Spark Novus | 10th Marketing AI Pulse

Get ready to embark on a journey into AI in marketing and learn, connect, and grow intellectually and professionally.

Marketing AI Pulse brings together curious marketers, bold thinkers and hands-on builders to try what’s next in AI, swap ideas and have some fun along the way.

Make Atlanta Tech Park your office for the day. Come early, get some work done and be here when the Marketing AI Pulse community starts arriving.

AGENDA

1 to 1:30 p.m. Doors Open and Badge Pick-Up
Check in, grab your badge and enjoy refreshments while connecting with other attendees.

1:30 to 2 p.m. Exhibitors and Partners
Meet the teams behind our exhibitors and partners, explore their work and discover resources for your marketing. Visit tables hosted by ProRelevant, overQualified, AMA Atlanta, TAG Marketing Society, Clay Club Atlanta and RevOps Co-op Atlanta, The AI Collective, Georgia AI Alliance and ElevateHER.

2 to 2:30 p.m. Welcome to the 10th Marketing AI Pulse and What 2027 Demands
Aby Varma, CEO and Founder, Spark Novus and Marketing AI Pulse

Welcome to a community conversation about the skills, priorities and possibilities shaping marketing in 2027.

Featured in the session, Sherry Heyl, founder and strategic advisor at Amplified Concepts, explores what your marketing team’s AI pushback is telling you. Learn to recognize six sources of concern: capability, capacity, quality, clarity, trust and professional identity, and understand what’s behind them before deciding how to respond.

2:30 to 3 p.m. The Customer Insights Your Marketing Data Is Hiding
Josh Cherfoli, Vice President of Marketing, Precision Aviation Group
Mashu Sainz, Vice President of Global Consumer, Shopper Insights and Brand Analytics, Newell Brands
Tim Hernquist, Head of Marketing, North America Enterprise, Jabra
Moderator: Guy Powell, Founder and Managing Partner, ProRelevant Marketing Solutions

Your company already collects data that could reveal more about your customers. Explore how AI can uncover overlooked insights, connect customer signals and help marketers turn existing data into better decisions about audiences, messaging and growth.

3 to 3:30 p.m. What Changes When AI Becomes Part of the Marketing Team?
Trish Nettleship, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions
Additional speakers coming soon.

AI is changing how marketing teams work and how people see their own value. Explore where agents fit, how leaders build team confidence and how to put time saved toward better customer experiences while keeping human judgment and creativity central to the work.

3:30 to 3:45 p.m. Break and Group Photo
Take a break and join the community for a group photo.

3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Breakout Session: Stop Prompting. Start Delegating: Practical AI Agents for Marketers
Philip Lakin, Director of AI Transformation, Zapier

Learn when to use an AI agent, how to give it useful context and where human checkpoints belong. Build a one-page plan for a revenue-focused agent and a two-week test plan. No coding required. Bring a laptop and a real marketing problem.

3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Breakout Session: AI Can Scale Your Visibility, But Is Your Brand Story Worth Choosing?
Tamara Scott, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer, overQualified
Marc Fuson, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, overQualified

Explore how to uncover a distinctive brand story through customers, employees and the business itself. Use it to guide messaging and generative engine optimization so both buyers and AI understand what makes your company different.

3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Breakout Session: Turn a Product Image Into a Video Ad With Generative AI
Natalia Gonzalez, Co-Founder and CEO, Altera
Elizabeth Kealoha, Co-Founder and COO, Altera

See how to turn a product image into a 15- to 20-second video ad using generative AI and Runway. This live demo covers creating a starting image, generating video and adding audio and copy, with a step-by-step guide to try afterward.

3:45 to 4:45 p.m. Breakout Session: The Agency of Tomorrow Won’t Run on Yesterday’s Model
Matt Cyr, Founder and President, Loop AI Agency and Signal78
Moira Vetter, Senior Vice President and Head of B2B, Yes&

AI is changing how agencies deliver work, organize teams and guide clients. This fireside conversation explores how an agency moved from experimentation to everyday AI adoption, connected its tools and built team confidence, with practical lessons for agency leaders and brand marketers.

4:45 to 5:30 p.m. Unwind: Mix and Mingle
Enjoy beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres with DJ Nuro. Connect with speakers, peers and partners.