I had the pleasure of attending ASEURO and I thought I’d provide some thoughts on the key themes from the event.
Affiliate and Partnerships
The affiliate business is a major component of the even larger partner marketing arena. It can be a challenge to precisely define one versus the other because there is so much blurring around the edges of all forms of partnerships. New models are constantly being developed and existing models are ever changing to capitalize on new opportunities. It’s no surprise that the pace of change in affiliate is dramatic – after all, it represents a microcosm of the rapidly changing consumer media environment and customer journey.
From Niche to Business Critical
Affiliate and the larger concept of partner marketing reflect a new business reality – that in an era in which it is harder to build brands through conventional means, partnership represents a powerful way to drive sales AND enhance consumer perceptions. The right partner strategy can, in my view, create unprecedented brand value – all while driving remarkable sales.
What a Cross-Section of Our Industry
Affiliate Summit events offer a tremendous range of attendees from major brands to individuals running petite affiliate sites. And the titles span everything from affiliate specialists to the c-suite. The range of individuals speaks to the universal relevance of the partnership space.
Then there is the ever-expanding world of brand partners. Affiliate has always attracted incredible business people, and many of the leading partners in the space are geared specifically to serve affiliate advertisers. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. I was also struck by the number of highest-quality content partners that are now active in the affiliate arena. That’s exciting because it is powering market growth by reflecting the strong consumer desire for credible online recommendations.
Our Panel Sponsorship
In addition to our stand at this event, we also sponsored a great panel on the key trends in affiliate for 2018. Our panel was led by our own Emily Brown, Head of Customer Success EMEA and our panelists were:
- Elodie Ashworth, Senior Account Manager, Expedia INC
- Hannah Johnson, Affiliate Manager, Mediacom
- Jade Bassett, Senior Affiliates Consultant, Direct Line Group
- Anna Grazioli, Affiliate Specialist, SSENSE
The ASEURO audience listened as our panel focused on broad strategic themes, from what is so appealing about our industry for entrepreneurs to how partnership as a discipline is broadening even beyond affiliate to encompass other forms of partnership with nontraditional participants. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone on the panel that participated in this important discussion.
It’s the People
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the amazing people that this business is built upon. People anxious to talk. To find new ways to do business. To share and teach.
The real story of ASEURO – and of the affiliate and partner worlds – is the quality, heterogeneity, and dynamism of our industry.
