Performance Marketing Spotlight

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In this episode of the Performance Marketing Spotlight, Marshall Nyman sits down with Lena Grotticelli, VP of Partnerships at TAG24 News, to discuss the changing relationship between publishers, brands, and affiliate marketing.

Lena shares her unconventional path from musical theater and cruise ships to publishing and performance marketing, and how she helped build TAG24's U.S. partnership and e-commerce operation. She explains how TAG24 approaches native content, brand partnerships, CPC and hybrid monetization models, and why publishers need to think beyond simply creating an article and waiting for traffic.

The conversation also dives into one of the biggest challenges facing the affiliate industry today: AI-driven search and the decline of traditional last-click attribution. Lena discusses how publishers can strengthen their content for AI visibility, the importance of distribution across social and other channels, and why brands need to start thinking about publishers as partners higher up the funnel.

Marshall and Lena also explore where affiliate marketing could be headed next, including alternative attribution models, publisher-hosted AI experiences, TikTok Shop, content syndication, and the need for the industry to rethink how publishers are compensated for influencing consumers before the final click.

A great conversation for anyone working in affiliate marketing, publishing, e-commerce, content, or the rapidly evolving world of AI search.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, Dario Markovic, CEO of Eric Javits, joins Marshall to discuss how he's transforming a decades-old luxury fashion brand through performance marketing, AI, and digital innovation.

Dario shares his unconventional path from finance to entrepreneurship before taking the helm at Eric Javits during the height of the pandemic, where he helped shift the business from a wholesale-focused brand to a thriving ecommerce operation. He explains how Meta has become the foundation of the company's customer acquisition strategy, while also exploring new opportunities across influencer marketing, connected TV, affiliate partnerships, and emerging advertising platforms.

The conversation dives deep into the growing impact of AI on marketing—from creative production and campaign optimization to analytics and strategic decision-making. Dario also shares his perspective on personalization, privacy, and why AI is creating unprecedented opportunities for smaller brands to compete with much larger players.

This episode offers valuable insights for marketers looking to modernize their growth strategy, embrace AI, and build scalable performance marketing programs in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, Breeze Leonard, Director of Affiliate Partnerships at She Buys Travel, joins Marshall to discuss the evolving role of publishers and content creators in today's performance marketing landscape.

Breeze shares her unconventional path into marketing, from aspiring educator and travel journalist to building She Buys Travel's affiliate program from the ground up. She reflects on launching the publisher's affiliate strategy just before the COVID-19 pandemic and the creative challenges of monetizing travel content during a time when the world had largely stopped traveling.

The conversation explores how publisher partnerships are changing as AI and large language models reshape search and content discovery. Breeze explains why authentic, experience-driven content is becoming more valuable than ever, how publishers are adapting to new attribution challenges, and why brands should view trusted editorial partners as a critical component of their AI visibility strategy.

Marshall and Breeze also dive into the future of affiliate marketing, the growing importance of social and creator-led content, and how stronger collaboration between brands, publishers, and technology partners will define the next generation of performance marketing.

This episode offers valuable insights into the intersection of affiliate marketing, publishing, and AI—and why authenticity remains the foundation of sustainable growth.

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In Episode 63 of Performance Marketing Spotlight, Marshall sits down with Ewen Finser, CEO of ScaleVisible, to break down the rise of AI visibility and how it’s reshaping performance marketing.

Ewen shares his unconventional path from the military to building and scaling a 100+ site media portfolio, and how Google’s algorithm changes pushed him into Reddit marketing and ultimately launching ScaleVisible. The conversation dives into why Reddit has become a critical discovery channel, how AI platforms like ChatGPT are influencing consumer behavior, and why brands need a dedicated strategy for AI visibility.

They also explore the convergence of affiliate, SEO, PR, and paid media, the growing importance of third-party validation, and the challenges around attribution in an AI-driven ecosystem. Ewen highlights the opportunity for challenger brands to gain market share, what brands should be testing right now, and what the future holds for publishers and the open web.

If you’re looking to understand where performance marketing is heading next, this episode is packed with actionable insights and forward-looking perspective.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, Anders Bill, co-founder of Superfiliate, joins Marshall to break down the evolution of the creator economy and how brands can effectively scale creator marketing today.

Anders shares his entrepreneurial journey—from building on the early Spotify ecosystem (and learning hard lessons about platform risk) to scaling a marketplace for photographers, and ultimately co-founding Superfiliate. He dives into how creator marketing has expanded far beyond traditional affiliate into a multi-channel growth engine that includes paid partnerships, TikTok Shop, and creator-led advertising.

The conversation also explores the importance of authenticity in influencer marketing, why consumers are more discerning than ever, and how AI should be used to enhance—not replace—relationship-driven marketing. Anders also discusses Superfiliate’s latest product innovations, including tools designed to streamline flat-fee partnerships and campaign management.

