CJ's annual conference returns to the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort from September 14–17, 2026, marking 25 years of CJU.
We are proud media partners of this year’s show, and very excited to return to the land of sunshine and dolphins for a week of affiliate excellence.
More than 1,000 marketers from hundreds of brands and publishers, alongside dozens of agencies, will gather for four days of beachside networking, forward-thinking content and strategies you can action as soon as you get home.
Three paths to purchase
This year's programming centres on how consumer behaviour has fractured into three distinct paths to purchase:
● Brand-led, through search, advertising and advertiser websites
● Social-led, through trusted creators and marketplaces
● AI-led, where shoppers turn to agents and LLMs for advice and recommendations
The thing that ties all three together is trust. And this is CJ’s central focus for the show: How brands leverage connected commerce to deliver unified customer experiences that tap into that trust.
On the stage
Attendees can expect an inspiring guest keynote from strategic futurist Nancy Giordano. She will unpack what it really means to build an AI-first strategy, how to drive organisation-wide adoption, and what this shift means for the future of work.
A joint session from Epsilon CEO Sean Reardon and CJ CEO Santi Pierini will share how CJ and Epsilon are working together to leverage connected identity to turn commerce signals into shopper intelligence. They’ll showcase solutions already in market that are converting more shoppers across more channels while expanding revenue opportunities for publishers and creators.
Other highlights include social platform executives on the evolution of social commerce, creators discussing influencer marketing's increased focus on measurable conversions, and multiple sessions demystifying AI visibility, the critical role affiliate publishers and creators play in it, and how brands are improving their visibility.
Beyond the stage
CJU is known for its density of business getting done:
● 3,000+ one-to-one meetings between brands, publishers, and agencies
● CJ Excellence Awards
● Hands-on technology training
Plenty to dive into, as well as a wealth of networking in the Santa Barbara sun.
Registration
The registration deadline is approaching fast. Apply to attend here.
We’ll see you there!
