The AIETA model is a guideline used by advertisers to promote goods or services. The model was propounded by Everett Rogers in his Diffusion of Innovation theory in 1962. The ‘AIETA’ word is coined from the five stages in the model namely; Awareness, Interest, Evaluation, Trial and Adoption.
Les Robinson describes Diffusion of Innovations as seeking to explain how innovations are taken up in a population. An innovation is an idea, behaviour, or object that is perceived as new by its audience.
The first stage of the AIETA model is the awareness stage. At this stage, the advertiser creates the awareness about a product or service using teasers, campaigns, pioneering advertisements and jingles or slogans. Outdoor ads like flyers and billboards can also be used. The new media also plays a relevant role in creating awareness. Such channels include internet banners and text messages. At this stage, the individual is only aware about the product or service but does not have enough information to make a decision. The advertisements should focus on particular slogans or teasers that will leave potential customers wanting more. An example is the ‘Good Energy Is Coming’ slogan Goil Ghana Limited used when they embarked on their rebranding campaign. Multi TV also created awareness with their ‘No Monthly Bills Just Thrills’ catch phrase.
After awareness has been created, the individual wants more information and they begin to wonder whether the product or service can help them. It is up to the advertising agency to create and maintain the interest of the individual. The interest can be created with the use of information advertisements. These ads will give the individual ample time to evaluate the product or service. The interest stage includes all relevant additions that were not included in the interest stage. Glo used information ads in the form of billboards and jingles to inform the public about their products and services.
The public have to be persuaded during the evaluation stage because at this level, the individual has mentally examined the product or service using the information gathered and is trying to determine whether it will really impact their lives or work. The advertising agent has to continuously flood the prospective market with persuasion ads, image ads, testimonials and comparative ads. In the telecommunication industry, companies like MTN and Tigo use the colours of other telecom companies in their ads when they want to describe their products as superior to others. These ads are meant to convince the public to choose a particular product over another. The evaluation stage is a mental stage and involves adequate information and persuasion.
The trial stage is where the individual actually tests the innovation to see if reality matches expectations. On reaching this stage, the advertiser should embark on sales promotion ads that will bring the public closer to the product. Free samples can be given out to the public to try out. For example, free samples of new flavours of Nestle Cerelac are given out at vantages points for the public to taste possibly adopt.
The final stage is the adoption stage where the individual likes the product or service and adopts it wholeheartedly. After going through all these stages, reminder ads must be continuously run to remind the public about the benefits of using the product. New additions to the product must also be advertised to reassure customers of the reliable products and services that are provided. An example is the addition of the actigen E ingredient to Nestle’s Milo beverage.
According to Rogers, adoption of a product or service can be put into five major categories. These include innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards.
Innovators are the first individuals to adopt an innovation. Innovators are often young people who are willing to take risks.
Early adopters are the second fastest category of individuals who adopt an innovation. These individuals have the highest degree of opinion leadership among the other adopter categories. Early adopters are more discrete in adoption choices than innovators.
Individuals in the early majority category adopt an innovation after a varying degree of time. This time of adoption is significantly longer than the innovators and early adopters. Early Majority tend to be slower in the adoption process.
Late Majority persons will adopt an innovation after the average member of the society. These individuals approach an innovation with a high degree of scepticism and after the majority of society has adopted the innovation.
The last category of people to adopt an innovation is the laggards. Unlike some of the previous categories, individuals in this category show little to no opinion leadership. These individuals typically have an aversion to change-agents and tend to be advanced in age. Laggards prefer to be more comfortable with the status quo than to accept anything new.
Everett Rogers’s AIETA model gives a basic idea of how individuals adopt a product and this makes it easier for the advertising agent to design a specific advertising plan to persuade the public. It is however important to note that some individuals may accept or reject the product or service immediately without going through all the five processes.
REFERENCES
• Everett M. Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations, Fifth Edition 2003, Free Press, New
York, p221
• Moore, Geoffrey, A. (1999) Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to
Mainstream Customers (revised edition), HarperCollins, New York
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