Scrolling through Instagram, you come across an image. At first glance, it looks flawless: the lighting is perfect, the face symmetrical, the hands almost smooth. But then you notice the eyes—just a bit too shiny. A quiet voice inside says: “Something feels off.”
In psychoanalysis, this feeling is called the uncanny: when something familiar suddenly feels foreign. With the rise of AI-generated visuals, we encounter this sensation more often. But for brands, is this a dangerous trap—or could it become a memorable signature if used wisely?
What Is the Uncanny, and Why Does It Fascinate Us?
One of the first to define the concept, Ernst Jentsch (1906) described the uncanny as “intellectual uncertainty”: that eerie moment when the mind can’t decide if something is alive or not. Freud, in his 1919 essay Das Unheimliche, linked it to the return of the repressed—twins, doll-like figures, or subtle distortions in eyes and hands that spark discomfort. Lacan introduced the ideas of the “gaze” and “lack,” suggesting that overly perfect images both attract desire and deepen suspicion.
In short: the uncanny grabs attention—but also tests our sense of trust.
Striking the Right Balance in Marketing
This is why AI imagery is so powerful. It piques curiosity, makes visuals memorable. When an image feels different, people look twice—and remember. But the moment the question “Is this real?” enters the mind, trust begins to erode.
Here, psychoanalysis offers useful insights. Winnicott’s concept of the holding environment suggests creating a safe space for uncertainty. Bion’s idea of containment complements this: a container that holds and makes sense of emotional responses.
Translated into marketing: frame your visuals with context, offer small cues about how they were created, and let audiences experience curiosity within a safe ground.
Where Does Unease Arise, and Where Does Originality Shine?
Unease usually emerges from perceptual inconsistencies. In high-trust fields like healthcare, finance, or public information, even a small doubt can weaken the message. A missing finger, mismatched shadows, or melting text can instantly alienate viewers.
But in fashion, music, or cultural industries, the rules change. Adding a subtle AI touch to a real photo can create surprise without breaking familiarity. The result: a new layer of aesthetic depth—leaving audiences with that “strange but I like it” feeling.
A Pre-Publication Checklist
Turning the uncanny into brand value starts with clarifying intent. Take one last look at the image as a whole: does it clearly express the intended emotion—or does it get stuck at the “is this real?” threshold?
If the focus of the eyes, the anatomy of the hands, the light-shadow balance, and typography all tell the same story, you’re on the right track. In creative industries, these fine adjustments can leave a unique signature. But in high-trust sectors, overplaying the uncanny quickly leads to skepticism.
Shock tactics relying on deepfakes, identity manipulation, or what Kristeva calls the abject (aesthetic of disgust) rarely build intrigue—they create distance.
The rule is simple: make your intent visible, keep perceptual anchors, respect context. That way, strangeness reads as a deliberate style, not a mistake.
Manage the Uncanny, Protect Trust
The aesthetics of uncanniness in AI visuals are a double-edged tool for brands. In the right context, with clear intent, they can become a distinctive signature. Left unchecked, they generate distrust and distance.
The solution: combine psychoanalytic insight with marketing strategy to keep audiences balanced on the line of “strange but I like it.” Be transparent, leave a touch of reality in the image, and ensure viewers have something to hold onto. Otherwise, aesthetic difference slips too easily into alienation.
The goal isn’t to avoid the uncanny—but to master it. That way, your visuals stay memorable and your brand keeps its trust.
