What lies ahead for the Affiliate Marketing Council in 2012?

As the Affiliate Marketing Council (AMC) descended on Google's new UK office for the first council meeting of 2012, the lack of candidates for the role of Chair has meant new changes to the way the council will be run over the course of the year.

In the 'speakeasy' room at Google's office, around 100 IAB members were in attendance as plans were unveiled to incorporate a new 'steering group' comprising of around 15 people. This steering group is currently made up of two advertisers, three publishers, five agencies, and three networks. The role of the steering group will be to drive where the AMC is heading in 2012, which will cover aspects of, but are not limited to:

• Creating best practice documents for the Affiliate Marketing Industry
• Encouraging promotion of the Performance Marketing industry
• Ad-Spend Surveys and Research Pieces
• ePrivacy Directive and creating an Affiliate '5 Point Plan'

Having recently launched the Mobile Best Practice guide, there are also plans to finalise last year's outstanding actions which include publishing a Datafeed Guide, 'Crib Sheets' on affiliate specific creatives, an affiliate payments guide and scenario based FAQ's aimed at advertisers.

Change in "Assembly" meeting frequency & new IAB contact

Once the steering group is finalised, they will meet once a month to discuss the council's strategy, which will filter down into 'working groups' of other IAB council members to fulfill.

Therefore the frequency of the mass 'assembly' meetings have been diluted for the second year running to one meeting per quarter, where a general overview of the council's work will be relayed back to the wider attendees.

We were also introduced to the new contacts at the IAB for this year, with Jack Wallington continuing his role alongside Clare O'Brien, who is the new contact for the affiliate council going forward.

EU Privacy Update

There is ongoing discussion regarding the impending end to the year's grace for websites to 'conform' to the new EU Privacy Directive and how the Affiliate industry can create transparent communication to consumers.

Related Forum Threads:

New EU Law set to Require Cookie Consent

EEC Cookie Directive - is there an updated sticky thread ?

EU Cookie Directive - is it ALL cookies (and other questions)?