The Relationship Rhombus: A Quadratic Relationship

Affinity marketing is highly focused cause related marketing which bridges the divide between commercial companies and organizations, places, or groups which have supporters and /or members and followers, rather than shareholders and customers. Consumers purchase from an organization, which they currently have no relationship with through the strength of their affinity towards a group to which they are linked. In affinity marketing a ready-made relationship is taken by one party and adapted for 'own use' and this raises the issue of who takes and adapts and for what purpose? This paper introduces the concept of affinity marketing, using the example of the affinity credit card to explain the complications of affinity relationships. Having explained the triadic nature of the affinity credit card relationship it then takes this one step further to discuss the development of a further quadratic, rhomboidal relationship.