RAV Rising Star Spotlight: Chloe Ellis on Affiliate Innovation

The affiliate marketing industry witnessed exceptional talent at the recent RAV Awards during ELEVATE in London, with TUI UK's Chloe Ellis taking home the prestigious Rising Star Award. As Senior Digital Marketing Executive (Affiliate) at one of the world's leading travel companies, Chloe has demonstrated remarkable growth and innovation in her affiliate marketing approach, earning recognition from industry peers for her customer-centric strategies and forward-thinking mindset.

Following her well-deserved victory, we sat down with Chloe to explore the strategies behind her rapid ascent, the unique challenges of affiliate marketing in the competitive travel sector, and her insights on emerging technologies that are set to reshape the industry landscape…

Exclusive Q&A: Behind the Award-Winning Success

Q. Your rapid rise in affiliate marketing caught the industry's attention – what key strategies or mindset shifts helped you make such a significant impact so early in your career?

A. I genuinely believe that building strong, personal relationships with key partners has been at the heart of my success. Open and honest communication creates a level of trust that allows us to feel comfortable sharing creative ideas and testing new initiatives without hesitation. This trust fuels innovation and encourages us to think beyond traditional affiliate strategies. I’ve also found that being open-minded and focusing on the entire customer journey, not just the low-funnel, conversion-driven pieces, makes a real difference. By providing valuable, informative content during the research phase, we can better support our customers, build stronger connections, and ultimately drive more meaningful results.

Q. Working in the highly competitive travel sector with TUI, what unique challenges have you faced in affiliate marketing, and how have you overcome them to drive measurable results? 

A. The travel sector is incredibly competitive, especially as shifts in the cost-of-living impact customer behaviours and booking patterns. To stand out, I believe it’s essential to keep the customer at the centre of every decision. Rather than focusing solely on what we need to sell, I strive to understand what our customers truly want to see, what inspires them, and what drives engagement. By combining these customer insights with our commercial priorities, we can create campaigns that are both effective and authentic, resulting in stronger performance and long-term loyalty.

Q. As a “Rising Star,” what emerging trends or technologies in affiliate marketing do you believe will be game-changers in the next 12-18 months? 

A. Without a doubt, AI will be one of the biggest game-changers. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for creating efficiencies, uncovering insights, and enhancing strategy. That said, I think it’s important to approach AI thoughtfully, using it to complement human creativity and intuition, rather than replace them. Right now, we’re in a crucial “test and learn” phase where marketers can experiment with AI to refine processes and unlock new opportunities. I believe we’ll soon see a divide between businesses that successfully harness AI to gain a competitive edge and those that fail to adapt or use it effectively.

Q. What advice would you give to other newcomers entering the affiliate space who want to accelerate their career growth and make a meaningful impact? 

A. Get to know your partners on a deeper level and really understand their strengths. Put your customers first, always. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to experiment. Innovation often comes from trying something new, even if it doesn’t work out the first time, you’ll gain insights that will help you grow faster than if you only play it safe.

Q. Looking ahead, where do you see yourself taking your affiliate marketing expertise next, and what legacy do you hope to build in this industry? 

A. I aspire to lead an affiliate team in the future, using my experience across partner groups to shape clear strategies, improve efficiency, and build on our award-winning in-house affiliate program. Beyond that, I want to deepen my knowledge of broader digital marketing functions and champion greater cross-channel collaboration. By building strong multichannel campaigns that connect with customers at every touchpoint, I hope to create seamless and supportive brand experiences. My ultimate goal is to leave a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and customer-first thinking within the affiliate marketing industry.

Join the Next Generation of Affiliate Leaders

Chloe's approach shows how affiliate marketing success increasingly depends on genuine partnerships, understanding your customers, and using AI wisely rather than blindly. Her rapid rise proves that newcomers can make a real impact by testing new ideas, building proper relationships with partners, and always putting the customer experience first.

Rising stars like Chloe are proving that the old playbook isn't enough anymore. If you want to learn from the people who are actually changing how affiliate marketing works, get your tickets now for ELEVATE 2026 and hear directly from the industry's most innovative minds.