With the economy on a downward trajectory, direct marketing takes on added significance because it is accountable and the ROI (if present) is there for all to see but affinity marketing takes this one step further.
By teaming up with a partner brand for a joint DM campaign, costs are significantly lowered while the marketing message is made more potent because one brand is endorsing the marketing message of another. Factor in the use of fresh, responsive data (not generally available on the rental market) and the case for affinity marketing stands out like steak tartare at a vegan buffet.
The big question, however, is how do you select the right partner? For many, super-cool, aspirational brands make for a perfect partner: Apple iPhone, Firetrap jeans, Burberry coats, Heston Blumenthal’s restaurants, Virgin Galactic space flights, etc. However, it must fits in terms of relevancy and appeal.
Kwik-Fit, for example, would make a logical partner for a car insurance brand; Disney for a cereal manufacturer; Odeon cinemas for a confectionary brand; B&Q for a power tool brand etc. So long as there is brand synergy and fit, there should be no problem. Well, in theory.
What marketers fail to realise is that behind each brand is a company made up of human faces. These individuals will be oriented towards their own personal goals as well as their company’s. Unless the affinity partner matches the same goals, problems often result. These include: slow responses and indifferent campaign management; slow approval process; complicated legal procedures; and a lack of clarity over who covers what responsibilities.
It’s therefore vital that whichever partner brand is chosen, the two brand teams get on – both in terms of personalities as well as corporate ethos. If there is natural dynamism, a positive attitude and cooperation between both parties, the affinity process will be made significantly easier and typically more profitable.
Therefore, when choosing an affinity partner, make sure you see behind the public face of each brand and certainly meet the team you will be dealing with on a daily basis. If the partnership feels right and both teams get on, then the success of your affinity campaign will be far more assured.
John Eddolls is head of affinity marketing at Howse Jackson Marketing
