GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 25 - June 2013

AFFILIATE MANAGER INTERVIEW SERIES Paddy Power has been growing in visibility and it seems to be putting more resources into af- filiates, including expanding the Paddy Partners staff size. What changes have been made to the affiliate program? Did Paddy Power decide to fo- cus more on affiliates or is the growth in the affili- ate program part of an overall increased market- ing push? Paddy Power has always had a dedicated focus on affiliates. Company growth through the introduction of new products and offerings has re- sulted in a higher demand for Paddy Partners staff. Affiliate marketing is at the forefront of our market- ing efforts, which we are renowned for, so needless to say our team will continue to grow with the company (which is a lot). What is your background in the in- dustry? How long have you been with Paddy Partners? And how long have you worked in the indus- try? I suppose I have always been someway involved in the industry. While in college I worked part time for an independent bookmaker. After that I worked with an eGaming com- pany for two years, which led me to my current position at Paddy Power, where I have resided happily for the last year and a half. Your title is listed as Casino Affiliate Executive. Does that mean you handle all casino affiliate accounts? Originally I handled casino affiliates alone but I have recently taken over the bingo affiliate accounts, too. Needless to say I am very busy! Paddy Partners also has specific affiliate manag- ers for games, poker and the sportsbook. Does this division of labor work for you and the rest of the affiliate team? Because of the array of prod- ucts and offerings at Paddy Power we have divided up our affiliate team by product. This ensures that our affiliate managers are experts in their fields and know everything there is to know at the drop of a hat about their product. We are a very close team so there is a lot of collaboration on campaigns, which really works for us and our affiliates. There are loads of affiliates who promote more than one gaming vertical. Do those affiliates have a single contact at Paddy Partners? Or do they contact each affiliate manager based on the AM’s coverage area? This is very much dependent on the affiliates and what they prefer. Some prefer one source of information and others are happy for the different products to sit separately. We simply go by what the affiliate needs because at the end of the day, that’s what’s most important! In terms of commissions, the affiliate agreement at Paddy Partners offers different commission structures based on what gaming activity the player takes part in (flat 25 percent for sports- book, and a sliding scale of 25-45 percent for ca- sino affiliates). Why did Paddy Power decide to use this commission structure, where commis- sions vary across gaming verticals? Our commis- sion structures are massively competitive across the industry; we always keep an eye on our competitor friends to ensure we are ahead of the curve at all times. Commissions will always vary across gaming verticals because the offerings are so different. How often do you run into players trying to game the casino through chargebacks? What do you think the industry can do to avoid these problems in the future? We have a top-class fraud team (simi- lar to the FBI) who ensure that this is not an issue for us. I think the industry should attempt to rep- licate our fraud team to avoid these problems, but that is a serious challenge! Paddy Power is well known for having a great deal of fun in its marketing efforts. Does that same attitude present itself in the workplace at all? Absolutely! Our office is a bundle of energy. You must be well equipped to dodge flying stress balls and be sure to NEVER leave your computer un- locked as e-mails will be sent leaving you in an in- evitably compromising position. The ability to avoid liver damage is also a requirement on your CV . . . you must drink three pints in the interview alone! If we were a fly on the wall at the office, what are some of the topics of conversation we’d hear about at the water cooler? Hmmm . . . that would be telling. How do you ensure that payments are sent out on time? And when do your payments go out? We have a fantastic finance team who man our payment process in conjunction with our Paddy Partners team. Our payments go out at month end and it’s usually a seamless process. We are a well-oiled machine. What do you know about the industry now that you wish you’d known when you first started? I MICHELLE GLYNN Paddy Par tners “Our commission structures are massively competitive across the industry; we always keep an eye on our competitor friends to ensure we are ahead of the curve at all times.” Affiliate Manager Interview Series