A4U Affiliate Marketing Awards 2008 - Wrapup and photos
Well what a night! It was truly a remarkable site to see 400 or so of the industry’s finest all dressed up in their posh frocks and posh suits for the biggest and most glamorous bash we’ve ever had. For all the affiliates who complained that they “don’t like wearing suits” and therefore stopped at home then I’m afraid it was your loss as we had an absolute ball.
For me, my day started with a shopping trip to Harvey Nicks when I arrived in the late morning. I then met up with Frostie for a Peroni lunch in their fantastic rooftop restaurant. Very relaxing, and a great way to start the day of networking/celebrating. After some more shopping I then met up with Helen, Cat, Jess and the rest of the DGM posse for their pre-event networking party at the legendary Met bar. After a few Strawberry Daiquiri’s it was then off for a quick change (from new jeans to posh suit) then back to the Sheraton for the main event.
A few drinks, a nice 3 course meal and some chocolates courtesy of Thorntons and the award ceremony itself started a bit before 10pm. Michael McIntyre was an absolutely brilliant choice for presenter. He was very funny and certainly raised the energy levels in the room with his wit and character - and his comments about Experian 
Surreal
I’ve listed the winners below from each category below but wanted to take a minute to tell you about the moment when myself and a few others were asked to come to the stage to receive an award that wasn’t publicised. Matt came onto the stage half way through the ceremony and announced that he wanted to recognise some people who have contributed to the A4U forum. He then asked myself, Keith, Elaine, Shane, Frostie and Naomi to come down to accept an award. All good stuff, so we all trooped onto the stage only to find some strange woman was already there giving an acceptance speech. It was clear it was a “comedy” speech as she went on and on and thanked everyone from God to the person who does her nails. However I didn’t really know who she was (remember by this time I had had a few Peronis and Champagne) and wasn’t sure how to react. Was she a genuine winner who was just trying to be funny? Or was she some gatecrasher pulling a stunt? So it ended up that we were all standing behind her trying to be polite and laugh at her jokes and just grin our way through it. Anyway it turns out that it was Olivia Lee from the Channel 4 TV show “Balls of Steel” and it was being filmed for a future edition. The plan was that it was a “prank” to see how we would all react to some stranger crashing the awards and giving an over the top acceptance speech. I’m not sure if she got the reaction she wanted though as we all just stood there smiling and being polite in case she was someone important.
My Blog Award and a present for Kirsty
I was absolutely delighted to win the “Affiliate Marketing Blog of the year” award again and would like to personally thank each and every one of my readers who took the time out to vote for me. It’s very much appreciated and I really mean that. I also want to thank everyone who came up to me at the ceremony to share some kind words and to tell me that they enjoyed reading my ramblings. It was also great to hear that the white car posts and music choice are appreciated as well as the affiliate marketing stuff
As you probably know Sunshine.co.uk sponsored this award and were kindly offering a week’s holiday as a prize to the category winner. Now, seeing as I know that Kirsty loves travelling so much and as she won the Highly Commended slot in this category I’ve had a chat to Chris at Sunshine.co.uk and have agreed to give my prize to Kirsty. As Kirsty lives in Australia at the moment she couldn’t attend the ceremony so hopefully this will be some consolation for missing out. She is also getting married later this year so Sunshine are going to tweak the rules a bit and change the prize into a “mini-moon” to send Kirsty off in style after her wedding. Just make sure you send me a postcard Kirsty
After the main event there was a post show party hosted by Affiliate Window.
The party was held in the “Oxygen Lounge” where every attendee to the party received a boarding card with tear off complimentary drink strips. The lounge came complete with Affiliate Window decked out Air Hostesses, a 6 foot ‘aw’ water wall, Nintendo Wii, fully stocked bar with a special A.W.O.L. cocktail, ice cream girls called ice angels and a standalone bar serving pure flavoured oxygen! I can’t remember how long we lasted in there but after the party came to a close we all went off to the lush “Palm Court Cocktail Lounge” in the Sheraton were the residents bar was open until the early hours of the morning for us.
