Rakuten Advertising
Rakuten for JD Sports
Rakuten Advertising won the Global Performance Marketing Award for Best Affiliate & Partnership Strategy (North America) due to its innovative and community-focused approach. Leveraging the affiliate channel as a key driver, Rakuten and JD Sports targeted the passionate sneakerhead audience, delivering meaningful brand experiences at scale.
As a challenger brand in the US, JD Sports connected with trendsetters, particularly female, people-of-colour, and Gen Z audiences, through authentic collaborations. The campaign featured special events like exclusive shoe drops, while dynamic commissioning and BNPL partnerships enhanced profitability and ease of access for consumers.
This full-funnel strategy drove a significant increase in year-over-year incremental sales, strengthened JD Sports’ brand position, and supported underrepresented creators. By delivering value and authenticity, the campaign successfully engaged the sneakerhead community and drove impressive growth for JD Sports.
Judges Comments
“The campaign's focus on underserved segments within the sneakerhead community (women, people of colour, and Gen Z) provided a fresh and authentic perspective, resonating well with these audiences and differentiating JD Sports from competitors.”
Deep Dive / Q&A
The Best Affiliate & Partnership Strategy (North America) was sponsored by Pie
The Global Performance Marketing Awards 2024 was held in association with ad4mat
