In this episode of Add To Cart, we sit down with Adam Furness, Managing Director of impact.com APAC, who is transforming how brands collaborate through partnerships. Adam has been pivotal in helping some of the biggest brands in the world automate and scale their partnerships, making it easier for businesses to connect with influencers, affiliates, and other brands to drive growth and loyalty. With a client list that includes major players like Uber, Airbnb, and Ticketmaster, Adam’s expertise in building powerful, data-driven partnerships has made impact.com a leader in the industry.
We’re also joined by Roger Lee, Head of Digital Marketing at Brand Collective, who oversees the strategy for 17 brands, including Reebok, Shoes & Sox, and Hush Puppies. Roger shares how Brand Collective is using impact.com’s tools to manage everything from influencer relationships to loyalty programs, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how partnerships are working on the ground to boost sales and customer engagement.
Together, Adam and Roger walk us through how partnerships are changing the way brands grow and scale—without needing huge marketing budgets. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your strategy, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you make the most of your partnerships.
Partnerships Are Way More Than Just Affiliates
Gone are the days when partnerships were limited to basic affiliate programs. Adam explained how partnerships have expanded into far more creative and impactful territories, including influencer collaborations, content creators, and even brand-to-brand partnerships.
Partnerships today are about more than just affiliate links. We’re talking about influencers wearing your product, gyms showcasing your gear, or even brand collaborations that naturally fit your customer’s lifestyle.
This shift allows brands to reach new audiences and make deeper, more authentic connections with customers.
“The goal is to make every touchpoint in the customer journey feel authentic and valuable, and partnerships can make that happen.”
Roger echoed this by sharing how Brand Collective is using these diverse partnerships to drive engagement across multiple platforms and audiences.
“We’ve worked with influencers in the fitness space for Reebok, tapping into communities that really connect with the brand. These aren’t just surface-level partnerships—they’re about building genuine relationships that resonate with people.”
By branching out into a variety of partnerships, brands can engage their customers in meaningful ways that go beyond traditional marketing efforts.
From Funnels to Circles: The New Age of Partnerships
According to Adam, the days of the traditional marketing funnel are limited. Modern partnerships don’t just lead customers through a straight path from discovery to purchase—they create a “circle” where satisfied customers loop back and become advocates, helping brands grow through word-of-mouth.
“Advocacy isn’t at the bottom of the funnel anymore…We’ve moved towards a circle where advocacy feeds back into the discovery phase, creating a continuous loop of engagement.”
This circular model is being embraced by companies like Brand Collective, where Roger and his team are seeing great results from turning happy customers into brand advocates.
“We’ve been experimenting with a 15% referral program…Customers get a discount, and so do their friends. It’s already driving results, and we’re seeing customers come back more frequently, often bringing new people with them.”
Adam believes that by turning customers into advocates, they’re able to fuel new customer acquisition and retention, transforming their customers into an ongoing growth engine.
It’s not just about one-time sales anymore. The real magic happens when your customers start doing the marketing for you.
The takeaway? Brands that prioritise advocacy not only strengthen loyalty but also create a sustainable, organic growth strategy where satisfied customers become the most powerful marketing tool.
Automating for Real Results
Both Adam and Roger stressed the importance of automation in making partnerships not only scalable but effective. Managing multiple partnerships, whether they’re with influencers or affiliate partners, can be time-consuming and complicated—this is where impact.com’s automation tools come into play.
“Automation is crucial for making sure partnerships run smoothly and efficiently…“impact.com’s tools allow brands to track performance, manage relationships, and pay partners based on business outcomes like sales—without spending hours on manual processes.”
Roger highlighted how this has made a big difference for Brand Collective, especially when managing partnerships and tracking which affiliates are driving the most sales across 17 different brands.
“Before using impact.com, we were manually tracking everything. Now we’ve streamlined the whole process…It’s saved us so much time and gives us clear insights into what’s working and what’s not.”
By automating these processes, brands can focus on building stronger partnerships while saving time and getting real results. By harnessing the automation of impact.com’s tools you can scale your partnership efforts without losing the personal touch.
RIP Marketing Funnels: It’s A New Era for Partnerships
No longer just a funnel of transactions, partnerships are now creating continuous loops of engagement, advocacy, and growth. By leveraging the power of automation and thinking beyond traditional affiliate models, brands can build stronger, more authentic connections with customers, while saving time and driving measurable results. As Adam says, “Partnerships are about finding mutual value. When you create that, everyone wins—the brand, the partner, and the customer.”
To learn how impact.com can help your brand leverage your advocates to grow your business, visit impact.com.
