The Results

• +58% increase in affiliate revenue year-on-year

What We Did

1. Introduced Our Affiliate PR Strategy

We deployed our proven Affiliate PR approach, securing placements across high-authority editorial sites and enthusiast publications including The Telegraph, Hearst and Conde Nast.

We also pursued influencer partnerships with Francis Bourgeois (2.4M followers), Sam’s Trains (186K subscribers) and That Railway Guy (78K followers), driving significant reach into Hornby’s core enthusiast audience.

2. Expanded Into High-Value Partner Channels

To diversify and scale the programme, we onboarded and reactivated affiliates including:

• Closed-user groups and member-benefit platforms (LNER Rewards, Kids Pass, Utility Warehouse)
• Niche hobby communities and modelling publishers
• High-intent content partners

These partners brought in engaged audiences with strong purchase intent, which contributed significantly to the revenue uplift.

3. Rebuilt the Programme for Performance

We refined commission structures, improved affiliate communications, updated promotional calendars, and supplied fresh creatives to ensure affiliates could promote effectively.

The result: more engaged partners and stronger, more consistent monthly performance, with Hornby maintaining the highest average order value across the entire portfolio.

The Impact

Hornby holds the highest average order value in the portfolio. Growth is consistent month-on-month rather than spike-driven, built on a base of repeat-engaged enthusiasts and editorial partners. The programme is now a reliable, compounding revenue line rather than one dependent on one-off placements.