Flythomascook.com signs up to affiliate possibilities

Flythomascook.com, the online booking service for Thomas Cook Airlines, has launched its first affiliate programme and has appointed recent UK entrant Affilinet to handle it.

Director at flythomascook.com Tony Milsom says: “Affiliates were a part of the marketing mix that we’d missed. The primary attraction is the low cost.”

Affilinet, launched in the UK in November 2005, is headed by managing director Nicky Iapino, who was previously chief operating officer of Commission Junction and managing director of Deal Group Media. Affilinet is owned by German company AdLink Internet Media and is already a major player in Germany, where it has a 32% market share.

Affiliate marketing usually involves three parties working together: the advertiser, a website owner or publisher, and an affiliate network. Advertisers only pay affiliates commission when set targets, which can include leads, brochure requests or actual sales made, are reached. Affiliate marketing can offer enormous flexibility, allowing even the smallest website operator to sell ads while providing brand advertisers with potential exposure across a huge range of sites with a diverse readership.