Five Advertising Communication Models Explained
This paper examines five foundational advertising communication models: AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action), the Lavidge and Steiner Hierarchy of Effects, DAGMAR (Designing Advertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results), ATR (Awareness-Trial-Repeat), and ATRN (Awareness-Trial-Reinforcement-Nudging). Each model is explained in terms of its stages and underlying assumptions about consumer behavior. The paper then applies the AIDA model to a real-world advertising campaign by Synygy, demonstrating how the advertisement's visuals and copy guide potential customers through each stage toward a desired action. The discussion concludes by reflecting on the key differences among the models and what each implies about how advertising influences purchasing decisions.
- Introduction to Advertising Models: Overview of five advertising communication models
- AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action: Four-stage consumer journey toward purchase
- Lavidge and Steiner: Hierarchy of Effects: Cognitive, affective, and conative purchase stages
- DAGMAR and ATR Models: Goal-oriented and loyalty-based advertising frameworks
- ATRN: Ehrenberg's Weak Theory: Habit-driven nudging as advertising's limited role
- Applying AIDA to a Current Advertising Campaign: AIDA analysis of Synygy's print advertisement
- Conclusion: Comparing models and their assumptions about consumers
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper clearly defines each model using its acronym before unpacking the stages, making complex theoretical content accessible to readers unfamiliar with advertising theory.
- It moves logically from abstract theory to concrete application, grounding the models in an analysis of a real advertisement, which demonstrates comprehension beyond memorization.
- The comparative framing in the conclusion effectively highlights the key philosophical difference between "strong" and "weak" theories of advertising influence.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied theoretical analysis — the ability to select an appropriate academic framework (AIDA) and systematically map its stages onto a real-world artifact (the Synygy advertisement). Each element of the ad is interpreted through the lens of the model rather than described in isolation, showing the student can use theory as an analytical tool rather than simply reciting definitions.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief framing introduction, then dedicates a section to each of the five models in sequence. Following the theoretical overview, a separate applied section walks through the Synygy advertisement stage by stage using the AIDA framework. A short conclusion synthesizes the differences among models. The structure is straightforward and encyclopedic, making it suitable as an introductory reference on advertising communication theories.
Introduction to Advertising Models
There are many different methods an advertiser can use to communicate their product to the public. These methods are meant to grab someone's attention, hold it for a short amount of time, and then motivate the person to take action. Any advertisement is intended to be a communication tool that can lead a customer to a foregone conclusion. The purpose of this paper is to describe five such models — AIDA, Lavidge and Steiner, DAGMAR, ATR, and ATRN — and then to apply one of the models in an analysis of an active advertising campaign.
AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action
The acronym AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action (Mind Tools, 2010). This is a method of communicating to readers of an advertisement or to people watching a commercial on television. The technique is as simple as it sounds, but it can be complex in its execution. Essentially, the copy must take the viewer through all four stages so that the customer will purchase the product (Tamblen, 2008).
The four stages of this type of communication form a continuum that the customer must go through (Mind Tools, 2010). The copy must contain some kind of attention grabber that turns the person's head the moment they read or see it. Once interest is mildly captured, the advertisement must further draw the potential customer in and move them toward desire for the product. The desire phase is accomplished by presenting the product as something the customer cannot live without (Mind Tools, 2010). Finally, the individual is motivated into a purchasing action because they now feel compelled to acquire the product. The "call to action" (Tamblen, 2008) should be "specific and direct" — there should be no doubt in the mind of the customer as to what they are supposed to do with the information they have just received.
Lavidge and Steiner: Hierarchy of Effects
The business communication theorists Lavidge and Steiner developed a model called the hierarchy of effects model (Hogg & Yorke, 1998). They found that people interacted with an advertisement by moving through a hierarchy that ultimately led them to want to purchase the product. The steps — unawareness, awareness, knowledge, liking, preference, conviction, and purchase — can also be designated as cognitive, affective, and conative stages (Hogg & Yorke, 1998). A person first thinks about the product, then is somehow affected by it (most likely through an advertisement), and then makes a decision about it. These steps are similar to AIDA but are developed in a more complex hierarchy of actions (Yoo, Kim & Stout, 2004).
A study was conducted in which the effectiveness of animated banner ads was measured using the hierarchy of effects model (Yoo, Kim & Stout, 2004). The researchers wanted to determine whether animated ads truly had an advantage over static ads of the same type. They found that animated ads had "better attention-grabbing capabilities, and generate higher recall" (Yoo, Kim & Stout, 2004). Thus, animated banner ads led the consumer through the hierarchy more effectively than static ads did.
Conclusion
Many methods of advertising exist, but there are genuine differences of opinion about what constitutes the most important feature of any advertising plan. Some believe that simply placing the advertisement in front of the consumer is enough to eventually generate desire and a purchase. Others argue that people are more creatures of habit, and once they determine that a product effectively meets their needs, they will stay with it. All of the methods presented here are sound approaches to showcasing a product to the consumer — ultimately, which model is most appropriate depends on what the advertiser wants to achieve and what assumptions they make about consumer motivation.
References
Black's Academy. (2012). The DAGMAR communication spectrum. Retrieved from
Blythe, J. (2008). Consumer behavior. London: Thompson Learning.
Hogg, M. K., & Yorke, D. (1998). Hierarchy of effects model. Retrieved from http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631233176_chunk_g978140510254411_ss1-2
Homak, D. (2003). A-T-R framework. Retrieved from http://faculty.msb.edu/homak/homahelpsite/webhelp/a-t-r_model.htm
Mind Tools. (2010). AIDA: Attention-interest-desire-action. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/AIDA.htm
Simeon, T. (2000). How does advertisement work anyway? Retrieved from alternativi.unwe.acad.bg/br7/Simeon%20Jelev.doc
Tamblen, E. (2008). How to use the AIDA model in business communication. Retrieved from
Yoo, C. Y., Kim, K., & Stout, P. A. (2004). Assessing the effects of animation in online banner advertising: Hierarchy of effects model. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 4(2).
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