© 2015 MarkMonitor Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective Partner Compliance Strategies

Managing Online Partner Compliance

Darla Rumsey

Sr. Client Engagement Manager, MarkMonitor

Agenda

� Why Partners Go Astray

� Common Types Partner Brand Misuse

� Impact of Partner Brand Abuse

� Best Practices for Enabling Partner Compliance

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Valuable Business Relationships

Online Partner Ecosystem

� Common Partner Types:

� Channel Partners

� Dealers

� Distributors

� Resellers

� Independent Reps

� Affiliates

� OEM’s

� Agents

� Trusted Partners?

� What Are They Doing Online?

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� Misguided

• May not know a policy is in place

• Don’t understand implications of non-compliance

VS

� Intentional

• They know they are not being monitored

• Motivated by financial gain

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Why Partners Go Astray or Rogue

Examples of Brand Misuse

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Domain Abuse

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Use of Brand in the Domain: www.brandpartner.comwww.cheapbrandpartner.comwww.brandhoustontexas.com

Parked Sponsored ad pages Traffic Diversion

Customer Confusion, many online policies forbid the use of the brand in a domain

Purchasing several domains so they are not available to other partners

Websites

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� Displaying proper logos

� Claiming you’re a higher partner level than granted

� Combining logos or creating their own logo with the brand

� Lack of disclaimers on partners site

� Links on the site

Websites – ExampleObscured Corporate Branding

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Partners – Organic Listings and AdWord Campaigns

Search Engine Branding

Counter Branding Language:

• “below dealer cost”

• “cheap” , “deep discount” , “outlet”

• “overstock” , “special purchase”

• “finance anyone” , “bad credit? no problem”

• “thousands off MSRP”

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Problematic ads:

By copying the national ad campaign’s

ad format, retailers raise their ad’s

Quality Score which raises the rank, but also raises the cost of the brand as a keyword

Marketplaces

� Monitor seller behavior

� Know your rights – trademark and copyright

� Track and report partners

� Educate your partners about your policy

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Marketplaces - Example

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Risks:

� Price Competition

� Brand Integrity

� Customer Confusion

Social Media

� Impersonation – page names: “brand name Tampa”

� Copyright abuse and logo abuse

� Combining the brand with competing brands

� Links to non branded ecommerce sites

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Social Media - Example

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Impact of Partner Brand Abuse

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BRAND

DILUTION

REVENUE

LOSS

LEGAL

LIABILITY

CHANNEL

EROSION

Brands pay more to keep up with the hike in

advertising costs

FTC will hold marketers responsible for the actions of

their affiliates

Inconsistent brand experience, customer

confusion

Brand equity diluted through bad user experience

Best Practices

for Partner Compliance

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1) Create a Structured Program

� Ensure Agreements Clearly State Online Expectations

� “Under no circumstances will Brand Partners be permitted to…”

� Brand Protections Awareness

� Stand By Your Online Policies

� Cross-departmental effort

� Brand Support Team brandprotectionteam@brand.com

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Identify and Track Daily

2) Proactive Monitoring

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� Client’s known partner list

� WhoIs information

� Landing page – phone, return shipping

� Image – logo, copyright image

� Reverse WhoIs – other owned related sites

� Links

Stand Behind Your Policies

3) Encourage Compliance

� Respond to Partners who push to operate outside compliance firmly and fairly

• The policies around URL registration and use were established to create a level playing field for our Partners in the digital space, so we appreciate you working with us to resolve this issue.

� Support your policy and explain why• Under no circumstances will Brand Partners be permitted to operate URLs that

contain “specify guidelines”. The URL of “brandpartnersite.com” violates this rule, which is why the request to transfer the domain to Brand Inc. was issued.

� Cleary provide the compliance issue to be corrected• Brandpartnersite.com – this URL #URLS# does not have permission to operate

under Brand Inc.'s. URL guidelines, this partner will be asked to transfer the domain to Brand Inc.

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Example: Retailer NotificationLetters specific to the violation increases compliance

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Identify message origin

Explain violation

Provide solution

Use inclusive language and provide method of verification and contact information

Identify, Educate, Manage

Summary

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� Partners are valuable and should be managed separate from 3rd party online

infringers

� Monitor partners in all areas of online space

� Stand by your policies and strengthen your brand online

� Correct non-compliant partners with notifications and protect your business

relationships and your brand

Q&A

� Featured Speaker:

Darla Rumsey

Sr. Client Engagement Manager

MarkMonitor

Please be sure to submit all your questions via the Q&A tab

on your screen

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Thank You!

� For information on MarkMonitor solutions, services and

complimentary educational events

• Contact us via email:

field.marketing@markmonitor.com

• Visit our website at:

www.markmonitor.com

• Contact us via phone:

US: 1 (800) 745 9229

Europe: +44 (0) 203 206 2220

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