For many years, three countries dominated in affiliate – the US, UK, and Japan. More recently, our industry has spread to many regions of the globe. Markets where there was once minimal activity have now exploded. 

All affiliate markets share some characteristics: a focus on concrete outcomes, a diverse publisher sector, and a strong retail merchant advertiser base. But different markets also have distinct characteristics and success factors that brands must consider to make headway and drive scale. 

Here are three of the world’s hottest affiliate regions and insight into what makes each market unique.

Canada

“Ignoring Canada in affiliate is as costly to a brand as ignoring California,” said Sarah Bundy, CEO of international agency All Inclusive Marketing (AIM). “Canada’s population is about the same as California’s, and Canadian household incomes are very similar to the US. We’re geographically proximate, and the share of Canadians with middle-class incomes is higher than the US, which has greater income inequality.”

With a population of 39M and household incomes of over USD 75,000, Canada has a level of prosperity and disposable income that fits well for most US merchants. Cultural similarities also make the localization required for Canada more manageable than markets farther afield. Plus, many ‘American’ cultural phenomena are actually Canadian. Ask any Belieber.

That said, there are also some differences that brands must be mindful of as they contemplate cross-border expansion. Just a few examples: In Canada, the biggest shopping day of the year was Boxing Day – December 26 – until 2022, when Black Friday finally edged higher. Independence Day and Thanksgiving have different dates. Further, the start of the school year is usually September 1, several weeks after the start dates in many parts of the US. You don’t advertise the Memorial Day sale in Canada – it’s Victoria Day, which occurs about nine days earlier. There is an additional holiday celebrating the Nunuvit people.