An Exclusive Dialogue on Creativity and Technology

The air buzzed with the energy of the new year as ecommerce innovators descended on New York for NRF. While the Javits Center played host to the year’s most transformative ideas in retail, a select group gathered offsite in an intimate, members-only space to discuss the intersection of creativity and technology in commerce.

This is the second year Conversations in Commerce has been held at NRF. It was a meeting of sharp minds and bold ideas, where panelists explored how creativity—powered by cutting-edge platforms—is rewriting the rules of customer experience. As the panelists settled into their seats, Beth Ann Kaminkow, VML’s Global Chief Commerce Officer, set the tone for the conversation:

“Technology is no longer just an enabler; it’s the canvas on which creativity flourishes in commerce.”

What followed was an hour of insights that felt less like a panel discussion and more like an idea lab for the future of our industry.

Unlocking Creativity through Technology

Beth Ann’s opening thesis—that creativity and technology are no longer in tension but in tandem—resonated throughout the conversation. Gleb Vaguine, Staff Solutions Engineer at Shopify, spoke candidly about the pitfalls of overly complex tech stacks.

“You don’t want your technology to get in the way of creativity,” he said. “When it takes three weeks just to launch a Valentine’s Day banner, you’re losing the agility that makes great campaigns possible. Platforms like Shopify are about empowering marketers to move fast and focus on the creative work that drives growth.”

Ido Bar Oz, Senior Director of Global Technology & Venture Capital Partners at Braze, elaborated on the complexities of meeting modern customers where they are. “Consumers today interact with brands across so many touchpoints, and expectations have never been higher,” he shared. “The challenge is creating seamless, authentic connections in real time. It’s why we’ve invested so heavily in systems to break down messaging into scalable components.”

Ido Bar Oz highlights the power of systems that break down messaging into scalable components, enabling brands to deliver consistent, personalized experiences across touchpoints.

Serge Moreau shares a real-world example from Tommy John, illustrating how a strategic tech overhaul empowered the brand to better engage customers and scale its direct-to-consumer model.

Real-World Applications

Serge Moreau, VP of Technology at Tommy John, shared a ground-level view of how his brand leverages technology to meet customers where they are.

“Our goal is to create an ecosystem that talks to customers where they’re at—whether that’s through email, social, or in-store experiences,” Serge explained. “It’s about finding creative ways to connect without adding friction to their journey.”

Beth Ann highlighted a particularly innovative campaign from Unilever’s Degree deodorant line. Dubbed the “Shoppable Armpits” campaign, the project used augmented reality to create a social shopping experience that redefined the limits of creative commerce.

Ido added another compelling case study. “One of our clients in Australia reduced message frequency by analyzing historical data and sending fewer, but more relevant, notifications,” he said. “The result? A 49% increase in ticket sales and a significant boost in customer trust.”

Gleb envisions a future where the traditional sales funnel is a thing of the past, replaced by fluid, continuous engagement that adapts to the evolving needs of the consumer.

A Funnel-less Future

As the discussion turned to the future, Gleb introduced the concept of “funnel-less commerce.”

“Imagine a world where buying doesn’t mean going through a multi-step checkout process,” he said. “Maybe it’s as simple as replying to a text message to reorder your favorite product. The goal is to remove friction entirely, creating loyalty through seamless, repeatable interactions.”

Beth Ann closed with a thought-provoking insight. “If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that transformation can happen faster than we ever imagined. The challenge now is to anticipate what comes next—whether that’s AI-driven personalization, new shopping interfaces, or even commerce beyond life as we know it.”

The panelists gather after a dynamic discussion, each offering unique insights on the intersection of creativity, technology, and the tools that power the next generation of commerce.

Final Thoughts

As the fireside chat came to a close, one thing was clear: the future of commerce isn’t just about what we sell or how we sell it. It’s about the stories we tell, the connections we forge, and the creativity we unlock through technology.

For those who couldn’t join us in the room, the conversation doesn’t end here. View photos from the event below and listen to the full live audio to dive deeper into the insights that are shaping the future of our industry.