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Tech Power List 2024
How Ekta Chopra keeps e.l.f. at the digital forefront—from TikTok to Roblox
Chopra is leading the training of e.l.f.’s custom AI model rather than relying on something off-the-shelf. (Courtesy of e.l.f.)
By: Jack Neff June 04, 2024 04:32 AM
Whenever a social or digital platform emerges, e.l.f. is there, often among the first brands in. So it was with TikTok in 2019, and later BeReal and Roblox—and when e.l.f recently created an original song for its debut as the first brand featured in a TikTok Shop Super Brand Day.
Behind all that has been Chief Digital Officer Ekta Chopra, who has led digital efforts for e.l.f. since 2016. That it works is evidenced by a series of high double-digit revenue gains in recent years—most recently 85% for the quarter ended Dec. 31.
The combination of rapid digital innovation and hypergrowth really goes back to e.l.f.’s DNA as a digital-native company with a risk-embracing leadership team that started selling makeup for $1 an item online 20 years ago, Chopra said. The culture aligns with her own background as a kid who helped her family make ends meet by selling flowers and delivering newspapers, she added.
She learned that when she got newspapers in the mailbox or on the porch reliably that “you really serve people better and in turn they give you a great tip and you can make a lot of money,” she said. “I carried that sentiment for the rest of my career.”
Most recently, she’s been leading work for e.l.f. in training its own custom AI model rather than relying on something off-the-shelf in the name of helping to give customers what they really want, Chopra said.
What is the biggest technological challenge facing your sector of advertising and technology, and why?
Personalization at scale remains a hot topic for retailers in advertising technology, due to (1) data overload—managing and analyzing vast amounts of customer data to personalize effectively is complex; (2) multichannel measurement—accurately attributing the impact of ad campaigns across online and offline channels is still imperfect; and (3) individualized experiences—tailoring experiences to individual customers across various touchpoints remains challenging.
How are you preparing to overcome this challenge?
Leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence alongside data management plans and data governance, to organize and manage customer data. Also, emphasizing the integration of customer data platforms and omnichannel marketing to evaluate campaign impacts, and employing segmentation and A/B testing to craft personalized customer experiences.
What piece of technology could you absolutely not live without, besides your phone?
I can’t imagine a day without the soothing, celestial sounds of a smart theremin, an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact. It’s more than just an avant-garde piece of music technology—it’s my morning alarm, my meditation background and my evening relaxation ritual rolled into one. The theremin uses antennas to sense the relative position of my hands and translate them into ethereal melodies that fill my space. It connects me to the invisible waves of energy around us, turning everyday movements into an orchestra. In a world buzzing with tangible tech gadgets, my theremin keeps my creativity and sense of wonder alive, making the intangible touchable and real.
What’s your favorite blog, TikTok account, podcast or any must-follows in your media diet?
One of my top picks is definitely the Pivot podcast, where sharp commentary on tech and business meets witty banter. It’s a brilliant mix of insight and humor that keeps me updated and entertained. Alongside Pivot, I can't help but recommend the TikTok account of @ComedyTechGuy. He blends technology with comedy in short, hilarious clips that lighten up the sometimes too-serious world of tech. Between the strategic insights of Pivot and the laugh-out-loud moments from @ComedyTechGuy, my media diet is perfectly balanced with critical thinking and a good dose of laughter.
Who is your technological hero, alive or from the past, who inspired you the most?
Nikola Tesla. Picture a man who danced to the beat of a different drum, his mind a crucible of ceaseless innovation. Tesla, with his wild eyes and even wilder inventions, saw the future before it unfolded. He conjured storms of lightning with his Tesla coils and dreamt up wireless energy before the world was ready to cut the cord.
Tesla wasn’t just a master of electricity, he was a poet of the electromagnetic spectrum. Every spark of his alternating current was a verse in the grand poem of modern civilization. He taught us to imagine without boundaries, to create without fear and to strive for the magic hidden in the mundane. His legacy isn’t just in the devices that cradle his principles, it’s in the spirit of daring that drives every inventor to look at what is and dream of what could be. In every gadget that charges wirelessly, every neon glow from the depths of neon-lit cities, Tesla’s whispers can be heard, urging us to think bigger, reach higher and light up the dark with our ideas.
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