{"686496":{"#nid":"686496","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Evening MBA Students Help Creative Firm Embrace AI Transformation in Marketing Practicum","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHow will AI kill Creature?\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThat was the question posed to Scheller College of Business Evening MBA students\u0026nbsp;Katie Bowen\u0026nbsp;(\u201925),\u0026nbsp;Ellie Cobb\u0026nbsp;(\u201926), and\u0026nbsp;Christopher Jones\u0026nbsp;(\u201926) in a marketing practicum course that paired them with\u0026nbsp;Creature, a brand, product, and marketing transformation studio.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor 10 weeks, the students worked as consultants in a project that challenged them to rethink the role of artificial intelligence in creative industries. Course instructor\u0026nbsp;Jarrett Oakley, director of Marketing at TOTO USA, guided the student project as they developed strategies to help Creature navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven marketing.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBusiness School Meets Real Business\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cNothing accelerates the value of a business school education like applying it in real time to real businesses,\u201d Oakley said. \u201cThis course mirrored a consulting engagement, turning classroom learning into actionable expertise through direct collaboration with local firms. It was designed to spark creative thinking, build confidence, and bridge theory with practice.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhat began as a traditional strategic analysis quickly evolved into a forward-looking exploration of AI\u2019s impact on branding, user experience, and performance creative. \u201cOur team realized early on that AI wasn\u2019t a threat but a powerful tool,\u201d the students shared. \u201cWe found that AI\u2019s real impact lies not in replacing creativity, but in reshaping expectations, accelerating timelines, and redefining performance standards. It also gives forward-thinking agencies like Creature the opportunity to guide clients still catching up to the AI curve.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECreature\u2019s founders, Margaret Strickland and Matt Berberian, welcomed the collaboration. \u201cWe solve creative challenges across brand, product, and performance,\u201d said Strickland. \u201cAI is transforming each of these areas. The students helped us see how to stay ahead of the curve.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents applied frameworks like SWOT, Porter\u2019s Five Forces, and the G-STIC model to diagnose challenges and develop actionable strategies. Weekly meetings with Creature allowed for iterative feedback and refinement.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne of the team\u2019s most surprising insights came from primary research: many agencies hesitate to disclose their use of AI, fearing clients will demand lower prices. \u201cWe recommended Creature define and share their AI philosophy,\u201d said the students. \u201cClients want transparency and innovation, and they\u2019ll choose partners who embrace AI, not hide from it.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECreature took the advice to heart. Since the project concluded, the firm has launched a new AI consulting offering, SNSE by Creature, and implemented automation across operations, resulting in a 21% boost in efficiency. They\u2019ve also adopted an AI manifesto to guide future initiatives.\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Transformative Student Experience\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKatie Bowen, Evening MBA \u002725\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThis project let us apply MBA concepts to a real-world business challenge. We dove into Creature\u2019s business and tailored our analysis to their needs. It pushed us to think critically about how companies stay competitive when AI tools are widely accessible. Using strategy, innovation, and marketing frameworks, we bridged theory and practice to deliver forward-looking recommendations.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEllie Cobb, Evening MBA \u201826\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThis project strengthened my ability to use AI effectively in both personal and professional contexts\u2014not just knowing how to use it, but when not to. Exploring such a fast-evolving topic made me more agile and open-minded, ready to follow where research and emerging trends lead.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EChristopher Jones, Evening MBA \u201826\u003Cbr\u003E\u201cThe Marketing Practicum with Creature was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding of AI\u2019s impact on business. It sharpened my critical thinking as I navigated conflicting information about AI, and gave me practical insight into business strategy, from integrating new technology to managing innovation and diversifying product offerings.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEducation With Impact\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOakley believes the practicum will have lasting impact. \u201cThese students now understand how traditional marketing strategy integrates with emerging AI capabilities. They\u2019re ready to lead in a rapidly evolving industry.\u201d\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs AI continues to reshape marketing, partnerships like the one between Scheller and Creature demonstrate the power of collaboration, innovation, and education in preparing future leaders for whatever comes next.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EScheller Evening MBA students Katie Bowen, Ellie Cobb, and Christopher Jones partnered with Atlanta-based agency Creature in a 10-week practicum to explore AI\u2019s role in creative industries, delivering strategies that helped the firm embrace AI as a tool for proactive innovation.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Scheller Evening MBA students Katie Bowen, Ellie Cobb, and Christopher Jones partnered with Atlanta-based agency Creature in a 10-week practicum to explore AI\u2019s role in creative industries."}],"uid":"36730","created_gmt":"2025-11-17 18:29:32","changed_gmt":"2025-11-17 18:34:15","author":"klowe36","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-17T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-17T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678649":{"id":"678649","type":"image","title":"The Future of Marketing Collides With AI","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe brand, product, and marketing transformation studio Creature is learning to embrace AI with the help of Scheller MBA students, using tools like this playful meeting-to-creature automation that turns meeting insights into AI-generated creatures.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763403685","gmt_created":"2025-11-17 18:21:25","changed":"1763403989","gmt_changed":"2025-11-17 18:26:29","alt":"The Future of Marketing Collides With AI","file":{"fid":"262708","name":"creature-mba-practicum.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/17\/creature-mba-practicum.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/17\/creature-mba-practicum.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":400807,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/17\/creature-mba-practicum.jpg?itok=4rRCpqNZ"}}},"media_ids":["678649"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.scheller.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/mba-students-help-creative-firm-embrace-ai.html?_gl=1*14thiri*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzQ4NjA0MTc0LjE3NjM0MDM4OTM.*_ga_8XJDVR2ZKP*czE3NjM0MDM4OTMkbzEkZzEkdDE3NjM0MDM4OTYkajU3JGwwJGgxMTUzOTc5OTQ2","title":"Read More"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"194606","name":"Artificial Intelligence"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"}],"keywords":[{"id":"192863","name":"go-ai"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193655","name":"Artificial Intelligence at Georgia Tech"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKristin Lowe (She\/Her)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EContent Strategist\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Institute of Technology | Scheller College of Business\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:klowe36@gatech.edu\u0022 title=\u0022mailto:klowe36@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekristin.lowe@scheller.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["kristin.lowe@scheller.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}