I-Level owner initiates new affiliate network

by Andrew McCormick, Media Week 08-Apr-08, 08:35

LONDON - I-Level's parent company ILG Digital has set up an affiliate network with launch clients Orange, The Sun Bingo and Homeserve Insurance.

The new venture aims to target high-end clients and has been named Premier Affiliate Network, or PAN. It is also the latest of a series of initiatives, including the creation of I-Level's social media unit, Jam.

PAN will add to ILG Digital's two subsidiaries: I-Level - by far the biggest component of ILG Digital that concentrates on search, display and social media - and Generator, ILG Digital's consultancy division.

Lee-Ann Johnstone will head PAN as director, having joined from multiplayer game company GameAccount, where she was affiliate marketing manager.

Johnstone will report to ILG Digital group managing director Faith Carthy, whose aim for the division is to have staff working in small teams on three to five clients.

Andrew Walmsley, co-founder of I-Level, said the agency had been building a business around affiliate marketing for some time.

"A lot of experienced people in the affiliate space miss a crucial aspect of affiliate work, which is the importance of personal relationships.

"What we offer is bespoke programmes aimed at the big affiliates, many of which have turned into proper grown-up businesses."

Established affiliate networks include Commission Junction, TradeDoubler, AffiliateFuture and Buy.at, which was bought by AOL in February.