Another Marketing Legend

It is that time again, the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards were handed out tonight at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, with the cornerstone award- The Wayne Porter Legend Award going to someone that I truly feel is “legendary”. As Shawn Collins noted I always feel a little strange having an award named after me because usually that is reserved for dead people. I am not sure what that means, but rest assured I am back, a little more rested, and not quite dead. I won’t go over all the winners, as Mr. Collins probably has a video coming up, or it is has hit Twitter, but I note it is an honor, and I salute all of you selected, to be nominated as a finalist. Congratulations.

I will note that our Revenews leader, Sam Harrelson, took the Best Blogger award and I applaud him on the gargantuan task of re-working almost a decade of commentary on this site into something usuable. Project Planet Beta continues and as this industry changes, and mark my word we will see rapid sweeping changes, I am glad Sam is leading the way with new ideas, thoughts and technology. Next Generation marketing if you will…Congratulations Sam.

On The Finalists

Of the three finalists in each category only one is selected, by a Board of Advisors…of which I do not sit. (Makes note to self- time to talk to Mr. Collins.)

In the legend category nominees Haiko de Poel, Jr., who runs AbestWeb, took the Affiliate Marketing Advocate Award, and Connie Berg, of FlamingoWorld.com, was selected as Affiliate of the Year. That leaves us with a legend who gets to join the ranks- like Tim Storm, whose latest contribution includes “Going Green” and the mysterious Todd Crawford, who won’t tell anyone what his latest stealth work is about, but I know and of course yours truly trying a new form of connecting with people at a conference that used to number 150 and now has 2,700 people in attendance.

Wayne Porter Legend Winner:

Brian Littleton of ShareASale.com. What makes Brian “legendary” in my eyes? He has organically grown a small company, ShareaSale.com privately held and founded in April 2000, into a thriving network and more importantly a network of “fans”. Like all marketing it goes back to relationships. Relationships are formed through shared experiences.

I can recall so many events where the talented Mr. Littleton entertained folks with his superior piano playing skills, or the number of times he has stepped up to the plate to help raise for funds for charity, I even recall a Chicago Cubs game or two in the mix. Everyone I talk with at ShareaSale tells me that working with Brian is a real pleasure that he is a giving person. He gives his time, his perspective and yes- opens his wallet for good causes. He has always been instrumental in helping me out with a security case or giving me the state of affairs that networks face so that I can relay that to security professionals.

Perhaps he is most known for his rigid stance against adware. I won’t dig way back into history over the Yale Summit Meeting, as a young industry tried to grapple with the concept of adware and spyware or any type of ware, but to say to those who are new, it was a difficult event trying to get four fierce competitors to sit down and hammer out any agreement to define rules of engagement. In reflection, as the one chaired that event, I can not call it a true success or a complete failure. It did underscore for me how dollars can change and will change an equasion. We can learn from our history and this industry has a long one now.

Rather than grapple with the issue at all, Brian made a simple declaration. They simply will not allow it on their network per the agreement. This is a decision that costs ShareaSale.com money I am sure, but rather then expend resources on an issue that will probably never be truly solved, Brian took the route less traveled. In all my years of security work, investigating far too many cases involving trickery and software (and no- I concede that not all of it is evil or harmful.) I cannot recall ever running into ShareaSale merchant relationships entangled in the mess- not once. This, at the very least, tells me he backs up what he says. Some of these cases have been pretty awful too, and Brian’s Zero Tolerance stance garners respect from his peers. Legendary as I see it.

Money does not have to be the yardstick of success in an industry where performance, sometimes at any cost, is king.

Congratulations Brian. It is well deserved and a good example for others- from your efforts at raising funds for charity to not polluting the environment that we work, play and communicate. Doing so by injecting your personal convictions into the DNA of your work.

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