427. IJRM. Beyond Before & After.
September 3, 2026
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Do process photos increase charity donations?
Yes. Research from Josh Lundberg, assistant professor of marketing at North Carolina Central University, and his colleagues, recently published in the International Journal of Research in Marketing (IJRM), finds that photos showing a charity's process, the actual steps taken to help someone, increase donations more than the standard before-and-after photo.
In this episode, Gabriella Mirabelli talks with Lundberg about why this works and how charities can put it into practice. Their conversation covers several findings from his research on charity donations and visual marketing.
Process photos outperform before-and-after photos in getting people to donate
The effect held in a study using real money, not just survey responses
Adding more before-and-after photos does not produce the same lift, and three pairs performed worse than one
Lesser-known charities gain more from process photos than well-known ones like UNICEF
Pairing process photos with text about long-term impact adds little beyond using one or the other
A charity can test this with six to ten storyboarded photos of its own process, no huge production budget required
Lundberg's research gives charities a specific, low-cost lever: replace one outcome photo with a sequence of process photos.
Click here for the Research Article
The Up Next podcast’s access to this content is courtesy of the International Journal of Research in Marketing, an international, double-blind peer -reviewed journal for marketing academics and practitioners. IJRM aims to contribute to the marketing discipline by providing high-quality, original research which advances marketing knowledge and techniques. As marketers increasingly draw on diverse and sophisticated methods, IJRM‘s target audience is comprised of marketing scholars, practitioners (e.g., marketing research and consulting professionals) and policymakers.
IJRM aims to be at the forefront of the marketing field with a particular emphasis on bringing timely ideas to market. The journal embraces innovative research with the potential to spur future research and influence practice. Hence, it welcomes contributions in various aspects of marketing. The editors, while accepting a wide array of scholarly contributions from different disciplinary approaches, especially encourage research that is novel, visionary or path breaking.
Interviewee
Josh Lundberg researches consumer behavior as an assistant professor of marketing in the School of Business at NCCU. Josh’s research into sensory and digital marketing has been published in academic journals, including the Journal of Retailing, the International Journal of Research in Marketing, and the Journal of Interactive Marketing. Having developed a diverse skillset, he specializes in multimethod research that allows rigorous investigation by leveraging experimental, quasi-experimental, and qualitative insights. Prior to working in academia, he worked in the service and hospitality industry and received his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. Outside academia, Josh enjoys an active lifestyle through competitive tennis, long walks, and working in the garden.
Co-Authors
John Peloza is the Carol Martin Gatton Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean for Research, Graduate, and International Affairs, as well as Doctoral Program Director, at the Gatton College of Business and Economics, University of Kentucky. His research focuses on corporate social responsibility and prosocial consumer behavior. His work has been published in leading marketing and management journals. Before pursuing an academic career, John worked for over a decade in the marketing communications industry with firms such as InBev, IBM, Subaru, Hewlett-Packard, and Procter & Gamble to name a few.
Adam Craig researches consumer behavior as an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Gatton College of Business and Economics. He received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina and B.A.’s from the University of Kentucky in Psychology and Integrated Strategic Communication. His research utilizes techniques ranging from paper and online preference questionnaires to eye tracking and functional brain imaging (fMRI). His research on consumer financial decision making has been published in several outlets such as the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, and Journal of Consumer Psychology. Dr. Craig serves on the Editorial Review Board for Journal of Consumer Research. In recent years, he served as the Membership Executive Manager for the Association for Consumer Research as well as a visiting fellow at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of the Investor Advocate.
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International Journal of Research in Marketing
Josh Lundberg
John Peloza
Adam Craig