November 2025 · Milestone · Initiator
Der Affiliate & Partner Marketing Circle (APMC): Ein neuer Schulterschluss für die Branche
Affiliate and Partner Marketing is undergoing a phase of profound changes. Increasing regulatory requirements, technological upheavals, AI-driven shifts in the customer journey, and the desire for more transparency present new challenges for the industry. At the same time, the strategic importance of partnerships is growing for advertisers, publishers, networks, and technology providers. Against this background, the initiative to establish the Affiliate & Partner Marketing Circle (APMC) was founded in autumn 2025 - a closed working group under the umbrella of the BVDW that offers the industry a structured, joint platform for the first time.
Why the APMC is being founded. In recent years, the industry has realized that there is a lack of reliable quality standards and clear framework conditions. Different processes, inconsistent rules, and individual negative outliers make it difficult for advertisers and partners to use the channel strategically and trustfully. At the same time, data protection laws, consent rates, browser restrictions, and attribution losses are changing the way partnerships can be evaluated and measured. Additionally, the industry has so far lacked a strong, unified voice towards politics, media, and regulators. Many market participants wished for a common forum where guidelines could be developed, problems addressed, and future topics coordinated. The APMC bundles these interests - for the first time structured, binding, and with a clear mandate.
What the APMC aims to achieve. The APMC aims to strengthen Affiliate and Partner Marketing as a strategic pillar of the digital economy. This mainly includes three areas of responsibility.
The first focus is quality and standards. The working group is developing a new quality framework that defines transparency, data quality, operational processes, and responsible collaboration. This includes binding verification mechanisms, clear requirements for publisher and partner setups, as well as the development of a European quality matrix. The goal is to establish reliable standards, reduce misconduct, and build trust in the market.
The second focus is image and communication. Affiliate and Partner Marketing is often underestimated or misclassified today. The APMC aims to modernize the narrative and show the contribution partnerships make to the efficiency, diversity, and competitiveness of digital marketing. This includes clear messages for Advertisers, Agencies, Publishers, and Media, as well as the preparation of relevant topics around customer journey, attribution, innovation capability, and new publisher models. The industry should become more visible, modern, and understandable.
The third focus is politics and lobbying. The APMC develops positions on data protection, platform regulation, AI influences, and other relevant topics. He brings the voice of the industry into political discourse and ensures that the interests of the partner economy are understood and taken into account. This includes, among other things, the development of position papers, participation in internal BVDW committees, and the explanation of the impacts of new laws and regulations.
Who supports the APMC? The initiative was jointly established by representatives from networks, technology providers, agencies, and experts from BVDW. At the founding, numerous companies have already signed a letter of intent; other market participants are invited to join the working group and take responsibility for the further development of the industry.
My personal drive: I have been committed for many years to making our ecosystem more professional, transparent, and future-proof. The founding of the APMC offers a unique opportunity to achieve these goals together. I create standards that provide guidance. We strengthen trust in the channel. And we are building a voice that has weight in the political and media environment. The APMC is a decisive step for me to anchor Affiliate and Partner Marketing as a modern, strategic, and fair pillar of performance in digital marketing.
What happens next: In the coming months, the internal structures will be established, the quality matrix will be specified, the communication concept will be prepared, and the first joint projects will be launched. The public presentation at BVDW takes place in several stages, accompanied by workshops and exchange formats for all participants. Everyone and every company that wants to take responsibility and actively shape the future of the industry is invited to become part of the APMC.
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