QRCA Views Spring 2023

Generative AI is transforming how brand imagery is created, but not without consequences. In this article, Chris Arning examines how AI-generated imagery is reshaping consumer trust, drawing on semiotics, industry examples, and conversations with qualitative researchers. Rather than treating AI as inherently damaging, the piece argues that transparency, intent, and creative craft are the real drivers of trust. Readers will learn how consumers are beginning to question not just what images show, but how they are produced, and what this shift means for brand distinctiveness, authenticity, and qualitative interpretation in an increasingly synthetic visual landscape. […]

This article reviews How to Make People Buy (2024) by Thomas Ramsøy, CEO of Neurons Inc., which challenges marketers to move beyond attention alone and master his 4-Power Model: attention, emotions, understanding, and memory. Using famous campaigns like Sony Bravia’s bouncing balls, Ramsøy shows how even award-winning ads can fail if the brand isn’t at the heart of the story. He shares neuroscience-based tips—logo placement, eye-guiding contrasts, simplifying visuals, embedding key messages—to create ads that capture attention and drive memory. While the author is skeptical of metaphorical advertising, the article argues effective metaphors can still fuel some of the most iconic campaigns. […]

Margaret Heffernan says we can step back and learn from the very visceral experience of uncertainty that the COVID-19 pandemic threw our way. Margaret’s latest book, Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future, is not only fascinating but very timely. […]