Marketing over Milkshakes

How will AI search engines and creator-led platforms reshape the future of affiliate marketing and ecommerce? In this Halloween Special of Marketing Over Milkshakes, RevWise co-founders Gary and Jamie sit down with Awin CEO Adam Ross to unpack how artificial intelligence is disrupting search visibility, why brands must move beyond last-click CPA, and how native integrations like YouTube Shopping unlock massive revenue potential for creators and advertisers.

How can ecommerce brands scale TikTok Shop sales through high-volume creator partnerships and affiliate marketing?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, RevWise co-founders Gary and Jamie sit down with Cruva CEO Sebastian Nelson to reveal how brands turn creator content into scalable GMV. Sebastian explains why follower count rarely predicts affiliate sales, how to recruit and manage high-performing creator tiers, and how to exploit the TikTok Shop halo effect across Amazon, Shopify, and Meta ads.

What happens to brands when consumers stop searching Google and start letting AI shopping agents select products and complete checkouts automatically?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with AI Godfather Founder & CEO of RobotZebra Krystian Szastok to uncover the seismic shift from traditional search engine optimization to AI search visibility. Krystian breaks down how third-party consensus and digital PR drive AI recommendations inside ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others, why clickless checkout will redefine online shopping, and how marketing agencies must adapt to survive the generative AI revolution.

Can a pod-free innovation disrupt the single-serve coffee market, eliminate plastic waste, and challenge FMCG giants without sacrificing consumer convenience?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with CoffeeB Co-Founder & CCO James Newitt to explore how challenger brands disrupt legacy categories through plant-based innovation, retail expansion, and creator-led marketing. James reveals how CoffeeB sold 220 million capsule-free Coffee Balls across Europe, how he built Wild West Beef Jerky from his bedroom into a UK supermarket staple, and the critical lessons learned from negotiating a multi-million-pound exit and partnering with the Sidemen.

How do global brands navigate changing digital communities, scale into international markets, and build direct to consumer growth without committing massive budgets upfront?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Webgains Managing Director Alona Malinovska to explore how performance channels, publisher relationships, and local market expertise drive cross-border expansion. Alona reveals how Webgains won over 20 clients on a single China trip, why closed online groups are reshaping customer trust, and how recruiting for drive and ambition beats a traditional resume every time.

How did Wowcher survive the daily deals boom, become a household name and turn £99 mystery holidays into a viral sales phenomenon?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Wowcher CMO Alexis Harrison to explore how the brand uses performance marketing, TV advertising, affiliate partnerships and conversion optimisation to sell thousands of deals every day. Alexis also shares the challenges and lessons behind leadership, maternity leave and becoming a CMO at 35.

How do you turn a small Instagram community into a multi million pound DTC skincare brand with more than 100,000 customers?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Tariq Kazemi to explore how BLD BRO used community led growth, viral marketing and customer retention to become one of the UK's fastest growing skincare brands. From scaling with Meta ads and Amazon to building a purpose driven brand around bald positivity, Tariq shares the strategies, challenges and lessons behind growing a successful ecommerce business.

Can ecommerce brands turn their checkout confirmation page into one of the most powerful customer acquisition channels in affiliate marketing?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Jack Davies to explore how ecommerce brands are using checkout monetisation, post purchase rewards, retail media and performance partnerships to drive customer acquisition, increase incremental revenue and unlock one of the biggest untapped growth opportunities in modern affiliate marketing.

Can TikTok Shop really become one of the most powerful growth channels for a direct-to-consumer brand?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with James Green, Founder of Nutriseed, to explore how a bootstrapped health and wellness brand grew from a kitchen table startup into a fast-growing ecommerce business, and why TikTok Shop, creators and customer loyalty are reshaping modern DTC growth.

How did two young founders from Swansea turn a gold vodka bottle into one of the most recognisable drinks brands in the UK?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Charlie Morgan, Co-Founder of AU Vodka, inside the brand’s incredible Swansea HQ to unpack the story behind one of the most explosive growth journeys in British drinks, ecommerce and culture-led marketing.

Can affiliate marketing events become more valuable by feeling less corporate?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, James Little and Hannah Wharrier, founders of Affilifest, explore how festival culture, community and creativity are reshaping the affiliate industry.

The conversation dives into publisher discovery, cashback incrementality, AI, Women in Affiliate and why memorable experiences create stronger business relationships than traditional conferences ever could.

Can a sneaker publisher become one of ecommerce’s most powerful growth partners?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, George Sullivan, Founder & CEO of The Sole Supplier, explores how sneaker culture, content, community and AI are reshaping performance marketing.

The conversation dives into cultural authenticity, the limits of last-click attribution, and why AI won’t replace human-led product discovery.

Is affiliate marketing due a rebrand?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we’re joined by Linda O’Connell, SVP of UK & Ireland at CJ Affiliate, to unpack how affiliate has evolved into a full-funnel growth channel.

We explore the rise of influencer commerce, content publishers and AI-driven discovery, and why the term “affiliate” no longer reflects the true value of the channel. From connected commerce to the growing role of publishers in an LLM-driven world, this episode breaks down how brands can turn affiliate into a strategic growth lever.

What if one of ecommerce’s biggest untapped growth channels was hiding in plain sight within Google Shopping?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Jared Owen, CEO of Redbrain, to explore how CSS, affiliate attribution and AI-driven product discovery are reshaping performance marketing.

Redbrain processes billions of product offers daily, works with 12,000+ retailers, and has driven over £1bn in Google sales for partners. We break down the real mechanics of CSS, from incrementality and cost of sale to feed optimisation and attribution.

Affiliate marketing is entering its biggest transformation in over a decade.

In this episode, Anthony Clements (Impact) shares how AI, influencer commerce and partnership marketing are reshaping the space. With 20+ years’ experience, he breaks down the shift from search to social to AI-driven discovery, and why last-click no longer tells the full story. We also explore how creators, content and platforms like Impact are redefining performance, and what brands must do to stay competitive as ecommerce evolves.

What does the future of shopping, media and affiliate marketing look like in an AI-driven world?

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we’re joined by Stuart Miles (Founder of Pocket-lint & Squirrel) to explore the evolution of affiliate commerce, publisher monetisation, and AI in media.

With 20+ years at the heart of tech, Stuart shares insights on zero-click search, automation, and why trust, storytelling and real relationships remain the most valuable assets in digital publishing.

How do you get fired from your own company before building a £200M IPO business? In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, Martin Higginson shares the journey from launching Britain’s biggest-selling BMX magazine to scaling MonsterMob Group to a £200M valuation and now leading Huddled Group plc, tackling surplus retail and logistics arbitrage.

The UK leisure travel and holiday rental market has transformed over the last decade, driven by digital demand and staycation trends. In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, James Shaw shares insight from Sykes Holiday Cottages and Forge Holiday Group on building modern travel brands, using data-led marketing and AI to reduce CPA by 40%.

Scaling a subscription business with perishable products and tight margins is one of performance marketing’s hardest challenges. In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, James Newman explains how Freddie's Flowers built a disciplined growth engine, reducing flower waste from ~40% to under 5% while scaling through LTV modelling, blended CPA targets, creative testing and forecasting.

In this episode of Marketing Over Milkshakes, we sit down with Adam Ross, CEO of Awin, one of the world’s largest affiliate marketing networks, powering partnerships for brands like Nike, Samsung, Etsy, Vodafone and thousands more.

Adam shares a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how affiliate marketing has evolved from early paid-search arbitrage into a multi-channel, AI-ready performance ecosystem - and what brands, agencies, and creators need to do to stay ahead.