers' Ink: "The mission of an advertisement is to sell goods. To do this, it must attract attention, of course; but attracting attention is only an auxiliary detail. The announcement should contain matter which will interest and convince after the attention has been attracted" (p. 50).
On January 6, 1910 Lewis gave a talk in Rochester on the topic "Is there a science back of advertising?" in which he said:
The importance of attracting the attention of the reader as the first step in copywriting was recognized early in the advertising literature as is shown by the Handbook for Advertisers and Guide to Advertising:
A precursor to Lewis was Joseph Addison Richards (1859–1928), an advertising agent from New York City who succeeded his father in the direction of one of the oldest advertising agencies in the United States. In 1893, Richards wrote an advertisement for his business containing virtually all steps from the AIDA model, but without hierarchically ordering the individual elements:
Between December 1899 and February 1900, the Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company organized a contest for the best written advertisement. Fred Macey, chairman of the Fred Macey Co. in Grand Rapids (Michigan), who was considered an advertising expert at that time, was assigned the task to examine the submissions to the company. In arriving at a decision, he considered inter alia each advertisement in the following respect:
The first published instance of the general concept, however, was in an article by Frank Hutchinson Dukesmith (1866–1935) in 1904. Dukesmith's four steps were attention, interest, desire, and conviction."Three Natural Fields of Salesmanship," Salesmanship 2(1), January 1904, p. 14. The first instance of the AIDA acronym was in an article by C. P. Russell in 1921 where he wrote:
The model's usefulness was not confined to advertising. The basic principles of the AIDA model were widely adopted by sales representatives who used the steps to prepare effective sales presentations following the publication, in 1911, of Arthur Sheldon's book, Successful Selling.Sheldon, A., Successful Selling, (Part 1), USA, Kessinger Publishing [Rare Reprint Series], 1911 To the original model, Sheldon added satisfaction to stress the importance of repeat patronage.