16 Comments

…And I’ll No Longer Be a Capulet

Feb 29, 2008
by

A long time ago in a CMS far far away (MovableType 3.1), Jim Kukral wrote here on ReveNews that affiliate marketing lacked a brand and needed a new name.

In the still churning wake of the Jason Calacanis keynote at the recent Affiliate Summit, Wayne Porter invoked the argument against calling ourselves affiliate marketers yet again.

In what is perhaps the most succinct statement on the whole issue, Scott Jangro throws down the gauntlet…

I Am No Longer an Affiliate | Jangro.com: “I’ve since moved on to be a so called ‘affiliate’. The stigma and confusion that term carries along as baggage is such that maybe I should shed that label. Is ‘affiliate’ really synonymous to ‘spammer’ in the Valley? I thought even Google had the smarts to differentiate and write a document to define the term ‘thin affiliate’. But if I’m going to get lumped in with the spammers, call me something else.

Actually, I am a publisher. We develop websites that are useful to people. Our largest website has more visitors than most of the merchants that we promote. I just so happen to monetize with affiliate marketing relationships.”

Personally, I agree with Scott. I think many of us (especially those of us who are thinking critically about, and not just emotionally responding to, Calacanis’ keynote) are content producers that monetize quality websites with such mechanisms as affiliate links.

Does that mean we’re more “content producers” rather than “affiliate marketers”? I’m inclined to think so. Should we change our “brand”? I think that’s a subjective question.

What’s funny to me is that if we all called ourselves performance marketers, social media experts, content producers, publishers, etc rather than affiliate marketers, the Valley would love us because we’d be showing them how to monetize the proliferation of community-based sites that are still grasping at the “but how do we make money with all of this traffic??” straws.

As Ms. Capulet once remarked:

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

Words to ponder.

About Sam Harrelson

Former ReveNews and CostPerNews Publisher, Former Affiliate Marketer, Current Middle School Science Teacher, Current Publisher of AffiliateHack

Twitter: sbharrelson22
Filed under: Affiliate Marketing + Events
  • Jonathan (Trust)

    I'm an affiliate marketer. I think when going to Vegas, some people not only checked in their luggage but their balls too. Hopefully they get returned soon.

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    Really Jonathan? Who would that be?

    It is not rebranding- it is identity. The problem, and the strength, is diversity. However, say affiliate outside your walls and you are probably considered dirt.

    In reality that is not so, but it has been tolerated. Demand more. Jason was right on that part, and he was pitch perfect to vibrate the message one last time.

    http://thegridlive.com/2008/02/14/primitive-islan…

    These are one of the types of terrain I work in Jonathan. Am I an affiliate? I guarantee you there is revshare and splits going on…but that is not my primary purpose…

    (Jason- where do you disclose?)

    -wayne

  • Jonathan (Trust)

    Maybe just go ask Jason what we should call ourselves? (no i'm not serious)

    Publishers, affiliates, associates, whatever you want to call yourself, you're still doing whatever you're doing.

    For me, this is affiliate marketing. I am an affiliate marketer, a marketer. That is what I do. I market products, merchants, deals etc. to shoppers.

    Sometimes Wayne, I think you're trapped in reflection and overthink things. You had this topic before at Revenews and even a poll. But this is really the only place I see it being discussed because it's just not an issue anywhere else.

    I understand this is going to milked a little longer but hopefully we get back to business soon.

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    I have asked him several thing. See the collision of all the 3D babble? It is not so simple.

    http://www.calacanis.com/2008/02/29/will-the-ftc-…

    As for trapped in a reflection…could be, could be.

    Perhaps you are in the echo chamber I am not even on the same grid, same terrain or same zone as you? See that blur? That was me. I had to leave to break the pattern.

    Doing what you are doing is fine and well, but realize others want your space, they have realized the value, they are slow but when they move- collateral damage. Sometimes I think you don't think enough Jonathan or ahead.

    …and where do we sit today Jonathan? I dunno. I am not an affiliate. I do use and understand affiliate marketing.

    -wayne

  • Jonathan (Trust)

    "Sometimes I think you don’t think enough Jonathan or ahead."

    Considering you don't know me and that you're well aware of past discussions and how things have turned out, who was right/wrong, that's a pretty ridiculous statement.

    But back to cleaning up the industry and things like that, it starts at home. It could start here but it has to be more action type stuff, not just talk. Check the direct Twitter I sent you.

  • http://www.jangro.com Scott Jangro

    I'm not suggesting a name change.

