Email Excellence Center Committee Thought Leadership

During an “Ask Me Anything” session held at a November 5, 2025 meeting of the ANA’s EEC Committee, attendees received pointers on their craft from Jose Cebrian, senior partner, CRM and loyalty at Merkle; Kelly Haggard, VP, channel optimization and innovation at Synchrony; and Scott Cohen, CEO at InboxArmy.

A panel of marketing experts shared both their good and their bad experiences working with AI in email. They covered the ways in which AI has enhanced and optimized workflows, specific examples of how the technology has failed them, and how they approach training models.

Omisend’s Greg Zakowics shared some data on how automated email and SMS communications are significantly outperforming standard campaigns and provided some tips for how marketers can maximize their own efforts with these tactics.

SAP Emarsys and BASE1 explored how brands can prepare for AI-powered customer engagement by first building a strong data foundation.

In a panel led by Synchronicity Marketing’s Karen Talavera, experts from Marigold, Blueprint.Inc, AudiencePoint, and ETS tackled the complexities of email deliverability, engagement, and attribution — and how marketers can regain control over these critical channels.

Ballard Designs revolutionized its email marketing strategy by abandoning rigid content calendars in favor of AI-powered, customer-led personalization that resulted in significant improvements in click rates, conversion rates, and revenue per send.

Evan Diaz from RPE Origin revealed the widespread problems plaguing email marketing today — poorly coded, non-compliant emails that break across platforms and potentially expose companies to legal risks. He demonstrated how seemingly polished emails often deliver broken experiences to customers and provided actionable solutions for creating emails that work for everyone.

During a May 2025 ANA 1-Day Event, Email Connect discussed ESP (email service provider) contracts and gave recommendations for upcoming contract renewals.

During a May 2025 Email Evolution Committee Meeting, Verizon described its efforts to improve the manner in which it reached out to Hispanic audiences.

Wondering about the growing ways AI is empowering and evolving email marketing? Unclear on terminology and AI-driven tech? This session provided a brief primer that spans AI’s impact on email from campaign strategy to creative to analytics to deliverability.

The latest AI-driven tools are super-charging and streamlining email message creation from copywriting to full-on design, assembly and coding. In this session, see the (r)evolution in action and hear from those on the front lines.

Drew Messinger-Michales from BASE1 discussed the steps that form the foundation of successful, impactful, future-facing AI pilot programs.

The panel of email experts shared real-world examples, case studies, and practical tips to empower your marketing team in navigating the post-Black Friday and Cyber Monday landscape successfully.

Future Commerce shared how brands can leverage friction and counterintuitive website design to get consumers’ attention and inspire emotional loyalty.

At a meeting of the ANA Email Excellence Committee, a panel of experts discussed why AMP for Email, which enables new interactivity features in promotional email, has seen slow adoption rates since its launch, while also sharing predictions for the future of AMP for Email.

In this video, a panel of experts discussed why AMP for Email, which enables new interactivity features in promotional email, has seen slow adoption rates since its launch, while also sharing predictions for the future of AMP for Email.

In a fireside chat, the chair of the ANA's Email Excellence Center Committee, Matthew Vernhout, interviewed ANA DC leader Chris Oswald and D. Reed Freeman, Jr., a partner at Venable LLP, on what ANA members and email practitioners shared as a key concern — advocacy.

In this video, the chair of the ANA's Email Excellence Center Committee, Matthew Vernhout, interviewed ANA DC leader Chris Oswald and D. Reed Freeman, Jr., a partner at Venable LLP, on what ANA members and email practitioners shared as a key concern — advocacy.