Campaign Pirates

**Supercod** · 24-02-05

Here is a new phrase you will here a lot in 2005 (or until more things are done to stop this growing trend). Campaign Pirates, basically it's merchants, agency's or networks that who rip off what affiliates are doing to try and make a quick buck only to soon find that even knowing the words alone is not always enough to secure them a good listing in PPC or SEO.

A number of affiliates I have been speaking to have noticed the growing trend in people gathering information from the work affiliates do and then using it against them. As the 3 other party's tend to have higher margins or commission that allows them a position to out bid affiliates. And in some cases actually start making restricted list of terms they know are working to try and grab more of the pie for themselves (I am not talking about registered trademarks here as merchants have every right to say if they don't want this, it's when it generics, that is when it really takes the biscuit).

Their is no hard and fast rule as to what can be done, however like spyware it might be worth educating the people that are starting to do this that it's simply wrong to nick what your "partners are doing" otherwise people will start to think affiliates are just a testing ground to find out what works and that's a very short sighted view to take.

I will not be on the forum today but I will gladly talk to anyone about it at the event tonight

Note: like the majority of affiliates are good people, so are the majority of merchants, agency’s and networks. It’s just the few bad apples that spoil it for everyone else.

**Rich** · 24-02-05

I have thought about this quite a bit and part of the problem has come up in previous threads like this one. (sorry it merges into an existing topic so there is no start post, but it's about networks,merchants and agencies being able to see what keywords affiliates are bidding on).

I think I've come up with a solution to this, but would rather test it out before I make a fool of myself

**KieronD** · 24-02-05

Indeed, as per our conversation last night Clarke this is becoming more widespread. I have evidence of one major network in the UK doing this in a big way. If anybody is interested then try searching for "Telewest" on Google and see who holds the *edited* as zapa have removed their ad* position for that certain keyword. Just the tip of the iceberg.

Kieron

**KieronD** · 24-02-05

Originally posted by Rich
sorry it merges into an existing topic so there is no start post, but it's about networks,merchants and agencies being able to see what keywords affiliates are bidding on).

There is a start post mate, and it's on the same subject of networks playing at being affiliates. I've linked to it below.

http://www.a4uforum.co.uk/showthread...5&pagenumber=1

Kieron

**aclarke656** · 24-02-05

If anybody is interested then try searching for "Telewest" on Google and see who holds the sponsored position for that certain keyword. Just the tip of the iceberg.

Maybe its pure coincidence that DGM are located in the same building as Zapa (Publishing) Limited

*edited as zapa has removed their ad and is cotsing an another forum member considerable money as people check it out!*

**Rich** · 24-02-05

Yeah, sorry, from memory I thought it only went on to PPC later on and didn't read back to the first post before I posted it.

Took me a while to work out your telewest link. www.telewest-internet.co.uk is hosted at the same IP as dgm-uk.com (I'm sure you'll tell me there is an easier way to figure it out!)

**KieronD** · 24-02-05

Originally posted by Rich
Took me a while to work out your telewest link. www.telewest-internet.co.uk is hosted at the same IP as dgm-uk.com (I'm sure you'll tell me there is an easier way to figure it out!)

Well, Zapa Publishing have exactly the same registered company address as DGM.

Not only that but when I was investigating this earlier in the year (at the time of the other thread) I discovered 5 or 6 affiliate sites that were registered to DGM in the whois records. Now funnily enough the whois records all show Zapa as the registered owner of these domains.

Kieron

**KieronD** · 24-02-05

Further investigation shows that the Director of Zapa is Andrew Christopher Dickson. Funnily enough that is also the name of the Finance Director of DGM.

Kieron

**Mogga** · 24-02-05

Yes another thing to worry about.

Thanks for bringing this issue up.

**bapages** · 24-02-05

Insider dealing! would this not be fruadulent to the merchants to DGM?

**Ste** · 24-02-05

The resources/products/merchants that th e networks have access to, it is surprising that many more are not doing it on the sly as well.

Shame on DGM

**bapages** · 24-02-05

Has anyone posted this on the DGM section or contacted them?

**aly** · 24-02-05

Ok - regrading this I had a phone call yesterday and the person left a message on the answerphone stating they were calling from TD and could I call them back.
The number they gave is for another company - nothing to do with TD - merchants - affilitaes etc - have since found out they have had around 30 calls today from people trying to phone the person back.

I've left a message on TD's answerphone but have had no contact from them as yet.

Did anyone else get this yesterday or today?

Could be someone at TD giving the wrong number by mistake but given Clarke's warning on this thread it's ringing alarm bells in my head.

Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post
Cheers Aly

**Rich** · 24-02-05

I'm not sure how its connected to this thread, but yeah I did have that call, also on my answerphone. It sounded like it was from Kane and the message was he was just calling about some changes they are making to their tracking. I hadn't called back as I assumed it would/should get announced publicly somewhere and it did seem a bit odd that they would phone everyone.

The number I was left ended 1142, looking at TD's site all their contact numbers end 141? so maybe that's the right number.

**aly** · 24-02-05

Hi Rich
Yup you're right about the thread - I was reading the bit about "people gathering information" rather that the main part of the thread - sorry folks!

Same phone call, content and name as you but the number ended 1442 which is for Chloride Group - not TD.

Like you say it's strange they would phone everyone, maybe I'm getting more paranoid than usual?!

Cheers
Aly