From Concept to Launch: How AI Enhances Creative Testing in Real Time

In this episode of Game of Attention, we dive into how data and creativity can work hand in hand to make design decisions with confidence, without losing the human touch that drives emotional connection. 

Joining us are two leaders from Tata Consumer Products: Lily Jauregui, Head of Innovation, and Madhukar Subramanian, Marketing Director. 

Whether you’re launching a new brand, optimizing packaging, or navigating cultural nuances in global campaigns, this episode is packed with insights on how to blend analytics and instinct to create meaningful consumer experiences. 

Q: What does data-driven creativity mean to you in practice? 

Lily: It’s about starting with the right consumer insights and category context. You need to know why your brand is the right one to address a particular need before you jump into creativity. For example, in a saturated category, your story and product must offer something truly distinctive. Only then can creative execution flow naturally. 

Madhukar: I see it as connecting unseen dots. Our Tata Tea Agni campaign used AI to analyze photos homemakers shared on WhatsApp, turning their everyday efforts into inspiring stories. It made them the heroes of our ads and resonated deeply because it addressed a passion that’s often invisible. 

Another example is Jaago Re, where we tackled climate change. We built a WhatsApp-based AI tool that interpreted images of consumers doing eco-friendly acts and showed them the positive impact they were making. But I’d caution: data isn’t absolute. Some things cannot be coded. You still need human intuition and a feeling for the bigger picture. 

Q: How do you make design decisions that serve both brand and shopper in a cluttered environment? 

Lily: AI helps us break out of creative echo chambers. For instance, in the global sleep tea segment, a space already dominated by big brands, we used AI to generate unexpected packaging concepts and ingredient ideas. Then we put those in front of consumers for feedback. This agile loop of insights and validation helps us refine propositions until they’re truly resonant. 

Madhukar: In India, design must feel hyperlocal. Our tea packaging often features cultural cues like sari art, handlooms, and regional symbols of pride. These aren’t just aesthetic, they create emotional connections. We also use a “See, Choose, Buy” framework: design to catch attention at 10 meters (See), invite consideration at 5 meters (Choose), and deliver reasons to buy at shelf level (Buy). Each stage has a different creative priority. 

Q: How do you test if creative will emotionally connect across cultures? 

Lily: Even with shared human needs, cultural context shapes emotional responses. Tea culture, for example, is deeply ingrained in the UK but very different in the US or Australia. We use AI to quickly generate concepts and then test them in virtual workshops for both quantitative and qualitative feedback. Sometimes a concept hits globally, our “jackpot” moment, but often it’s about fine-tuning for each region. 

Madhukar: Emotion can also come from cues like music and language. In South India, we used traditional sari patterns on packaging, which sparked pride and preference. Music is powerful too, not just in ads but in-store environments. Familiar sounds can trigger emotional recognition and influence purchasing decisions. 

Q: Are tools like attention heatmaps and predictive analytics a shortcut or a superpower? 

Lily: Both. They’re invaluable for assessing packaging stand-out on cluttered shelves. We once used AI-powered glasses to study shopper behavior and found that heatmaps mirrored actual eye movement. It’s a fast way to test front-of-pack claims or design tweaks. Used well, these tools can supercharge workflows or act as an agile shortcut when timelines are tight. 

Madhukar: Agreed. They’re a helping hand either way. But while it’s useful to know where the eyes go, what really matters is where the heart goes. That’s harder to measure and requires human insight. 

Q: What excites and worries you about AI’s role in design and marketing? 

Lily: I see AI as an agency partner. It brings agility and richer information to discussions, enabling faster, more relevant innovation. But the key is feeding it the right brief. Without strong human insight and business understanding, you risk generic outputs. 

Madhukar: I believe AI has the potential to make marketing more human by helping us overcome biases and shift perspectives. But there’s a danger too: if overused, it could strip marketing of its joy and creativity. 

Q: One principle every creative team should remember in data-driven design? 

Lily: Stay true to your brand purpose. Know your do’s and don’ts and keep the consumer perspective at the heart of every decision. 

Madhukar: Figure out the idea your consumer holds of themselves and help make that idea win through your brand story. That’s how you build preference. 

Thanks for tuning in! 

This episode offers a masterclass in balancing data and emotion to design for attention, connection, and impact. Listen to the full conversation on Spotify or watch it above for even more insights. 

Stay curious. Stay creative. See you next time!