When I first sat down to think about my takeaways from the recent Quirk's New York 2025 conference at the Javits Center, I wasn’t sure there was much to share. But after more reflection on the sessions, conversations, and reviewing my notes, it became clear—a lot is happening in our industry, and much of it revolves around AI. But Quirk's New York 2025 wasn’t all about AI; brand health tracking made an appearance as well.

This was, by far, one of the largest market research events I’ve attended, with 1,800 or so attendees (as per the organizer) spread across five concurrent presentation rooms, and sessions running all day for two consecutive days. The Javits Center itself is massive (3.3 million square feet!); yet, the conference was exceptionally well-organized, and the most challenging part was choosing between competing sessions. Speaking of, here’s my take on them.

Quirk's New York 2025 Content: AI Everywhere

I attended nine sessions over the two-day event, and whether in my schedule or on the agenda, one theme dominated: artificial intelligence.

At Quirk's New York 2025, AI wasn’t just sprinkled into a few talks—it was center stage. Presenters explored everything from integrating AI into research workflows to building AI “co-pilots” that can generate survey builders, interview guides, and more. The discussions covered both:

• Richness of content: AI’s ability to identify patterns and insights with remarkable speed and competence.
• Productivity: Automating repetitive tasks like analyzing interview transcripts to free up time for strategic insights work.

One trend that stood out to me was the emphasis on “qual at scale.” AI is making it possible to analyze qualitative data in volumes that were once unimaginable, bridging the gap between the depth of qualitative data and the scalability of quantitative data.

Interestingly, compared to events earlier this year, such as Quirk's own Chicago conference, there seemed to be less concern about AI replacing jobs in the research industry. Instead, the tone was more collaborative: How do we harness this technology? How do we integrate it intelligently?

Beyond AI: Better Brand Health Tracking

While at Quirk's New York 2025, AI was the star of the show, it wasn’t the only conversation. A growing number of companies are adopting the Better Brand Health Tracking (BBHT) framework, which focuses on how building and measuring mental availability can create stronger brands. A couple of the sessions specifically mentioned the book, “Better Brand Health: Measures and Metrics for a How Brands Grow World,” by Jenni Romaniuk, International Director at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, University of South Australia, as a reference. 

This brand health tracking approach is one we’ve embraced in our own Brand and Communications Practice at Phase 5, and it was validating to see it gaining traction across the industry. Check out our recent brand health tracking webinar and blog on mental availability for additional insights.

However, the fact that brand health tracking shared space at Quirk's New York 2025 alongside AI reinforces that, while technology is transforming our work, strong frameworks and fundamentals still matter.

The Big Takeaway

If you’re not interested in AI, you’ll have a tough time avoiding it at conferences like this. And honestly, you shouldn’t try. This is the moment for the market research industry to lean in, test its limits, and figure out how to integrate it responsibly and effectively.

That said, there’s still room for other critical conversations, like brand health tracking, that shape how we understand and connect with our audiences.

Quirk's New York 2025 left me energized—not just about where market research is heading, but about the role we can play in making sure it heads there thoughtfully.

To continue the discussion or to see how Phase 5 can put our brand health tracking expertise to work for your business, contact us.