Issue four of Affiliate Leaders is out now. Ahead of ICE, in Barcelona, the latest edition of the magazine from SBC Media explores the latest developments in marketing as well as industry predictions for the year ahead.
The cover story with Clemence Dujardin, CEO of MyAffiliates, sheds light on why diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives have failed within the marketing space, particularly in gaming, and what businesses can do to change this.
SEO and search is a key pillar of affiliate marketing. But the rise of AI-powered browsers such as Perplexity’s Comet and OpenAI’s Atlas, coupled with Chatbots like Google’s AI Mode and ChatGPT, is shifting consumer behaviour and how marketers need to think about their search strategies. With insights from Google, Youtech and 8MS, this feature explores how marketers should adapt in this evolving landscape.
Across the wider marketing industry, retail media as a programmatic advertising channel has exploded. The gaming industry has so far been cautious in investing in retail media, but one operator is showing the opportunities using this channel can unlock. Working alongside LiverRamp, Mohegan Gaming has established a casino media network that connects brands and players.
Other stories include taking a look at the opportunities the World Cup 2026 in the Americas presents sportsbooks; whether self-regulation in Argentina could save influencer marketing; and the rise of agentic AI and what that could mean for the gaming industry.
Finally, as 2026 gets underway, Affiliate Leaders spoke to industry experts from Europe, the US and Latin America to get their predictions for the year ahead. A key theme emerging is around marketers embracing an omnichannel strategy over using a particular channel – particularly as AI has proven to disrupt the traditional tried and tested practices.