In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Adam Ross, CEO of Awin, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks, powering partnerships for brands like Nike, Samsung, Etsy, Vodafone and thousands more.

Adam shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how affiliate marketing has evolved from early paid-search arbitrage into a multi-channel, AI-ready performance ecosystem - and what brands, agencies, and creators need to do to stay ahead.

If you are looking to unlock the internet’s fastest-growing marketing channel, connect with the team at RevWise https://revwise.com/

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How affiliate marketing really works (and why it’s a payment model, not a channel)
• Why CPA-based incentives outperform CPC in AI-driven shopping
• How influencers and creators fit into modern affiliate strategies
• The hidden brand-building value of affiliate programs most brands ignore
• How to scale a company from 15 to 1,400+ employees without losing culture
• The leadership lessons learned from growing a global tech business
• Why AI shopping assistants need affiliate monetisation models
• How brands should measure upper-funnel influence vs last-click sales
• The future of affiliate networks, retail media, and creator commerce
• What most brands are getting wrong about performance marketing today
  

This episode is essential listening for anyone working in:

Affiliate marketing / Performance & growth marketing / Influencer & creator partnerships / eCommerce & DTC / Retail media / AI-powered commerce platforms

Key Topics Covered:

• Affiliate marketing explained
  
• CPA vs CPC advertising models
  
• Influencer marketing through affiliates
  
• AI shopping assistants & monetisation
  
• Scaling SaaS and marketplace platforms
  
• Leadership, hiring, and company culture
  
• Performance marketing strategy
  
• Attribution, measurement & incrementality
  
• Brand vs performance balance
  
• The future of digital commerce

Key Moments:

0:00 – CPA, AI & the Future of Affiliate Marketing

04:20 – Lighthearted Start: Milkshakes, Personal Preferences & Show Setup

05:35 – From Dentist to CEO of Awin

08:16 – Scaling Awin from 15 to 1,400 Employees & the 50-Person Tipping Point

11:18 – Landing Currys & Other Enterprise Brands: Big-Deal Bids That Changed the Company

14:08 – Acquisitions, Telco vs Retail & Entering the US Market

18:21 – Global Expansion Playbook: Organic vs Inorganic Growth in New Markets

19:20 – Hiring, Promotion & Spotting Leadership Potential in a High-Growth Company

23:49 – Should a CEO Be Hands-On With Product and Tech?

26:16 – What Is Affiliate Marketing Really? Payment Model, Publisher Types & Early Arbitrage

31:29 – Tracking Innovation: Awin’s MasterTag & the Evolution of Tech Partnerships

33:06 – Influencers, Retail Media & the Next Wave of Affiliate Growth

39:59 – Measuring Upper-Funnel Value & Paying Influencers Fairly

45:22 – AI Hype vs Reality: Awin’s AI Assistant “Ava” and Natural-Language Affiliate Campaigns

48:26 – Monetizing AI Shopping: Why CPA Beats CPC for AI Recommenders

50:41 – Company Culture, Remote Work & Building Trust at Scale

56:37 – Obsession, Continuous Learning & Using X/Twitter as a Learning Tool

58:28 – Parenting in the Age of Screens: Kids, YouTube, Money & Financial Literacy

1:05:43 – Dublin to London: Life, Family & Why London Still Feels Special

1:07:14 – Quickfire Round: Must-Have Apps, Imposter Syndrome, Leadership & Brand Opportunities

Marketing Over Milkshakes is the podcast that gets behind the job titles of some of the leading players in the affiliate and performance marketing space. This show explores the evolution of the affiliate sector, performance marketing, influencer partnerships and AI-driven commerce, helping ecommerce brands unlock one of the internet’s fastest-growing marketing channels. 

Bought to you by the team from award-winning specialist affiliate growth agency Revwise, each episode breaks down, in detail, how modern affiliate programs, publisher partnerships, TikTok Shop, creator commerce and data-driven e-comm strategies can drive scalable revenue and revolutionise brand growth. 

If you are looking to unlock the internet’s fastest growing marketing channel, connect with the team at RevWise https://revwise.com/

Marketing Over Milkshakes is the podcast that gets behind the job titles of some of the leading players in the affiliate marketing space. This show explores the evolution of the affiliate sector, performance marketing, influencer partnerships and AI-driven commerce, helping ecommerce brands unlock one of the internet’s fastest-growing marketing channels. 

Bought to you by the team from award-winning specialist affiliate growth agency Revwise, each episode breaks down, in detail, how modern affiliate programs, publisher partnerships, TikTok Shop, creator commerce and data-driven e-comm strategies can drive scalable revenue and revolutionise brand growth