Definition
from marketing-insider.eu
Diffusion model (or imitation effect) represents the spread of something through a population.
Diffusion models in marketing often are applied to the adoption of a new product, or the exposure of potential customers to some information about a product (e.g., an advertising message).
Adoption process is a term sometimes used to refer to a model of stages in the purchase process ranging from awareness to knowledge, evaluation, trial, and adoption. In other cases, it is used as a synonym for the diffusion process.
References
- American Marketing Association, AMA Dictionary.