    I don't like being lumped in with spammers.

    Our industry IS responsible for the people who play in it. We affiliates cannot do anything about the spammers directly as we're not the ones who pay them.

    But we're the ones who are hurt most by the repercussions.

    balls firmly attached, thank you.

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    Identity is needed. DNA is fouled up.

    A spammer is a spammer.

    A spammer is not an affiliate.

    Because they are invalid relationships.

    Affiliates, as it is used, groups together a diverse group. Diversity is strength, but hard to articulate. People should think about this long and hard. We are not a union, nor are we united- that has been tried. Phail…but it helped.

    READ THE CONTRACT.

    Do not let others define you- you define yourself by what you do.

    -wayne

  • http://blog.affiliatetip.com Shawn Collins

    I’m with you there, Trust.

    I am, was, and plan to be an affiliate marketer in the future.

    I think these semantic gymnastics are sort of fruitless.

    Not everybody thinks it’s such a weighty issue, and I don’t think there will ever be a consensus on a name change.

    Also, I think a re-branding effort could reflect that we were hiding from something.

    I think a more constructive alternative is to educate outsiders and more effectively brand the industry, while working to rid it of the bad elements.

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    "Considering you don’t know me"

    Right. Part of the problem. You should know who and all I about me if you wish. I open sourced myself a while ago.

    "and that you’re well aware of past discussions and how things have turned out, who was right/wrong, that’s a pretty ridiculous statement."

    Hate to break it to you, but you really have no idea regarding the WICKED politics of this industry and what really went on. Many people don't know. Too late now. I did my task, wish it had turned out better. One learns. :) Neutral party that stays true north is twice crucified… :) I should have picked a side…I did.

    "But back to cleaning up the industry and things like that, it starts at home. It could start here but it has to be more action type stuff, not just talk. Check the direct Twitter I sent you."

    Not me- your turn. I have spent years ripping apart spyware, putting self at risk. This time you can. Kellie Stevens same way…diving in deep try clean up scum. "Thanks Kellie" most of you- did nothing…well Haiko raised hell, but it was often perceived as noise. He was consistent in purpose. (nods)

    Nope Jonathan…all yours- hit em man. Best of luck.

    -wayne

    Revenews is going down new paths- far beyond affiliate marketing as you know it. Some won't get it, that is ok- new genetics will come in. Way of things.

    BTW bring your balls. I assure you it can get real mean. So bring pool stick as well.

    -w-

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    Actually a jockstrap as well. If your going to take action…best get covered. They have no concept of fair.

  • http://www.affiliatefairplay.com Kellie

    The statements that affiliates are spammers and bottom-feeders is just ridiculous. And it's distracting from what should be the real issue….the greedy bastards who are doing the polluting. Certainly not restricted to "affiliates" by a long shot.

    Now where did I leave my jockstrap..errrr…biohazard suit? I hear tell there are some polluted electrons out there on the Net. :)

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    The testing node goes off. You know the one that actually KNOWS things…The Grid is saturated with pollution. :)

    How about affiliate marketing is something that we do, but not who we are? Because we are more than that. Disruptive, Content writers, Tuners, Creative, Coding, R&D list goes on…those who practice it are truly multi-threaded machines…we don’t have a good word for it.

    Actually I propose you all storm Silicon Valley and get your wad of VC money…but I know a lot of you- you don’t think short term or long term- think all term. You think practical and work with what you have because you enjoy building what you own and controlling your fate.

    Fate may catch up to everyone. After all we have to die sooner or later.

    You cannot cleanup the industry alone, it will keep flowing- like slime, its really in the CPC sector, so don’t be misdirected. You CAN ensure you are reasonably intact and get involved with something other than what has previously been done.

    -wayne “no one owns traffic”

  • http://www.imwave.com Adam Viener

    Again, I'm just an aff.

    Call it what you want, personally I like to talk in terms of profits instead of burn rates.

    Adam

  • http://www.wayneporter.com Wayne Porter

    Adam- that could be a tee-shirt. Just An Aff

    Again- what is an aff.?

    No one seems to know, but I think it should be much more.

    -wayne

  • http://blog.affiliatetip.com Shawn Collins

    Just to clear things up, I took a picture of some affs last week: http://www.flickr.com/photos/affsum/2287396941/

  • Missy

    Nice AFF! What's in a name anyways? We do what we do because we're passionate about it.

    I like this pic better Shawn!
    http://tinyurl.com/32cmez