Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another Affiliate Pulse!
Over the last few weeks, we’ve had some big announcements about partnerships, collaborations, alliances and standards — and it’s got me thinking about what it means for the industry. In what once seemed like a siloed space, we’re now seeing big steps towards a more unified ecosystem.
Rakuten and impact.com’s alliance, announced today, is reflective of this and seems to send a signal to where the industry is heading. Meanwhile, Partnerize’s new Lighthouse Program, an initiative focused on AI environments, shows a coming together for cross-industry solutions.
The next chapter of affiliate and performance marketing is being written as we speak, and we’ve got a front row seat to watch it unfold.
This week, we also hear from industry experts on the importance of maintaining human connection in an increasingly digital world and maintaining resilience. We’ll also be sharing how you can unlock retail media’s potential with our new Retail Media and Commerce Summit at PI LIVE Europe - Festival of Partnerships.
Now, let’s get on with the news.
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: ​Exclusive: Rakuten and impact.com Form Strategic Alliance to Scale Connected Performance Ecosystem
- Trending: Partnerize Launches Cross-Industry Initiative to Measure and Remunerate Influence in AI Environments
- Industry Insight: Watch out for the silent brand killer.
Pick of the day
​Exclusive: Rakuten and impact.com Form Strategic Alliance to Scale Connected Performance Ecosystem
Today, Rakuten and impact.com have announced a strategic alliance, a collaboration which will see Rakuten Advertising and impact.com deliver an integrated technology and services model.​
Through the alliance, impact.com will be Rakuten’s exclusive technology platform, with Rakuten becoming a Titanium partner — a newly created tier — migrating all of its customers onto impact.com’s platform.
We spoke with Rakuten’s CEO, Amit Patel, and impact.com’s CEO, David Yovanno, to learn more about what the alliance entails and what this means for the industry.
Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
“As a Channel, We Are Incredibly Resilient”: Kirsten Black Talks Shifts, Shocks and Untapped Potential
EssenceMediacom’s Affiliate Director shared that in the face of industry challenges, she’s hopeful that affiliate’s resilience will carry it through.
Human Connection Sets the Tone for Everything, Says Maira Genovese
According to the MG Empower CEO, in an increasingly tech-driven industry, it’s important to maintain balance.
Partnerize Launches Cross-Industry Initiative to Measure and Remunerate Influence in AI Environments
Founding participants include industry big-hitters Adobe, HubSpot and Vox Media.
What’s the Key to Unlocking Retail Media?
As the sector rapidly grows, PI LIVE Europe’s Retail Media & Commerce Summit will illuminate the path to affiliate and performance integration.
AI Said What? Reclaiming Strategic Thinking in an Automated Ad World
This session dives into the growing gap between what AI tells us has happened in a campaign and what’s actually driving performance.
🚀 CreatorFest’s agenda has launched!
CreatorFest is coming to London from 14 to 15 July — and the agenda just dropped.
From AI campaigns and conquering BeautyTok, to legal considerations and building creator wealth, we’ve got an incredible line-up you won’t want to miss at the creator economy event of the summer.
Industry Insight
Stay at the top of your game
This week, our Industry Insight comes from a LinkedIn post from Adam Farley, who says the “set it and forget it” approach to affiliate marketing is becoming a silent brand killer.
Farley says he’s noticed a big shift on the brand side: affiliate programs are being brought in-house.
The ramifications, according to Farley, are that once “pristine” brands are featured on low-quality voucher sites, brand equity is eroded, and attribution theft can take place.
“When a program is unmanaged, it’s not just about losing control of your margins—it’s about losing control of your story,” says Farely.
However, there is a remedy: strict vetting, paying attention to strategic alignment and finally, active management.
“If you don’t have eyes on your program, you aren’t running an affiliate channel—you're running a giveaway.”
But in the comment thread, Adam also says the conversation shouldn’t be about in-house vs. agency, but instead about strategic partnership vs. hands-off management.
“Success comes down to KPIs that prioritise margin and brand safety over vanity numbers.”
We’re just 14 days away from our iconic Performance Marketing Awards celebration! 🤯
Dust off your tuxedos, hunt down those perfect shoes and prepare for an evening to remember at our biggest ceremony yet.
If you haven’t yet secured your seats to see Jimmy Carr crown our winners live, the clock is ticking.
All registrations must be completed by Thursday 30th April. Book your tables here, or reach out to drew.cameron@hellopartner.com.
Amusing Affiliates
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Until next time,
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Madaline Dunn Community Editor Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
