Affiliate 2.0: Why Creator Commerce Outperforms Display Ads

The Evolution of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing once lived and died by discount codes and static blog posts. But in 2025, the landscape has transformed. Today, creators holding a garlic press while dancing outsell carefully crafted display ads. Consumers aren’t just buying, they’re being entertained while purchasing.

Video Commerce Is No Longer a Footnote

Video now accounts for over 62% of internet traffic in the EU, while TikTok Shop is witnessing exponential growth. In the U.S., TikTok Shop sales have surged 120% year-over-year in the first half of June 2025. This explosion of commerce, entwined with video and creator performance, is not just a marketing trend: it’s a seismic shift.

From Clicks to Conversions and Real Results

Affiliate has shifted from click-based metrics to cost-per-sale (CPS) models. Now, brands pay only when a sale occurs, maximising ROI while reducing risk. Often, that happens through creators working from their garage, filming unboxings or live demos. And consumers trust them more than traditional ads.

“A study by Capital One Shopping has shown that 60% of TikTok users are more likely to trust products recommended by creators than by in-feed ads.”

Your Real Competition: Unscripted Creator Chaos

The new competitors are not who you think, they are:

• A blender-tester in Crocs smashing fruit on camera
• A parent, juggling toddlers while reviewing vacuum cleaners under a ring light
• A live streamer whose viral mishap sells out stock within an hour

Display ads, no matter how polished, can’t match that kind of raw engagement.

What This Means for Marketers

Affiliate 2.0 isn’t about fun, it’s about performance grounded in entertainment:

• Choose authenticity over polish. Human, unfiltered content converts better than overproduced campaigns.
• Embrace live unpredictability. Real reactions, especially when imperfect, drive connection.
• Track properly. CPS is efficient, but you need end-to-end attribution across socials, email, site, and commerce.
• Build with trust. In a world of AI-generated collateral, real human stories and product demos stand out.

Key Takeaway

Display and PPC aren’t dead, but they’re losing ground. Creator-led affiliate marketing meets both emotional and commercial demand, proving that in 2025, performance really does come dressed in entertainment.

The universe of paid media has been disrupted, CRM, SEO, and programmatic ad strategies all feel the impact of AI. Now, it’s PPC’s turn. Want to audit your readiness or update your strategy for this new world? Get in touch with our Remarkable team to ensure your paid media is future-proof.