Rakuten Optimism 2025 | Official Highlights

Optimism 2025 has officially wrapped! Rakuten brought together nearly 1,000 affiliate and performance marketing professionals in sunny Carlsbad, California, for our most impactful gathering yet. Attendees enjoyed a packed agenda featuring visionary keynote speakers, thought-provoking panels, Golden Link Awards, expanded networking opportunities, and Rewarding Experiences that sparked new partnerships.

The event focused on “Fueling Meaningful Connections” and highlighted inspiration, connection, and celebration. It brought together top advertisers, publishers, and agencies from across the globe to celebrate the best of affiliate and performance marketing.

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Rakuten Optimism was held over two days and included a jam-packed schedule of networking, insightful discussion, and fun. Some of the exciting events included:

• A thought-provoking conversation with Hall of Fame marketing expert, Bozoma Saint John, interviewed by Kiesha B. Free.
• The 2025 Rakuten Optimism Golden Link Awards, hosted by Adam Mamawala.
• Several conversations around the new product releases at Rakuten Advertising and Rakuten International, including Rakuten Advertising Detect, Creator Storefronts, and Insights and Analytics Prompt.
• The Rewarding Experiences Pavilion, where attendees had the opportunity to make their own matcha, get AI headshots, and enter a raffle for the ultimate prize, a trip to Japan!

Here are the highlights from this year’s Rakuten Optimism:

Golden Link Awards

Our Golden Link Awards were hosted on day 1 of Optimism by comedian Adam Mamawala. There were more than 50 companies and individuals short-listed, and 11 outstanding winners from the event! Read more about the full list of winners and those short-listed here. Congratulations to all!

Jam-Packed Content Sessions

Day 1 of Optimism kicked off with excitement in the air as attendees made their way to the Omni La Costa to network, be inspired, and get rewarded. Throughout day 1, insightful discussions and networking were abundant. Sessions focused on card-linked offers (CLO), global affiliate trends, and social commerce, featuring leaders from Delta Airlines, Hyatt, PepsiCo, and Kendo Brands.

Day 2 began with executive remarks from Amit Patel, CEO of Rakuten International. Amit set the tone for the day by emphasizing that “Affiliate is designed to meet this very moment in time,” underscoring how affiliate marketing is uniquely poised to provide stability and drive results during uncertain times. He also announced the launch of Affiliate Conversion Journey Enhanced, a groundbreaking solution offering deeper insights into the consumer journey and rewarding each publisher throughout the user experience.

The morning continued with a thought-provoking and emotional keynote delivered by Bozoma Saint John and Keisha B. Free. Their powerful stories and insights challenged attendees to think bigger, embrace change, and lead with authenticity

Throughout the event, the evolving role of AI in affiliate and digital marketing remained a central theme, with sessions exploring how technology is shaping the industry’s future.

Industry Panel Discussions

In addition to the opening remarks, we hosted several thought-provoking panels featuring industry leaders from Rakuten Rewards, PepsiCo, Mytheresa, the Editorialist, Bilt Rewards, Expedia Group, and more, as they discussed the affiliate channel’s many unique opportunities and nuances.

AI in Action: Transforming Digital Marketing Tactics

AI was the hot topic at this year’s Rakuten Optimism, and Rakuten Advertising’s AI innovations took center stage. In this session, moderated by Rakuten Advertising’s VP AI Strategy & Operations Benjamin Cox, and industry leaders from Kellanova and E.L.F Beauty explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping digital marketing strategies. The panel discussed how brands are leveraging AI to refine search strategies, automate performance marketing, and deliver hyper-personalized experiences at scale. Attendees gained actionable insights on strengthening predictive analytics, maximizing ROI, and navigating the complexities of brand safety, compliance, and ethical integrity.

From Outdated to Cutting-Edge: The New Rules of Measurement

Joseph Molnar, Chief Technology Officer at Rakuten Rewards, led a forward-thinking discussion on the future of analytics and measurement. Panelists from PepsiCo, Hyatt, and Snowflake shared how leading brands are moving beyond outdated models to embrace cookieless tracking, cross-channel attribution, and AI-powered insights. The session highlighted how predictive modeling and first-party data strategies are sharpening measurement and maximizing performance, while new transparency standards and emerging technologies are setting the pace for the next era of data-driven marketing.

Global Affiliate, Local Intelligence

This powerhouse session spotlighted what it takes to go global with affiliate marketing. Moderator Jeremy Coster, Head of Global Retail Sales at Rakuten Advertising, and panelists from TopCashback, Mytheresa, The Thoughtful Agency, and Editorialist shared strategies, partnerships, and playbooks behind successful performance marketing programs, emphasizing the importance of regional nuance and scalable solutions. Attendees learned how to build and optimize a world-class global affiliate engine that drives results across borders.

Personalization, Loyalty, and The Modern Customer Experience: The Digital Marketing Trifecta

Julie Van Ullen, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Rewards, moderated a dynamic conversation on the intersection of personalization, loyalty, and customer experience in the age of AI. Experts from Western Union, Albertsons, Bose, and Bilt Rewards discussed how brands are leveraging advanced technologies to deliver dynamic, relevant experiences at scale—while balancing real-time context with consumer privacy and trust. The session explored how to avoid over-personalization, set new standards for data-sharing and transparency, and create loyalty strategies that resonate with today’s modern customer.

Money, Markets, and Marketing: Affiliate Advantage in Finance

The financial services landscape is evolving fast—and affiliate is playing a bigger role than ever. In this session moderated by Rakuten Advertising’s Senior Director of Client Services, Sara Bergerson, leaders from top financial services brands Quinstreet, Bilt Rewards, and Credit Karma unpacked how partnerships are driving growth, building trust, and adapting to today’s dynamic economy. From compliance to conversion, panelists revealed what’s redefining affiliate success in finance.

Travel Trends Uncovered: The Priority Pass to Affiliate Success

Affiliate marketing is helping travel brands around the world take flight. This session kicked off with a presentation from Tyler Hogue, Sr. Product Marketing Manager at Rakuten Advertising, on emerging travel trends, followed by a panel discussion on what’s trending now, what’s next, and how affiliate marketing is fueling smarter, more personalized travel experiences. We heard from leaders at Icelandair, Expedia Group, and Rakuten Rewards as attendees got their priority pass to performance-driven growth.

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Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the event’s success—we can’t wait to see how the insights and relationships from this year’s event drive growth throughout 2025 and beyond.