Quirk's Conference: Long time follower, first-time attender

Tyler and I had the privilege of attending Quirk’s Chicago this year.?Conferences always intimidate my introverted self, but the promise of IRL (re)connection with clients and friends paired with a desire to hear what is going on in the broader industry was enough to get over that hurdle.?

?

I will say, Quirk’s had a great vibe. AI was the topic du jour, but I sensed a healthy skepticism from clients. They are smart enough to know AI is and will continue to be a useful tool, but that it isn’t the answer to everything.???

Some specific quotes stood out to me and provided a good basis for reflection:?

“Trust in data will erode as AI becomes more prominent.”? ?

This quote came from a peddler of an AI solution. The more that data and analysis feel like it is happening in black boxes, the less confidence decision-makers will have in it. Flawed or inaccurate data is nothing new to the industry, but in the past, there was a paper trail one could follow to get to the bottom of it when the data felt “off”. Ultimately, actionability relies on trust and we are even now experiencing clients’ hunger for REAL data to make the toughest decisions and unlock lasting success.?

“Move from consumer-centric to decision-centric.”?

'Qual' has long struggled to overcome the earned reputation of being in-depth, but not actionable. For us, 'qual' has been and continues to be highly actionable. It just requires sufficient sample size while capturing in-context behavior and emotion. Expertise also becomes more important to contextualize in-context behavior and performance. All of it needs to be decision-focused. I would encourage all those on the client side to champion better data that can guide nuanced decision-making over data that promises a single number that often comes at the expense of accuracy/substance.?

?

“Context changes everything.”?

Having spent over 1,000 days in-context observing behavior and having conversations has illuminated realities that I cannot unsee, and that ultimately benefits our clients. Context does change everything and should be prioritized as such. Inconvenient for research, but absolutely true.?

?

'Black' is a culture, not simply a skin color.?

I learned a lot from Pepper Miller's presentation. Consumers want to feel seen, and the Black consumer in particular needs this given their history. Being seen means deeper connection and engagement focused on cultural intuition vs. just the presence of a person of color in marketing efforts. Doing this well is both the right thing to do AND highly profitable. The difference between demographic and cultural Black consumers does present complications in the screening and recruitment process, but for certain questions, it can be solved simply by doing in-context intercepts in the right locations.?

?

Thanks to all the industry who showed up and the Quirks team that contributed to making this such a worthwhile event. It certainly got me excited for the next one.?