--- title: 1st Charleston Marketing AI Pulse Event Recap description: Charleston's first-ever Marketing AI Pulse event, hosted by Loop, featured industry leaders sharing insights on AI adoption, strategic practices, and future trends in marketing. image: https://signal78.ai/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202025-02-23%2016.31.28%20-%20A%20geometric%2c%20low-poly%20style%20image%20of%20the%20city%20of%20Charleston%2c%20South%20Carolina%2c%20featuring%20its%20iconic%20historic%20architecture%2c%20waterfront%2c%20and%20colorful%20buil.webp --- [Skip to content](https://signal78.ai/insights/1st-charleston-marketing-ai-pulse-event-recap#main) [![Signal78 home](https://signal78.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/signal78-site/logo-signal78.png?width=95&height=30&name=logo-signal78.png)](https://signal78.ai/) [Home](https://signal78.ai/) [Platform](https://signal78.ai/platform) [Services](https://signal78.ai/services) [About](https://signal78.ai/about) [Insights](https://signal78.ai/insights) [Book a demo](https://signal78.ai/insights/1st-charleston-marketing-ai-pulse-event-recap#demo) [← Insights](https://signal78.ai/insights) Marketing AIFebruary 23, 20252 min read # 1st Charleston Marketing AI Pulse Event Recap ![Matt Cyr](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/signal78-site/headshot-matt-cyr.jpg)**Matt Cyr** · Founder & President, Loop ![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202025-02-23%2016.31.28%20-%20A%20geometric%2c%20low-poly%20style%20image%20of%20the%20city%20of%20Charleston%2c%20South%20Carolina%2c%20featuring%20its%20iconic%20historic%20architecture%2c%20waterfront%2c%20and%20colorful%20buil.webp) In this article Share Last Thursday, Loop hosted the first-ever Marketing AI Pulse event at the Charleston Digital Corridor. The event builds on the AI Pulse Community in Atlanta created by [Aby Varma](https://www.linkedin.com/in/abyvarma/) from [Spark Novus](https://sparknovus.com/).  The Charleston event was very well attended, with more than 40 attendees from a variety of industries and levels of AI adoption. It featured four speakers: - Loop's Matt Cyr gave an overview of the current state of AI and shared tips for starting small with AI. - Aby Varma shared best practices for strategic and responsible AI adoption. - Microsoft's Melissa Hortman did a live demo of Copilot's agent capabilities. - Danny Fell from BVK gave an in-depth look at the past, present and future of AI use in marketing and advertising. This was the first of what will be quarterly Marketing AI Pulse events being held in Charleston. If you'd like to attend or speak at a future event, email Matt Cyr at [matt@loopagency.ai](mailto:matt@loopagency.ai). ![1st CHS AI Pulse event](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_9396.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_9396.jpeg) More than 40 people showed up to the event, representing multiple industries and all levels of AI knowledge and adoption. ![Aby-Matt](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/Copy%20of%20IMG_2922.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=Copy%20of%20IMG_2922.jpeg) Aby Varma from Spark Novus founded the AI Pulse Community in Atlanta. Matt Cyr from Loop is creating a community in Charleston.  ![Matt Cyr from Loop](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_2941.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_2941.jpeg) Matt Cyr from Loop spoke about the current state of AI and shared tips for starting small with AI adoption. ![Aby Varma, Spark Novus](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_2958.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_2958.jpeg) Aby Varma from Spark Novus discussed strategic and responsible AI adoption. ![Melissa Hortman Microsoft](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_9404.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_9404.jpeg) Melissa Hortman from Microsoft did a live demo of Copilot's agent capabilities. ![Danny Fell BVK](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_9407.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_9407.jpeg) Danny Fell from agency BVK spoke about the past, present and future of AI in marketing and advertising. ![Post-event BBQ](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/IMG_9422.jpeg?width=1200&length=1200&name=IMG_9422.jpeg) A trip to the world-famous Lewis BBQ followed the AI Pulse event. ![1st Charleston AI Pulse Speakers](https://46328726.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/46328726/hubfs/1st%20Charleston%20AI%20Pulse%20Speakers.png?width=1200&length=1200&name=1st%20Charleston%20AI%20Pulse%20Speakers.png) The first Charleston Marketing AI Pulse event featured speakers on the front lines of AI adoption, ![Matt Cyr](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/signal78-site/headshot-matt-cyr.jpg) Founder & President ### Matt Cyr Nearly 30 years leading marketing teams, from Boston’s hospitals and universities to eight years running strategy and new business at a 100-person agency. Founded Loop in 2024. ## More insights. [See all insights→](https://signal78.ai/insights) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/Gemini_Generated_Image_tlr2qftlr2qftlr2.jpeg) AI StrategyOctober 6, 2026 It’s Q4 — How’s Your AI Plan Coming? Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/its-q4-hows-your-ai-plan-coming) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/2026-09-28_asset_linkedin-article-header-platform-update-fall-2026.png) Signal78September 28, 2026 Signal78 Is Live. Here's What It's Proven — and What's Next. Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/notes-from-the-build-where-signal78-stands-this-fall) ### [![](https://signal78.ai/hubfs/37-78.png) AI for AgenciesAugust 11, 2026 AI Will Keep Making Move 37. We Named the Company After Move 78. Read the post→](https://signal78.ai/insights/ai-will-keep-finding-move-37.-we-named-the-company-after-move-78) Every week ## Stay in the Loop. 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The white paper on what it takes to keep a homegrown AI system current, secure and separated by client. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Matt Cyr", "url" : "https://signal78.ai/insights/author/matt-cyr" }, "dateModified" : "2025-04-11T18:32:20.101Z", "datePublished" : "2025-02-23T21:32:57.000Z", "headline" : "1st Charleston Marketing AI Pulse Event Recap", "image" : [ "https://signal78.ai/hubfs/DALL%C2%B7E%202025-02-23%2016.31.28%20-%20A%20geometric%2c%20low-poly%20style%20image%20of%20the%20city%20of%20Charleston%2c%20South%20Carolina%2c%20featuring%20its%20iconic%20historic%20architecture%2c%20waterfront%2c%20and%20colorful%20buil.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://signal78.ai/insights/1st-charleston-marketing-ai-pulse-event-recap", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://signal78.ai/hubfs/Loop%20Logos/Loop_Primary.svg" }, "name" : "Signal78" } } ```