Drew Perry.
Shoppable and interactive content technology company Vudoo is helping brands to capitalise on micro-moments, turning passive browsing into active buying.
“We do that through really deep integrations with the commerce platforms and payment gateways and that enables us to gain really deep insights through our proprietary technology around intent data and also commerce signals,” managing director, APAC, Drew Perry, said.
“We work with retailers and brands wanting to extend their reach beyond their own checkout - rather than an on-site solution for retailers or brands, you can think of us as the off-site extension of that.”
Chief product officer Billy Kinchin said Vudoo's approach is transforming every touchpoint of the consumer journey into a potential transaction opportunity.
“Let's say a user is going to the Sydney Morning Herald, for example, and traditionally, if they saw a Kmart ad on that website for example, they would traditionally click on that ad and it would go through to kmart.com.au and then potentially the end user would go and buy whatever they wanted to buy from Kmart,” he said.
“What we are enabling is for you to buy whatever you want to buy from Kmart directly in the ad while you're still on the Sydney Morning Herald.
“This is great for the Sydney Morning Morning Herald, as the user isn't going away from the Sydney Morning Herald so they have that potential to keep interacting with the actual publisher and all of its content.
“It's great for the end user, because they get to buy something while still being in the content. It’s also great for Kmart, because they're really grabbing the person at the point of inspiration.”
CMO Rachel Fang said consumers are learning very quickly, particularly the younger generation who are used to buying within social platforms.
“We weren't putting queries and prompts into AI 12 months ago, but now we're doing that and expecting immediate answers,” she said.
“This continuous increment of the instant gratification is really starting to become more compounded, and this is the point in time where brands are realising ‘we need to meet consumers where they are’.
“If they're expecting immediate gratification on social and now they're getting immediate answers from AI, we need to provide this opportunity to allow them to do whatever they want, whether that's more exploration or whether that's a transaction - on their terms.”
Perry said the rise of retail media has created opportunities for Vudoo to expand its offering.
“There's still a lot to do with retail media networks, including diversifying their ad opportunities and extending what has been the investment area of on-site into off-site,” he said.
“The online and offline continues to blur, with OOH opportunities becoming more digitised and companion opportunities between the mobile and QR codes progressing.
“I'd say it's more maturing, but there's a lot more opportunities for retail media networks to grow and extend the investments that they've made.”
Arun Ravikumar - Lead Quality Assurance Engineer
What’s the biggest challenge in your role?
One of the biggest challenges in my role is anticipating and identifying potential operational risks in an application that is constantly evolving. At Vudoo, we’re always enhancing the platform to meet both customer expectations and tech advancements, so my job is to make sure it’s robust, scalable, and delivers a seamless user experience.
Every new feature or update introduces potential risks, which means I have to think from multiple perspectives—end users, developers, product managers, and security experts—to validate functionality across different use cases. It involves rigorous testing and identifying cases that could impact performance or usability. The real challenge is maintaining quality and reliability while keeping up with rapid sprint cycles.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day starts with absorbing as much information as possible—whether it’s through discussions with my team or reviewing new updates. Testing isn’t just about finding bugs; it’s about understanding how our platform functions and ensuring it meets both technical and user expectations. I spend a lot of time validating assumptions, experimenting with different scenarios and exploring different execution paths before sharing my observations with the team to continuously refine and improve the product.
What attracted you to the company?
The uniqueness of Vudoo’s product immediately caught my attention when I first came across the company. But what truly solidified my decision to join was the way the team approached every interaction—it felt like a mutual discovery process, where Vudoo was just as invested in understanding me as I was in learning about the company. That level of support and alignment created an environment where I could thrive effortlessly. It also had a positive ripple effect on other aspects of my life, making it clear that this was the right place for me.
What are you focused on for 2025?
For 2025, my focus is on staying ahead of both technical and functional advancements—not just within Vudoo but across the broader industry. As technology evolves, new testing methodologies and automation tools emerge, and I want to make sure that I’m leveraging the best practices to enhance our product’s reliability and performance. Continuous learning and adaptation will be key to maintaining Vudoo’s innovative edge.
What do you love most about your role?
What I love most about my role is the ability to switch between different mindsets every day. As a tester, I get to wear multiple hats—thinking like an end user, a developer, or a product manager—all to ensure the application functions as expected. This dynamic and investigative approach makes every day different and keeps the role exciting and intellectually stimulating. If everything has run smoothly, I know I’ve done my job well.
Jayde O’Brien - Business Analyst
What does a typical day look like for you?
I start my day with a quick scan of industry headlines—staying across what's happening in the broader Commerce Media & AdTech world puts me in the right headspace to hit the ground running. After tackling my emails (Inbox Zero for the win), I'll usually have a 10 minute check in with our CFO. As the bulk of my time is spent in the finance team right now, these catch ups allow us to align on priorities and solve blockers early so we can spend the day smashing goals.
From there, my day could involve anything from analysing data, creating processes or preparing business cases. Every day is different.
What are you focused on for 2025?
In 2025 I'm focused on improving and broadening my skill set. I'm studying new certifications in my spare time to help me bring more value to my role.
What attracted you to the company?
