Marketing is most effective when it’s aligned with how people make decisions. That’s where customer journey frameworks come in. These models provide structured ways to understand, design, and optimize interactions across the entire path a customer takes — from awareness to loyalty. In this post, we compare the most popular customer journey marketing frameworks: AIDA, See-Think-Do-Care (STDC), Flywheel, Buyer’s Journey, 5A, Messy Middle, and Feel-Think-Do-Care.
Why Compare Customer Journey Frameworks?
Different frameworks serve different purposes. Some are better for content planning, others for measurement or product messaging. Understanding the strengths and limitations of each helps marketers select the right model for their goals, channels, and audience behavior.
Overview of Frameworks
AIDA
- Stages: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action
- Origin: Elmo Lewis, 1898
- Use Case: Traditional advertising, copywriting, sales funnels
- Strength: Clear linear path with actionable focus
- Limitation: Ignores post-purchase stages like loyalty and advocacy
See-Think-Do-Care (STDC)
- Stages: See → Think → Do → Care
- Origin: Avinash Kaushik
- Use Case: Content marketing, digital strategy
- Strength: Audience-first and intent-based
- Limitation: Less emphasis on emotion or competitive influence
Flywheel
- Stages: Attract → Engage → Delight (repeatable)
- Origin: Popularized by HubSpot
- Use Case: Inbound marketing, customer success
- Strength: Focuses on momentum and customer retention
- Limitation: Abstract without clear tactical stages
Buyer’s Journey
- Stages: Awareness → Consideration → Decision
- Origin: Common B2B framework
- Use Case: Lead nurturing, sales alignment
- Strength: Simple and intuitive
- Limitation: Linear and assumes rational behavior
5A Model
- Stages: Aware → Appeal → Ask → Act → Advocate
- Origin: Kotler, Kartajaya, and Setiawan
- Use Case: Modern omni-channel marketing
- Strength: Incorporates social influence and loyalty
- Limitation: Less commonly adopted, harder to operationalize
Messy Middle
- Stages: Trigger → Explore ↔ Evaluate → Purchase
- Origin: Google Research
- Use Case: Search behavior, ecommerce, content
- Strength: Reflects modern digital decision-making
- Limitation: Harder to model in traditional funnels
Feel-Think-Do-Care
- Stages: Feel → Think → Do → Care
- Origin: Evolution of STDC
- Use Case: Emotional branding, content strategy
- Strength: Accounts for emotional triggers
- Limitation: Less standardized, still emerging
Visual Comparison of Stages
- AIDA: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action
- STDC: See → Think → Do → Care
- Flywheel: Attract → Engage → Delight → (repeat)
- Buyer’s Journey: Awareness → Consideration → Decision
- 5A Model: Aware → Appeal → Ask → Act → Advocate
- Messy Middle: Trigger → Explore ↔ Evaluate → Purchase
- Feel-Think-Do-Care: Feel → Think → Do → Care
Comparison Table
| Framework | Origin | Use Case | Strength | Weakness | Key Metric(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIDA | Elmo Lewis | Advertising, Sales | Simple and action-driven | Stops at conversion | Conversion Rate |
| STDC | Avinash Kaushik | Content, Strategy | Customer-first, intent-based | Lacks emotional layer | Engagement Rate |
| Flywheel | HubSpot | Inbound, CX | Focuses on retention | Abstract stages | Customer Retention Rate |
| Buyer’s Journey | B2B Marketing | Lead nurturing | Widely used | Too linear | Lead Conversion Rate |
| 5A | Kotler et al. | Omnichannel | Includes loyalty | Less known | Advocacy Rate |
| Messy Middle | Search, Ecommerce | Reflects real behavior | Harder to map | Path-to-Purchase Metrics | |
| Feel-Think-Do-Care | Modern Adaptation | Emotional branding | Blends logic + emotion | Still emerging | Emotional Engagement |
How to Choose the Right Framework
Choosing the right model depends on your marketing goals, team structure, and where your audience spends time. For content planning, STDC or Feel-Think-Do-Care may be ideal. For lead nurturing, the Buyer’s Journey or 5A model offers more depth. Ecommerce marketers may benefit from the Messy Middle. And for loyalty-driven growth, the Flywheel framework shines.
Final Thoughts
Each customer journey framework brings a different lens to how people discover, evaluate, and engage with brands. Rather than choosing just one, marketers should understand each model’s strengths and apply them where they fit best. Hybrid approaches are not only valid—they’re often necessary in today’s fragmented, cross-channel world.