Vibes and the Future of Marketing with Adbloom Founder and CEO Andrew Abony

Affiliate marketing is shedding its outdated reputation and entering a new era—one centered on authenticity, emotional resonance, and genuine human connection. As the future of marketing becomes increasingly relationship-driven, this shift is impossible to ignore. In fact, during the 2024 U.S. Cyber Monday, influencers and affiliate marketers were responsible for driving around 20% of e-commerce revenue, highlighting just how influential trust-based recommendations have become. At the center of that shift is “vibe marketing,” a new way of thinking about how brands and creators grow together.

So, what does it really mean to “get the vibe right”? And how are creators and brands redefining influence?

In this episode of Tuesdays with Morrisey, host Adam Morrisey speaks with Andrew Abony, founder and CEO of Adbloom, about how affiliate marketing is evolving into something bigger—what Andrew calls vibe marketing. Andrew’s background spans traditional media, early-stage startups, and the modern creator economy, and he’s on a mission to help people earn a living by being themselves. Their conversation offers a fresh look at the future of marketing—one that favors emotional alignment, transparency, and co-creation over top-down messaging.

The duo talks about what it really means to “get the vibe right,” how brands are losing control (in a good way), and why authenticity is the most valuable currency in marketing today.

Key takeaways from the episode…

1. Affiliate = Authentic referrals at scale
   Andrew reframes affiliate marketing as a simple idea: people sharing products they actually use and love, and getting paid for it.
2. Vibes > Virality
   Brands win when their values, products, and partners align emotionally. When that alignment is off, people feel it and tune out.
3. Execution over everything
   There are lots of good ideas out there. The ones that win are the ones that get shipped. No matter how scrappy the start.
4. Let go of control
   The best-performing content often comes from creators, not corporate. Smart brands are leaning into co-creation, not just dictating the narrative.
5. The new frontier is human + AI
   Creators are using AI to scale their voice. Not to replace themselves, but to extend what they can do across platforms.

The episode also covers…

• The story behind Adbloom’s start
• The origin of affiliate marketing
• Stanley mugs and vibe-driven growth
• Why B2B is starting to look more like D2C
• Creating community as a byproduct of doing something special
• Running, raison d’être, and what happens when you have the will and support to win

Andrew Abony is the CEO and co-founder of Adbloom, a high-growth affiliate and partnership marketing agency that helps startups and enterprise clients scale through creator-driven content and performance marketing. With over 15 years of experience in growth strategy, digital product innovation, and mobile marketing, he has led initiatives at companies like Mood Media and Somerset Entertainment, where he launched award-winning products and forged key partnerships. His clients have included major brands like Uber, Buzzfeed, RBC, and ByteDance, and his work spans the gig economy, fintech, edtech, and D2C sectors.