Maintaining Brand Integrity at Scale - Affiliate Management Days SF 2015

Maintaining Brand Integrity at Scale

Sam Engel - BrandVerity - @BrandVerity

AM Days San Francisco, 2015

Maintaining Brand Integrity at Scale

Sam Engel - BrandVerity - @BrandVerity

AM Days San Francisco, 2015

Your BrandYour Brand

As an Affiliate Manager, how high of a priority is your company’s brand?


Common Responses:• “Revenue is my first priority.”• “I don’t decide what our brand is.”• “I don’t have time to check in with every

single affiliate personally.”



What if you let 1,000 strangers write recommendations for you on LinkedIn?


• Would you do this?• What would people write about you?• What would the people who read those

recommendations think?

Industry CredibilityIndustry Credibility

“[Sites] were ranking highly for Google search terms like “Kogan Voucher” and “Kogan Discount Code” ... These guys were all advertising codes that don’t even exist and capturing some of our brand traffic.”


“Every time a reader clicks and buys from a linked retailer, for the next month Ms. Tanita will get a cut of the sale, whether it’s an item featured on the blog or any product the retailer sells. And the typical reader is none the wiser.”


Is this the way to become CMO?


As an Affiliate Manager, it’s in your interest to have the industry trusted and respected.• Maintain your role• Command peers’ respect• Advance in your career

Regulation

RegulationRegulation

Why aren’t Affiliate Managers jumping on regulations?


Why aren’t Affiliate Managers jumping on regulations?• “Regulations are unclear.”• “Hard to prioritize.”• “No one else is doing it.”


General Guiding Principles:


General guiding principles:• FTC—“clear and conspicuous” (avoid

deceptive and unfair practices)• CFPB—consumers should understand

what they’re signing up for• FCC—consumers shouldn’t receive

unexpected calls or texts (TCPA)


Regulation is starting to look a whole lot like building a good brand.


Pay attention to names of recent laws:• “Credit Card Accountability Responsibility

and Disclosure Act” - 2009• “Restore Online Shopper's Confidence

Act” – 2010

Regulation — DirecTVRegulation — DirecTV

Regulation — DirecTVRegulation — DirecTV

Issues:• Timeframe• Cancellation Fee• Negative Option

Regulation — Cole HaanRegulation — Cole Haan



Issues:• “Material Connection”—$1,000 prize• Implied endorsement of Cole Haan• #WanderingSole did not properly

communicate/disclose incentives

Brand IssuesBrand Issues


CFPB Complaints in last 4 years:• Incorrect/missing disclosures or info: 85• Advertising, marketing or disclosures: 13• Disclosures: 13


CFPB Complaints in last 4 years:• False statements or representation: 4,736• APR or interest rate: 3,673• Late fee: 2,021• Communication tactics: 11,141 (6,913 for

“Frequent or repeated calls”)



Real Company S***• No short-term tricks• Build long-term value• Make customers love you!• Good brands are rewarded Wil Reynolds,

Seer Interactive


How can the affiliate channel reflect poorly on your brand?• Fake discounts• Expired offers• Off-brand language (discount vs.

premium, protected words)• Offensive language

Brand Issues — ExampleBrand Issues — Example

Brand Issues — ExampleBrand Issues — Example

“By listing these purported Mary Kay “sales” and “codes” on its website, RMN misleads consumers into believing...that Mary Kay products can be purchased directly from Mary Kay at a reduced price, and that the coupon “codes” are legitimate...”

“Mary Kay has received various complaints from IBCs and others, who have been pressured by customers to accept and/or honor the false or unauthorized “coupons” posted on RMN’s website.”

What should you do?

Taking ActionTaking Action

Step 1: Approval Process• Avoid auto-approval at (nearly)

any cost• Ask tough questions• Understand how each affiliate will:

• Drive traffic• Represent your brand


Step 2: Ongoing Process• Regulatory/brand guidelines for affiliates• Reasonable process to support guidelines

• Monitor for changes after approval• Review brand placement

• Follow process


What’s a reasonable process?• Audits at regular intervals• Check websites of top-producing affs• Search for brand name variations• Examine social media (Twitter is great)



ToolsTools

[email protected]

Marketing

Maintaining Brand Integrity at Scale - Affiliate Management Days SF 2015