How the Food Industry uses the AIDA Model to Influences Consumers through Visual Tricks
There are so many ways that the food industry influences consumers to make purchases. If you haven’t learned by now, food photography uses non-consumable props and substitutes to make the food more appealing and easier to photograph. Making the food more appealing or attractive to the consumer is the first stage of the AIDA model. AIDA is a marketing model which lists the stages of the consumer’s decision-making process, which stands for: attract, interest, desire, and action.
How the Food Industry uses the AIDA Model
Stage 1: Attract
As I mentioned before, photographers will use quality lighting, non-consumable props, and substitutes to intensify the food’s appeal and make it easier to photograph. A good-looking burger will attract the consumer’s attention, which will lead them to stage two of the AIDA model.

Stage 2: Interest (sometimes used as inform)
In this stage, the brand is looking to build interest and inform the consumer about the product. This process will use close-ups of the steam, seasoning, signature sauces, ingredients, chilled glasses, grill marks, etc. These visual cues stimulate that the food is either organic, fresh, well-cooked, or flavorful.
Stage 3: Desire
This stage builds desire and motivation for the dish with either copy, voice-over, or special guest saying that this offer is limited or has some special promo.
Close-up image of a young woman with an eating disorder, having a midnight snack – eating donuts, in front of the refrigerator.
Stage 4: Action
In this stage, the consumer takes action, typically displayed as someone enjoying the product. This action will motivate the consumer to buy, which completes the AIDA model.
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