“Nous sommes dans l’action, pas seulement dans la parole” – Jeff Ownby

Jeff Ownby, VP of Operations at The Affiliate Agency, joins the latest affiliate interview on Affiliate Grand Slam

Jeff Ownby tells us about The Affiliate Agency, and how they offer everything needed to run a successful affiliate program, from planning to execution. With 20 years of experience in iGaming, Jeff Ownby insists that they have developed an innate ability to know which affiliate/operator pairs will generate more revenue for both parties to help each achieve their goals faster — learn about their journey

How did The Affiliate Agency take off? Is iGaming your only vertical?

Connie Burstin and I have been working on affiliate programs since the beginning of online gambling; We have known each other for more than 20 years. A few years ago, we finally partnered to work together on an affiliate program and this year we decided to launch The Affiliate Agency to make available our expertise and network in the industry to help operators launch or grow their affiliate channels.

We have experience in other verticals such as crypto, retail, and dating sites. However, our focus with The Affiliate Agency is mainly focused on the needs of iGaming operators.

Tell us a little more about your business model, your concept and your culture…

We offer all the services needed to create and manage a profitable affiliate program (setup, recruitment, engagement, design, content, etc.) and can even provide total management with one or more of our affiliate managers. We take care of the entire affiliate channel to allow the operator to focus on other areas of the business. The Affiliate Agency has a support team that has been working together for over 15 years on different projects, so our culture is quite “family-oriented”. Even before COVID-19, we were operating in a distributed manner. We have staff in Canada, the United States and Costa Rica.

What does The Affiliate Agency offer?

As mentioned above, we offer everything needed to run a successful affiliate program from planning to execution and can provide total management, including the recruitment of affiliate managers.

What sets you apart from other affiliates (agencies) and what added value do you bring?

We are different from other affiliated agencies because we are in action, not just in words. Obviously, we help operators plan a strategy to launch and run a successful affiliate program, but The Affiliate Agency takes it a step further by providing experienced affiliate managers and all the staff (writers/designers/content developers, etc.) needed for successful affiliate marketing.

We’ve been in the gambling industry for 20 years… We have developed an innate ability to know which affiliate/operator couples will generate the most revenue for both parties and can help each achieve their goals faster.

Which markets are you targeting as a priority and why? Do you see potential in emerging markets?

We are comfortable working in all markets. Our affiliate relationships are with traders from all over the world. We are targeting the U.S. market because of our geographic proximity, but things are more complicated there right now.

We have seen growth in markets that were not on the radar of many affiliates or operators. In addition, due to the pandemic, many traditional casino players have started playing their favorite casino games from home. So there is still potential to develop iGaming in many parts of the world.

Since the pandemic, many businesses are now operating differently. Is it the same for you? What have been the positive impacts for your company?

Since we were already operating in a decentralized way before the pandemic, we were not affected at all. The pandemic has allowed for some innovations when it comes to conferencing software… It made it easier for us to do our work, so it was interesting.

As mentioned earlier, the pandemic has opened up opportunities in new markets, allowing for growth in our customers’ customer base.

What qualities and skills are essential in an affiliated team/company?

Everyone at The Affiliate Agency needs to be good at multitasking and be able to make sure we continue to match the right affiliates with the right brands. As evidenced by our longevity in the industry, we value long-term partners more than anything. But overall, we love the gambling industry and we love what we do. Bringing that enthusiasm to work every day makes the rest easier.

What are your predictions for the future of the sector?

Like everyone else, we’re noticing more consolidation, compliance, and regulation, which will unfortunately make it harder for affiliates to do business. The U.S. market will need to be monitored as it develops. At some point, affiliates will play a big role in marketing in the US, so we’re getting ready to see how the channel develops.

How do you choose your operators and how do you manage relationships with multiple operators?

We want to work with all established iGaming operators and those we think we can work with for the long term.

Each operator has its own business objectives, so we manage the relationship on an individual basis according to the operator’s needs. Our team is able to scale as needed and we offer both dedicated and shared affiliate managers. We can easily manage several operator customers.

We are aware that not all affiliates work optimally with all operators. Part of our job as an agency is to match the affiliates that we think will work best for each of our clients.

Have you ever been to a SiGMA event? SiGMA Europe, Africa, Asia or the Americas – which of these four trade shows are you likely to make a place for in your agenda in 2021, COVID-19 permitting?

Connie has attended SIGMA events in the past and has benefited greatly from the experience. We are now looking at SiGMA Africa and the Americas.

Tell us a little about yourself – after all, business is done with people, not just companies! What are your favorite hobbies, book, or quote? Do you gamble yourself?

Jeff – What I like most is vacations with my wife and kids. I like to get out there to hike as much as possible. I try to enjoy at least half a day of outdoor or cultural activities on a business trip. When I’m at home, I prefer to spend time with my family and do some gardening. My favorite book is The Path to Power by Robert A. Caro. My favorite quote is mine: “He who dies with the least regret wins!”

Connie – I love simplicity in everything I do and try to enjoy life as much as possible when business is done. I enjoy singing, dancing, painting, exercising, and entertaining family and friends at home with good food and enjoying good chats. My favorite quote is “Live life, don’t let life live you!”

To learn more about SiGMA Affiliate Grand Slam, click here.

SiGMA Americas 2021 Virtually:

The SiGMA Americas Digital Show will take place from September 13 to 14, 2021. Here you will find a fully interactive exhibition floor, networked chat rooms, and renowned panelists. The beautifully designed booths are equipped with state-of-the-art product screens and dialogue boxes; Participants can visit the virtual stage, where a series of lectures will address key topics live for 2 days. Discover the program and register here.