Pulse conference spotlights the future of marketing

AI, Creativity, and Community Commerce

On 18 March, the London Business School (LBS) Marketing & Strategy Club hosted the Pulse Industry Mixer & Conference, bringing together thought leaders and practitioners to explore “Marketing 5.0: Integrating Technology & AI with Human Creativity to Unlock Growth”.

The event opened with remarks from club co-presidents Kanishca Taneja and Anjali Kumar, who acknowledged that marketing roles are being redefined by technology and AI. LBS Dean Sergei Guriev urged attendees to embrace the alignment of human creativity with digital technology, emphasising the need for delegates to bridge academic insight and real-world application. “AI isn’t replacing marketers, but it is redefining roles, so engage with practitioners and discuss the frontier of marketing,” Dean Sergei said.

The keynote, delivered by Kris Boger, General Manager of Business Solutions for TikTok in the UK, Ireland and BeNeLux focused on the seismic shifts in retail and marketing, which have seen trends reshape expectations, and ultimately become the new normal.

Discovery commerce—where users find products serendipitously through immersive, culturally-driven content—has transformed the buying journey, with people no longer buying in isolation, but buying in community. Discovery combined with community validation can create explosive demand, with viral trends like “Man in Finance” offering a powerful example of how cultural moments can spark commercial success.

AI and automation tools are increasingly being used for campaign analysis, audience connection, and creative production. A panel discussion moderated by LBS’ Adjunct Professor of Marketing Helen Edwards, therefore, delved into the impact of AI on advertising, creativity and audience strategy. Tom Roach (Jellyfish), Carrie Timms (LBS’s Chief Marketing Officer, ex-Meta), and Simon Jenkins (Spotify) discussed how AI is making creative production faster and more accessible. The flipside, however, is that while AI excels at quantity and efficiency, it is less adept – for the time being – at creativity and the art of subtlety.

The panel agreed that while AI is an enabler, it is not a differentiator in itself; differentiation and resonance still matter. Innovation and responsibility go hand in hand, and marketers must use AI strategically and responsibly. Consumer trust, audience perception and brand differentiation remain key.

Moderated by Russell Parsons, Editor-in-Chief of Marketing Week, the closing panel brought together Roberto Kusabbi (King Games), Natalie Marques (Trainline), and Neil Cadicott (Blue Light Card) to explore how technology is reshaping the way brands serve diverse customers and their needs, and how every product and experience decision ultimately traces back to a business outcome.

The conversation also brought out that your brand isn't just what you say, it's what your customers experience at every touchpoint. The panel discussion ended with thoughtful advice for aspiring marketers to stay curious, challenge convention, and build the resilience and influence needed to drive real impact.

The conference closed with a look to the future: as AI-driven tools become more embedded in marketing, the challenge will be to harness technology without losing the human touch that builds trust and drives genuine growth.

Key takeaways:

• AI is transforming marketing, but not (yet) replacing human creativity.

• Discovery and community validation drive modern commerce.

• Marketers must blend technology, data, and creativity for growth.

• AI is an enabler and efficiency driver; the challenge is to use it strategically and responsibly.

• Quality, craft, and consumer trust remain critical amidst automation.