Learning the ShamWow: Creating Infomercials to Teach the AIDA Model

Abstract

The AIDA Model (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) is one of the classical promotional theories in marketing. Through active-learning techniques and peer critiques, we use infomercials as an innovative educational tool to instruct the four components of the AIDA model. Student evaluations regarding this active-learning assignment reveal that the infomercial activity increases students’ creative input, engages participation, builds class enthusiasm, fosters peer relationships, and enhances topic knowledge. Benefits, constraints, and learning objectives relating to the activity are also discussed.