Leveraging AI to Fuel Human Creativity – August 2025 #MarketersBreakfast Recap

On a bright August morning in Atlanta, marketers from across the city from brands like Hiscox, Coca-Cola, Church’s Chicken, and more gathered for Setup’s latest #MarketersBreakfast, ready to explore a topic on everyone’s mind: How can AI truly enhance, rather than replace, human creativity?

Over coffee and conversation, attendees rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on, interactive session led by Aby Varma, the Founder of Spark Novus.

This wasn’t a sit-and-listen kind of morning. It was an opportunity to test, play, and collaborate, and build a brand from scratch with the help of AI tools and expert marketing leaders in the room, all the while also reframing how we think about creativity in an AI-enabled world.

Shifting the Mindset: From “Can AI Do This?” to “How Can I Do This Better with AI?”

Aby kicked off the session with a challenge: stop treating AI as a novelty and start treating it as a creative partner. He introduced the idea of the “human–AI sandwich,” a method to use AI to spark ideas, human judgment to shape them, and AI again to polish and execute.

His advice was to:

Focus on outcomes, not just outputs.
Use the time AI saves you to invest in strategy, relationships, and deeper thinking (not just to crank out more content).
Think about doing different things, not just doing the same things faster.

As Aby explained, the most exciting potential of AI isn’t replacing what we already do, it’s creating what we haven’t imagined yet.

Hands-On Challenge: Building the “Breakthrough Bar”

Through experimentation and curiosity, attendees were challenged to put theory into practice ina live brand-building exercise using ChatGPT and Canva AI.

The challenge? Create a fictional energy bar for marketers—something designed to fuel both the body and the brainstorm.

Step 1: Brand Personality
Attendees brainstormed traits, landing on “inventive”, “resourcefu”l, and “playful” as the perfect mix to represent the brand’s creative spirit.

Step 2: Naming the Product
Dozens of names surfaced, but after a spirited vote, the group crowned it the Breakthrough Bar, paired with the tagline: “When you break down, it’s time to break through.”

Step 3: Visual Identity
An energetic palette of orange, red, and yellow emerged, reflecting a modern, high-energy feel. Using Canva AI, the group quickly mocked up a logo that captured the bar’s personality.

Step 4: LinkedIn Post Creation
Finally, the team pulled everything together into a fun, shareable LinkedIn post, complete with product benefits, a playful CTA, and visuals ready for prime time.

The room buzzed as marketers watched their ideas transform into a polished brand asset in real time—proof that AI can accelerate the creative process without stripping it of originality.

Key Takeaways for Marketers

AI is a creative collaborator, not a replacement. Pair AI’s speed with human judgment to create higher-quality, more strategic work.
Focus on “better,” not just “more.” Use the time AI saves you for big-picture thinking and relationship building.
Play to discover new possibilities. Experimentation can reveal uses for AI you might never consider in a purely theoretical discussion.

Why This Matters Now

As Aby reminded the room, AI’s greatest gift to marketers is the ability to reimagine, not just optimize. Whether you’re leading a global brand or running a nimble startup, the way you integrate AI today will shape the creativity, agility, and value your marketing delivers tomorrow.

If you missed this breakfast, you can still join the Marketing AI Pulse community and connect with over 500 marketers exploring the practical applications of AI. The next event is on November 13, 2025—don’t miss the chance to learn, share, and create alongside fellow marketing innovators.

We host virtual and in-person events every quarter to help marketers connect, learn, and grow. In 2025, we’re taking it to the next level by hosting AIMS, Atlanta’s largest integrated marketing summit–open to all marketers. It’s your chance to sharpen your strategy, strengthen your team, and advance your career.

Enjoy the pictures from the event below!

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