New York, October 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Rokt, a leading e-commerce company that leverages machine learning and AI to make shopping more personal for every customer, participated in eight panel discussions this week at Advertising Week New York 2026 (AWNY) held in The Penn District. Rokt executives engaged with leaders from leading companies in retail, financial services, travel, and media to discuss how businesses can grow revenue, earn customer trust, and adapt to evolving ways consumers discover brands. Four panels took place on the main AWNY stage, while four others were part of the on-site The Female Quotient Lounge events.
Jon Humphrey, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Rokt Ads, said: “Businesses want to drive revenue growth from the customer relationships they’ve worked hard to build, and that depends on making every interaction relevant to the customer. As AI transforms how people discover brands and make decisions, relevance has become even more critical. The opportunity lies in helping customers find what they value and giving them a reason to come back.”
One of the most notable moments this week occurred on Wednesday, when Humphrey joined NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky and Fanatics, Inc.’s Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Tucker Kain on the Great Minds Stage for a conversation on leadership. The discussion followed Fanatics’ recent selection of Rokt to deliver AI-driven relevance services to sports fans worldwide.
In other sessions, Rokt executives engaged with leaders from companies such as Lowe’s, Citi, Mastercard, e.l.f. Beauty, and American Airlines. Many discussions focused on how companies outside retail are building commercial media businesses, while others explored how AI is increasingly shaping where and how people discover brands.
Rokt's panel discussion on the main stage at Advertising Week New York was as follows:
- Beyond Brand: Building Partnerships Across the Ecosystem (Marketplace Stage, October 5, Monday). Laura Cosgrove, Senior Vice President of Retail Partnerships at Rokt, discusses the evolution of Rokt’s partnership with Afterpay and how to expand it across Block’s broader product portfolio, including Square, Cash App, and TIDAL, with Lauren Copland, Head of Ecosystem Partnerships at Block. Moderated by Arielle Feger, Senior Analyst, Media Content at eMarketer.
- A New Revenue Stream: Just How Much Is Customer Attention Worth? (Media Stage, October 6, Tuesday). Erica Few, Head of Financial Services Partnerships at Rokt, joins Elyse Blouin, Vice President and General Manager of Lowe’s Media Network, and Dylan Lonergan, Head of Sales for Citi Commerce Media, to discuss what it takes to build such businesses as commercial media ventures expand beyond retail. Moderated by Kerry Flynn, media reporter at Axios.
- Building a Decision Engine for Agency Marketing (Innovation Stage, Wednesday, October 7). As AI plays an increasingly prominent role in media decisions, Jon Humphrey of Rokt, Olivia Kory, Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer at Haus, and Annie Leanse, Senior Director of Subscription Acquisition and Brand Media Marketing at FOX One, discuss why attribution alone is insufficient and how incrementality and experimentation inform these choices. Moderated by James Hercher, reporter at AdExchanger.
- Slide where the puck is going to be: Great Minds Stage, Wednesday, October 7. Wayne Gretzky speaks with Tucker Kain of Fanatics and Jon Humphrey of Rokt, reflecting on his decades-long career as a player, owner, coach, and broadcaster.
Rokt executives also participated in the following discussion on Tuesday, October 6, at the Female Quotient Lounge during AWNY:
- The Advantage of Trust: Why Confidence Wins. Maggie Carney, Vice President of Customer Success at Rokt, joins Nili Klenoff, Executive Vice President of Mastercard Commerce Media, Christie Sclater, Senior Vice President of Global Marketing at Clinique, and Cass Zawadowski, Global Executive Creative Director at Lyft, to discuss how companies can earn trust as AI transforms how people evaluate brands. Moderated by Jenny Rooney, Chief Brand and Community Officer at ADWEEK.
- Discovering Economy: Winning Before the Search. Allison Repetto, Vice President of Retail Customer Success at Rokt, joins Sabrina Callahan, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at Southwest Airlines, and Diana Tomasetti, Senior Director of Brand and Product Marketing at Carnival Cruise Line, to explore how today’s consumers discover brands before searching—through AI assistants, creators, and communities. Moderated by Debra Aho Williamson, Founder and Chief Analyst at Sonata Insights.
- Cultural Gravity: Why Certain Ideas Captivate. Laura Cosgrove returns alongside Laurie Lam, Chief Brand Officer of e.l.f. Beauty, and Haley Paas, Senior Vice President of Media, Marketing Effectiveness, and Agency Management at Verizon Media, to explore why certain brands and ideas continue to captivate audiences long after their launch. Moderated by Luz Corona, Executive Director of Content at The Clios.
- Media Shift: Meeting Audiences Wherever They Are. Nilda Duhs, Head of Retail Partnerships at Rokt, joined Lauren Gabriele, Vice President of Enterprise Business Development at TripleLift; Leslie Lee, Vice President of Advertising Solutions at T-Mobile; and Jacs Wyatt, Global Director of Advertising at American Airlines, to discuss how brands can reach audiences as their attention spreads across more platforms. Moderated by Brittany Thompson, Vice President and Head of Corporate Innovation at Condé Nast.
About Rokt
Rokt is a global leader in e-commerce, delivering real-time relevance at the most critical moment—the Transaction Moment™. Powered by its AI Brain and Ecommerce Network, Rokt drives billions of transactions, connects hundreds of millions of customers, and is trusted by leading global companies including Live Nation, Fanatics, Macy’s, AMC Theatres, PayPal, Uber, Hulu, Albertsons, and HelloFresh. Headquartered in New York City, Rokt has offices across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Learn more at Rokt.com.
Media contact
Tarana Mehta - Senior Vice President of Marketing
[email protected]