All that’s left to say is a big thankyou to Matt and the Existem team for an awesome event. I was reflecting with a few of the other “old timers” on how much the industry has grown and changed over the last few years. To be able to pull off a night that was on the scale that this was, is truly a sign that we can no longer be called “grubby” by the ignorant. Affiliate Marketing is and should be a standalone, viable and profitable part of everybody’s marketing mix.
The award winners in full:
Best Use Of Creative
Winner: PrezzyBox
Highly Commended: Jackpotjoy
Best Network Innovation
Winner: Affiliate Window
Highly Commended: Paid on Results
Best Merchant Innovation
Winner: PrezzyBox
Highly Commended: Firebox
Best Use Of Affiliate Marketing As Part Of An Integrated Campaign
Winner: Hotel Chocolat
Highly Commended: Play.com
Publisher’s Choice Awards
Publisher’s Choice Of Network
Winner: Affiliate Window
Highly Commended: Affiliate Future
Publisher’s Choice Of Account Manager
Winner: Julie Wood
Highly Commended: Thuy Pham
Affiliate Manager of 2008
Winner: Chris Clarkson (Sunshine.co.uk)
Highly Commended: Zak Edwards (PrezzyBox)
Community’s Choice Awards
Affiliate Marketing Blog of 2008
Winner: Kieron Donoghue (here.org.uk)
Highly Commended: Kirsty McCubbin (affiliatestuff.co.uk)
Affiliates4u Award For Excellence
Winner: Nicky Iapino
Agency Of The Year
Winner: Existem-AM
Highly Commended: R.O.EYE
Publisher Of The Year
Winner: eConversions
Highly Commended: Quidco
Vertical Awards
Finance
Winner: Credit Expert (Experian)
Highly Commended: Leadbay / Dot Zinc
Retail
Winner: buyagift
Highly Commended: iTunes
Gaming
Winner: Virgin Games
Highly Commended: Jackpotjoy
Travel & Leisure
Winner: Travelodge
Highly Commended: DFDS
Technology & Telecoms
Winner: SKY
Highly Commended: Vodafone
Well done to everyone who won!
What I’m listening to right now: Tank – “Personal Assistant”
Saturday, June 7th, 2008 at 8:51 pm and is filed under Affiliate Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Welcome to my blog. My name is Kieron Donoghue and I run UK Offer Media Ltd. I thought it would be fun to post a daily (well hopefully daily) blog, writing about my experiences in Internet Marketing and more specifically Affiliate Marketing. I'll include some personal stuff too, probably about my other passions, music and cars. Please feel free to post your comments and thoughts too.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
“For all the affiliates who complained that they don’t like wearing suits …. I’m afraid it was your loss”! Not really.. I don’t like mushrooms, so it’s not a loss if I don’t eat them… likewise I don’t like black tie events and therefore it’s not a loss if I don’t attend. That said the pictures look great and it’s good to know those who like these kind of events enjoyed themselves… ;o)
Nice gesture re: Kirsty - and well done on winning the blog award ….. you swine - I’m off to put up 50 pictures of white cats - it’s slightly different to what you’ve done, but I’ve heard that one way to attract interest in a blog is post up loads of pictures of puss…. hmmm maybe not!
June 7th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
@Jason - How about white ducks?
@Kieron - Totally agree with your comment “Affiliate Marketing is and should be a standalone, viable and profitable part of everybody’s marketing mix.”
June 7th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
[...] a stunningly nice gesture Kieron has decided to pass on his prize of a holiday to Kirsty; we’re happy to accommodate [...]
June 7th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
shame I only run in to you on my way home - we didn’t even get to exchange name badges (had we had any, that is)!
congratulations on your award, and very nice gesture for Kirsty there
June 7th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Jason mate, my point is that I don’t like wearing suits one little bit either. In fact I was the first to get changed out of mine after the awards. But…I wouldn’t let the fact that I don’t like the dress code put me off attending such a fantastic event. For the sake of a couple of hours wearing something “smart” it was well worth it!
