Author: <span class="vcard">Rakuten Advertising</span>

2026 travel trends show resilient demand, fragmented booking behavior, and growing interest in experiences, value, and AI planning. See why partnership marketing is essential for capturing demand from summer through fall.

David Gill, VP of Consumer Insights shares consumer insights on travel pressure, alcohol category shifts, earlier back-to-school demand, and the retail strategy lesson brands can steal from LEGO to better respond to changing shopper behavior.

Prime Day 2026 may start on Amazon, but its impact reaches across the retail web. Using Prime Day 2025 data, this article shows affiliate and partner marketers how the halo effect shapes traffic, conversions, category performance, and publisher strategy, and where to focus before June 23–26 to drive stronger results.

The separation gap in AI shopping is changing the role of performance marketing in surprising ways. Our new report is an indispensable AI intelligence guide for partner marketing leaders, revealing an unexpected most valuable audience, and proving why trust is the new value proposition for shoppers.

Rakuten Advertising’s strategic partnership with impact.com marks a major step forward in partnership marketing, giving advertisers, publishers, and partners access to stronger technology, smoother transitions, and expanded growth opportunities.

Macroeconomic pressures have created a permanent "value-seeking" consumer. This has fueled the rise of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL), not as a replacement for credit cards, but as a complementary tool. The result is a new, highly valuable 'hybrid consumer' who strategically uses both. This shift toward payment flexibility and frequent purchasing presents a major opportunity for affiliate marketers to drive growth. Discover the data-driven strategies you need to adapt and win in this new economic landscape.

Rakuten Optimism 2026 brought together more than 1,000 global advertisers, publishers, agencies, and industry leaders in Phoenix for two days of insights, innovation, and connection. From headline sessions and expert panels to the Golden Link Awards Gala and the debut of Mirai, Rakuten Advertising’s advanced AI optimization agent, the event showcased the ideas, partnerships, and technologies shaping the future of affiliate and performance marketing.

Our Rakuten Optimism Golden Link Awards were held in Phoenix, Arizona on May 5th, 2026. Hosted by comedian Adam Mamawala, the event brought together some of the best and brightest in the performance and digital marketing industries. We celebrated their outstanding achievements, their collaboration, creativity, and innovative partnerships that have set new standards in our industry!

The 2026 Golden Link Awards finalists are here! Explore the full list of nominees and join us at Rakuten Optimism in May 2026 as we celebrate this year’s winners in person. A huge congratulations to everyone nominated!

Maintaining a consistent brand voice across partners is essential for brand marketers looking to scale their programs. This blog explores actionable strategies—and the value of working with a trusted affiliate network like Rakuten Advertising, to ensure your brand’s messaging, values, and reputation remain strong.

Ready to launch your brand’s affiliate program? This Affiliate Marketing Step-by-Step guide for brand marketers covers everything from setting goals and choosing a platform to recruiting partners and optimizing for growth, including the benefits of affiliate networks and advanced technology. Contact us to get started!

Learn how affiliate tracking works in partner marketing and why it’s the foundation of performance marketing. Explore tracking links, cookies, attribution models, and reporting systems for accurate results and fair payments.