Key Moments from DealMaker Australia 2024

On Thursday, 12th September 2024, our annual DealMaker Australia event took place at the chic and glamorous ivy Sydney, and it was electric!

Nearly 200 industry-leading advertisers, publishers, and agencies gathered for a day full of connections, partnerships, and fun! We enjoyed content sessions in the elegant ballroom, networked and connected with old and new friends alike in style, showed off our favourite poses to the 360-degree revolving photo booth and danced the troubles away to a vibing DJ at the most iconic landmark of Sydney.

Thanks to our sponsors LoyaltyNow, Afterpay, Cashrewards, Duomai, Linkby, LTK, Paypal Honey, PerformID, PokitPal, Skimlinks and The Thoughtful Agency who helped elevated this event to new heights.

Here are some of the key moments that made this year’s event truly unforgettable.

Partnership Discovery with the Richest AI Data

Our APAC Senior Vice President, Stuart McLennan, kicked off DealMaker Australia by pointing out that lingering economic uncertainty has led to mixed spending behaviours among consumers. While the growth of e-commerce is expected to slow, there remains significant potential, particularly in the ANZ region. With Rakuten Advertising now operating the largest affiliate network globally, the newly launched Partnership Discovery, an AI-powered tool backed by the industry’s richest data, marks the first step of a new standard for connecting brands, publishers, and consumers to outperform like never before.

“Here at Rakuten Advertising, our role in this ecosystem is to help you, our partners, make the most of these market opportunities.” – Stuart McLennan, Rakuten Advertising.

Managing Change

For our Keynote session, we were honoured to have Brett Murdoch, Director of Paragon 4, where he captivated the audience with his insightful session on navigating through changes in this dynamic landscape through his extraordinary experiences. All were enthralled by his unusual stories and practical advice on responding proactively to change, transforming potential disruptions into opportunities for growth. The session left everyone feeling inspired and better equipped to handle the ever-changing business environment.

Reshaping the Future

Next up, the panel discussion, “Riding the Wave of Change: Digital Disruption and Economic Challenges” delved further into changes in the digital economic world. Together with Charlee Standley, Senior Digital Marketing Manager of Showpo, Danya Mawass, Digital Marketing Manager of Bras N Things, joined our very own ANZ Commercial VP, Angus Sladden, and Product Management VP, Meytal Markman to share insights on the ever-evolving world of digital marketing. They explored how technology, the current economic climate, and AI are reshaping the future, illustrating how to turn the wave of change into opportunities for growth. The session concluded with a palpable sense of optimism and readiness to embrace the future.

The Future of Marketing Funnel

Last panel of the day, “Full Funnel Strategies in a World of Change,” was a standout session that left the room deeply engaged and inspired. We welcomed industry leaders Lauren Leisk, Head of Affiliate Partnerships at Are Media, Adrian Fagerlund, Co-Founder of Linkby, Anthony Seymour-Walsh, CEO of Cashrewards, and Camille Mandray, APAC Senior Director Publisher Partnerships of Rakuten Advertising to the stage, where they debated the future of the affiliate marketing funnel. The session concluded with attendees feeling enlightened and eager to apply these forward-thinking strategies in their own ventures.

Tackling the Growing Pain of Going Beyond Borders

The sessions concluded with the Fireside Chat, “Beyond Borders,” with Industry legends Anthony Capano, Regional Director of Intuit Mailchimp, Chris Perkins, Affiliate and Partnerships Director at The Thoughtful Agency, and Tyler Hogue, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Rakuten Advertising. Valuable experiences and unique takes were shared on expanding internationally with innovative partner marketing strategies, setting the tone for the day to follow, where attendees were eager to implement these learnings to explore new local and international opportunities.

More Connections, More Fun

Doing business really shouldn’t be this much fun. We mingled at the Partner Space and Huddle Area across, met new industry peers, and discussed new opportunities while nibbling on some mouth-watering salads, heart-warming gourmet dishes and freshly cut fruit platters. Sipping beverages of choice, including made-to-order bubble teas with custom-made toppings, networking at DealMaker was unlike any others, and that’s what set us apart from the rest!

Celebrating the Best of the Best

Our highly anticipated APAC Golden Link Awards took place after DealMaker Australia in the heart of ivy Club, where partners who are raising the bar, delivering exceptional results and driving the future of our industry were commemorated and given well-deserved recognitions. Check out the list of our outperformers here!

Ending the Night with a Blast

But what’s a DealMaker without an epic After Party? That’s right, the fun we had at the After Party deserves a shout out on its own! We ended the night by striking poses with mates on the 360-degree photo booth, working up a sweat to the pumping music by a professional DJ, and dancing off with the dancing kings and queens in the industry. DealMaker Australia 2024 may have concluded there, but the fun we had was just the beginning!

At the heart of the Australian affiliate industry are its people, and it’s places like DealMaker that brings everyone together. From our sponsors and speakers to every single attendee, a huge thank you to everyone who helped us create another incredible DealMaker Australia. Here’s to another year of connections, partnerships and fun!