This episode is a deep dive into where the creator economy is headed—and why brands that embrace its growing complexity will have the biggest advantage moving forward.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, Dexter Dethmers, co-founder of Hi Energy, joins Marshall to discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities in affiliate marketing today—especially from the publisher perspective.

Dexter shares his journey from lead generation in Australia to running programs at CJ and Honey, and ultimately launching Hi Energy to solve the growing complexity in the affiliate ecosystem. He dives into how fragmented platforms, inefficient workflows, and outdated attribution models are holding publishers back—and how AI and automation can change that.

The conversation also explores affiliate marketing as a testing ground for brands, the rise of new discovery channels like Reddit and LLMs, and why the industry must evolve beyond last-click attribution. Dexter offers a candid look at what it’s like building a company, balancing product vision with market demands, and why the future of affiliate depends on empowering the next generation of publishers.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, host Marshall Nyman sits down with Amanda Karr, Affiliate Marketing leader at Tailored Brands, the parent company behind well-known retailers including Men’s Wearhouse and Joseph A. Bank.

Amanda shares her career journey from getting her start at an affiliate marketing agency to spending nearly a decade managing the affiliate program at Macy’s, and now leading affiliate strategy for Tailored Brands. She discusses how the affiliate channel has evolved over the past two decades and what it takes to successfully manage performance partnerships inside a large retail organization.

The conversation covers how Tailored Brands has diversified its affiliate program beyond traditional deal partners, the growing importance of content and creator partnerships, and how AI and large language models are beginning to influence discovery, attribution, and brand visibility.

Key topics include:
 • How affiliate programs operate inside major retail organizations
 • Diversifying programs beyond deal and loyalty partners
 • The growing role of creators and influencer partnerships
 • Why affiliate marketing remains a low-risk, high-ROI growth channel
 • How AI and LLM citations could reshape performance marketing attribution
 • The importance of cross-team collaboration between affiliate, SEO, and social

This episode offers valuable insights for brands looking to modernize their affiliate programs and navigate the evolving performance marketing landscape.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, host Marshall Nyman sits down with Ryan Hilliard, CEO of Refersion and Influencer Marketing Hub, to discuss the evolving relationship between affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and performance-driven growth.

Ryan shares his journey from agency-side performance marketing at ROI Revolution to leading two companies at the center of the affiliate and creator economy. He also explains how Refersion helps e-commerce brands track and scale affiliate partnerships while Influencer Marketing Hub provides marketers with trusted insights and resources on the creator landscape.

The conversation explores the rise of creator-led performance marketing, how brands can effectively partner with influencers at scale, and why attribution is becoming increasingly complex as AI reshapes search and customer behavior.

Key topics include:
 • How affiliate and influencer marketing are increasingly converging
 • Why brands should look beyond perfect attribution in modern customer journeys
 • The growing role of micro-influencers and creator-driven performance marketing
 • How AI is influencing research behavior and brand discovery
 • Upcoming product innovations and AI-powered discovery tools at Refersion

Whether you're a brand, publisher, or performance marketer, this episode offers valuable insights into where affiliate and influencer marketing are headed next.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, host Marshall Nyman sits down with Alexandra Chepulsky, Senior Affiliate Marketing Manager at Caraway, to discuss how brands can build high-performing, content-led affiliate programs in an evolving performance landscape.

Alexandra shares her journey from digital and paid marketing into affiliate leadership, how she built Caraway’s affiliate program from the ground up, and why prioritizing editorial relationships over lower-funnel tactics has driven long-term growth. The conversation explores the impact of AI, changing attribution models, and why PR and affiliate teams must work hand-in-hand to succeed today.

Key topics include:

• Transitioning from coupon-heavy affiliate programs to content-driven partnerships
• How gifting, reviews, and editorial trust fuel sustainable affiliate growth
• Navigating Google, AI, and attribution changes as a brand
• Why affiliate marketing delivers credibility and ROI beyond paid media
• The future of performance marketing and evolving partnership models

This episode is a must-listen for brands looking to scale affiliate marketing through authentic partnerships and long-term value.

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In this episode of Performance Marketing Spotlight, host Marshall Nyman sits down with Reid Webb, Director of Shopping Revenue Strategy at Apartment Therapy Media, to explore how publishers can adapt and grow in a rapidly changing performance landscape. Reid shares his journey from agency-side beginnings to building commerce revenue programs across major publishers including Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, Cubby, and Dorm Therapy.

We discuss:

• How AI and shifting search traffic are reshaping publisher monetization
• Why off-site and social commerce are becoming essential revenue channels
• The challenges and opportunities of managing affiliate programs across multiple brands
• What metrics publishers should prioritize in an AI-driven environment
• Reid’s upcoming panel at Affiliate Summit West 2026, featuring voices from Opinary and other industry leaders

Whether you’re a publisher, brand, or performance marketer, this episode delivers practical insights on how to future-proof your commerce strategy.

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