Darkroom has named Julie Novak as the head of its Social Commerce practice, bringing her extensive experience from TikTok and Amazon Live to steer brands through the evolving creator economy.
Novak, who joined Darkroom from TikTok where she served as US Head of Haircare & Styling, played a pivotal role in scaling TikTok Shop’s beauty category. Her team achieved record-breaking results in creator engagement, brand onboarding, live-video sales, and overall revenue growth, contributing to TikTok’s 2024 Beauty Inc. Retailer of the Year award.
Her 18-year career spans e-commerce, CPG, healthcare, and creator marketing. At Amazon Live, Novak led the Creator Business during a period of explosive growth, expanding from 500 creators at launch to more than 50,000 in a single year, and generating over $1 million in sales from a single Black Friday livestream in 2020. She also held the VP of Content role at Trendio, where she built scalable creator and user-generated content programs supporting AI-driven content workflows.
“The future of shopping isn’t static pages—it’s trusted voices showing products in motion,” Novak recently wrote. “Joining Darkroom means being at the forefront of that evolution, helping brands turn creators, content, and community into real growth.” She encourages brands to embrace TikTok, invest in creator communities, and engage authentically with audiences.
Darkroom’s CEO commented: “Julie’s blend of strategic foresight, scalable creator ecosystem building, and track record at TikTok and Amazon Live aligns perfectly with our mission. She will be instrumental in helping our clients harness the creator economy and TikTok Shop ecosystem to drive performance, creative innovation, and measurable ROI.”
In her new role, Novak will lead Darkroom’s Social Commerce practice, integrating performance media, short-form video creation, influencer ecosystems, and live commerce tactics. Her appointment comes as Darkroom doubles down on AI-powered creative and full-funnel digital growth across marketplaces, retail media, and direct-to-consumer channels.
As e-commerce increasingly shifts toward AI-enabled strategy, video commerce, and immersive content formats, Novak’s leadership cements Darkroom’s position as a pioneer in next-generation digital commerce solutions.