I was looking for a team who were doing exciting work & had a good time doing it - Vudoo ticked both of those boxes. From my very first interview it was apparent that Vudoo was a high performing team with a fun and supportive culture. My background was in a completely different industry, but I knew I wanted to be part of what Vudoo was doing!
What do you love most about your role?
I love that no two days at Vudoo are the same, but the best part of my role is getting to watch the Vudoo team do their thing. We have so many passionate and talented people and I learn a lot from working alongside them.
What’s the biggest challenge in your role?
As a generalist, I can move to new projects in different departments very quickly. Being able to adapt to new information and stay agile is critical. While getting a crash course in a new department can be challenging, having some knowledge of how each department operates and connects is definitely an advantage.
Sandy Ho - Global Marketing Manager
What attracted you to the company?
Hands down the vision, passion, and drive of the team. When I first joined, Vudoo was a fast-growing startup with a bold mission to transform the way brands engage with consumers through interactive video—something that was completely unique in the market at the time. Fast forward a few years, and we’ve grown into a global, award-winning company with a larger-than-life presence in the commerce media space. Our goal now is to reshape how ads are experienced, so that brands and agencies can create full-funnel ad creatives that enable direct purchases and deliver measurable results. What I love most is how the company’s commitment to innovation hasn’t wavered. It’s rare to find an organisation so steadfast in pushing boundaries and staying ahead of industry trends.
What’s the biggest challenge in your role?
The biggest challenge, though also a blessing, is the pace at which the landscape is evolving. The world of commerce, media, and advertising is evolving at breakneck speed—consumer habits are always changing, the media landscape is constantly innovating, and data and privacy regulations add another layer of complexity. Being in the tech space, it’s crucial to stay on top of these trends and anticipate what’s coming next. We’re fortunate that our team is nimble enough to adapt and pivot quickly when necessary. While it can get hectic as we shift course from time to time, I wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, who wants to work in an environment where things are stagnant? The excitement of continuously innovating and exploring new ideas is what keeps it fun and interesting.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My mornings always start with a familiar kind of chaos—wrangling my toddler out the door. Once that’s done, coffee is non-negotiable! From there, no two days are the same. My role is incredibly diverse, which is what I love about it—it keeps me on my toes. I might find myself heads down, focusing on content creation, or collaborating with the team to brainstorm new campaigns and marketing initiatives. Some days, you’ll find me in our recording studio producing the Commerce Media Matters podcast (which, if you haven’t checked out yet, I highly recommend!).
What do you love most about your role?
I’ve always said that as a marketer, your job is infinitely easier when you genuinely believe in the product and the company behind it—and I’m lucky in that regard. But what I love most about my role isn’t just the work; it’s the people. I’m fortunate to be part of an incredible team that’s not only talented and driven but also supportive and collaborative. As cheesy as it might sound, having a team you can rely on makes all the difference. Even on the most challenging days, knowing that everyone’s got each other’s back turns every project into a shared mission. That sense of camaraderie and shared purpose is what makes the hard work feel so worthwhile.
What are you focused on for 2025?
One of our primary focuses is educating the industry on commerce media—how it differs from retail media, how it fits within the broader advertising ecosystem, and why it’s the next big thing in digital marketing. It’s an emerging trend, but one that’s not yet fully understood or fleshed out. Over the course of this year, we’ll be doubling down on research, content creation, and thought leadership to help build a better understanding of commerce media, its value, and its potential impact. Our goal is to guide the industry through this shift by offering clear insights and practical advice for brands looking to adopt commerce media strategies.
Vince Scarpa - Head of Engineering
What do you love most about your role?
I love the challenge of solving complex problems and seeing the direct impact our product has on our clients and users—it’s incredibly rewarding. Knowing that my contributions drive meaningful outcomes keeps me motivated, and I’m grateful to be part of a team pushing groundbreaking innovation.
What’s the biggest challenge in your role?
I thrive on the challenge of keeping up with the ever-evolving tech landscape, ensuring our systems are always secure and performant, and coordinating across multiple teams to deliver seamless integrations—a complex but incredibly rewarding endeavour. There’s also the growing challenge of scalability and maintaining a smooth user experience as our user base expands, but I enjoy the process of discovery involved—defining problems clearly before solving them is just as important as the solution itself.
What are you focused on for 2025?
My primary focus for 2025 is on “automation” to build a more scalable product that can rapidly produce complex creatives, streamline our workflows, reduce manual effort, and ultimately accelerate our time to market. It’s a significant undertaking, but one that will drive efficiency and innovation across the board.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My days are a mix of focused coding, collaborative problem-solving with the product team, and exploring new ways of improving our platform. I work closely with designers, product managers, and other engineers to ensure we're aligned on delivering the best possible product. Continuous learning—through experimentation and knowledge sharing—is a key part of my day, helping me make a tangible impact on our users’ experience and driving product success.
What attracted you to the company?
I worked with Nick Morgan (Vudoo’s Founder and CEO) in a previous life before Vudoo was even an idea. When I was approached to help engineer the Vudoo product, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect! The concept of “Interactive Video As a Service” immediately resonated with me. With a passion for software development and a background in video production, it felt like a natural fit. Eight years on, and I still love working for such a groundbreaking company.
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