Optimise X Santander: Scaling Sales Without Compromise: Growth, Quality and Profitability Through Affiliate Innovation

The Challenge

Santander entered 2025 with substantial growth targets and a crowded market working against them. Credit Cards and Current Accounts required sustained YoY growth, new products needed a reliable go-to-market plan, and rival banks were flooding the market with aggressive switcher incentives and cashback offers. Meanwhile, Santander was preparing to relaunch savings products amid unpredictable interest rates.

The Strategy

With Partners and tracking capabilities needing to be deployed at pace, Santander and Optimise led with a sophisticated, agile approach, one that could improve data accuracy, respond in real time to market shifts, and deploy unique incentives with precision and control.

Execution and Innovation

Santander and Optimise deployed the full affiliate optimisation arsenal — advanced S2S tracking, fintech-led pre-approval journeys, exclusive incentive-led offers and smart commercials — all activated with agility to drive conversion quality and respond dynamically to a fast-moving competitive landscape.

The Results

Acquisition targets were exceeded. The strongest-ever performance from affiliate-led incentives was achieved, alongside record-breaking sales volumes in a single 24-hour period.

Judge's Verdict

"Rigorous objective-setting, genuine technical sophistication, and excellent client-agency collaboration, highly impressive affiliate management at scale."

"Record conversions that secured significant additional internal investment, a standout programme within a competitive category."