Reason #4837 Why This Industry Needs an Association

Posted by in October 1st, 2008

I saw this headline today at MediaPost: “Report: Affiliate Marketers Use Adware Deceptively.”Great, yet another headline that paint the entire industrywith a broad brush. Anyone not part of this industry will see the headline and confirm their misguided notions that Affiliate Marketers are scum who will whatever it takes to take money from the merchants.

Why on Earth would any merchant look at performance based marketing as an option when they read headlines like this? Linda Buquet already addressed the acual issues with a much better titled post on her blog: “VistaPrint VPRT and Hydra Allow Adware - Edelman Report.”

One of the goals of an association that is a lot easier than lobbying is a PR effort on the behalf of our industry that can educate lawmakers as well as journalists about the industry. If journalists have a person who is the duly appointed spokesperson for the industry (as the director of a trade associationis regarded), then they can reach out for comments when they have a juicy article like this - and that same spokeperson can make sure that they understand what is going on here.

The real headline is that a few adware affiliates earns commissions deceptively, not that affiliates in general are using adware to earn through deceptive tactics. The real issues are that this is going on with the full knowledge of pretty much everyone involved. Was one affiliate interviewed for the article? It appears not.

Every time I read a headline like this, or hear about a talk at a conference that disparages this industry that helps good honest people create a living for their families I just get really pissed off that we don’t have anything done yet. I can’t say if this latest attempt to start an association will work, but it is moving forward and perhaps the pace can be quickened. Let’s get something off the ground before the next article like this is written!