Hero, yes indeed! And shame on you for going home so early!
June 7th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
I don’t mind suits and I don’t mind “smart” - it’s the whole black tie/tuxedo thing. Yes it’s probably wholly irrational and it’s difficult to explain, but even the idea of it makes me uncomfortable. I did try it at Awin’s event last year, but that did little to “rehab” me. Perhaps I just like to decide what I want to wear…. I dunno, but in my case no not even just a “couple of hours” would make it worth it.
June 7th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Fully agree with you Kieron mate, it was a cracking evening - and a really nice surprise to be presented with the champagne.
Glad I was not the only one to not have the first clue who that mad woman was! - it was so tempting to interrupt her but I kept thinking, no, better not, she might be from one of the big sponsors or something…
June 8th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Well… Kieron what can I say?? I am so thrilled that you’ve given this lovely prize to myself and Duncan. This really does make it incredibly special as we’d sort of started to think we were going to end up in a B & B in Yorkshire or something!
Still gutted about missing out on the great event. But yes… this does provide more than a little consolation.
*thrilled*
June 8th, 2008 at 12:47 am
I’m not a fan of suits either but I’ve had some great evenings wearing one so I’ve overcome my phobia.
Maybe you could wear a posh frock instead Jason?
Kieron, good on ya for giving Kirsty and Duncan the holiday and thanks for your (and everyone elses) company around the table, we had a great time.
June 8th, 2008 at 8:50 am
[...] “Cool!” I thought, and jauntily took off to read the latest goss. I knew it wasn’t bad, as I’d not been at the awards to disgrace myself! I thought it was perhaps a nice word for the runner up. I was delighted and overwhelmed when I realised Kieron had kindly arranged for me to have the prize that went with the award! [...]
June 8th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Great post and congrats on winning the blog award!
I didnt know affiliates go to things like these. Maybe its time i got out of japan and start seeing some of the world!
Congrats again!
June 8th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Well done Kieron and remember I have the pictures that really look like you now:)
Well done you deserve it.
Doug
Ps I wont be putting up pictures of cars on my blog
June 9th, 2008 at 12:07 am
[...] hear the A4U black tie award ceremony in London was spectacular. Aside from lots of complaints from work-at-home-in-your-PJs affiliates, about having to put on a tux, it sounds like the event [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 11:31 am
What a fantastic gesture Kieron. Really impressed with that.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
[...] Affiliate Marketing Awards 2008 - Wrapup and photos - here.org.uk [...]
June 9th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
@joe “Maybe you could wear a posh frock instead Jason?”… maybe next year eh
June 11th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
That balls of steel prank sounds like fun, I shall make a point of looking out for the series, sounds like you were all very traditionally British (i.e being polite and smiling even if you haven’t a clue what the person is up to), which is just the reaction they were hoping for I expect
I think I might wait ’til I’m a bit older before i come along to one of these events again, I may have earned some cash by then and have grown up abit, once the white hair takes hold
June 13th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Good to see the Affiliate Marketing industry having a bit of a night out! The industry suffers generally from low esteem. Its about time we all came out and said “I am an Affilliate Marketeer” !!
June 18th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
[...] I’ve been working flat out for the last few weeks, with the launch of Content Now, 2 trips to London town and all my other day-to-day stuff. So…time to switch off from work for 5 [...]
August 13th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
I attended the Commission Junction conference last year and would love to attend a conference across the pond someday. I am originally from Germany where affiliate marketing is just starting.
September 30th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
[...] holiday straight afterwards in gorgeous surroundings which we both REALLY needed, thanks to Kieron’s Kindness and Chris from Sunshine.co.uk. From the bottom of our newlywed hearts, thanks to both of them for [...]