THW Global, a video-watching incentive program, ceased operations in October 2016 after Google's AdSense platform banned its account, citing policy violations. The company had promised affiliates up to $25 an hour for viewing videos, a model that directly conflicted with AdSense terms prohibiting incentivized ad engagement. This closure left 1.6 million affiliates without promised earnings and signaled the collapse of the original venture.
AdSense, Google's primary advertising network, maintains strict rules against incentivizing ad views or clicks. Its policy explicitly forbids publishers from placing Google ads on sites that offer financial rewards for such actions. This stance has been consistent since AdSense's inception, with detection methods improving over time to identify and ban fraudulent traffic.
THW Global, however, asserted that it generated significant traffic, claiming over 150 million video views and 1.9 billion ad impressions between August 1 and October 13, 2016. The company estimated this activity could have yielded millions of dollars in ad revenue, potentially equating to nearly $19 per hour for its "IVs" (Independent Viewers). This revenue was intended for sharing with its affiliate base.
Google's investigation concluded that THW Global's traffic was largely invalid. Advertisers pay for genuine interest, not for views generated by financial incentives. Had THW Global not offered up to $25 an hour, its traffic volumes would have been significantly lower. Ultimately, AdSense paid THW Global less than 2% of its expected revenue, an amount that covered less than 5% of the operational costs associated with serving the videos. AdSense then permanently banned the account in October.
With insufficient legitimate revenue to cover operating expenses, let alone pay affiliates, THW Global announced its closure. The company stated it had "no alternative but to cease the operations of the video platform and close the company." THW Global mentioned it would pursue "additional legal remedies," though no specific actions or outcomes were detailed.
Four months after the AdSense ban, THW Global informed affiliates about the company's closure and the sale of its affiliate base to a new entity, 888 Travel For Less. A message on the THW Global website indicated that 888 Travel For Less would "take over the software as is, with the full 1.6 million person downline intact." This transition effectively moved THW Global's entire affiliate network into a new program without their explicit consent.
This marked a second "bait and switch" for THW Global affiliates. The first involved the unsustainable video-watching model itself, which relied on pyramid recruitment for its affiliate growth. Now, the affiliate base was rerouted to a new multi-level marketing (MLM) opportunity.
888 Travel For Less identifies Mark Elie as its President. The company's website highlights Elie's nearly three decades of experience in the travel industry, including operating brick-and-mortar travel agencies and building large affiliate marketing teams in the travel sector. His prior company, K&E Travel, suggests a background in traditional travel sales, but his experience in the MLM industry as an executive appears limited.
The 888 Travel For Less model lacks retailable products or services for direct customer purchase. Affiliates primarily market 888 Travel For Less affiliate memberships. New affiliates are expected to purchase $100 "travel savings membership packages." The website requires a referral code to purchase a membership package, stating, "To purchase a Travel For Less Customer Membership only please get back with the ISA who referred to this site."
The 888 Travel For Less compensation plan pays affiliates when their recruited downline members purchase these $100 travel savings membership packages. The plan features six affiliate ranks: ISA, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Rank advancement depends on accumulating "Group Volume" (GV) from downline purchases or recruiting a specific number of higher-ranked affiliates. Each $100 membership package generates 10,000 GV, which expires on a rolling twelve-month basis.
A "Business Builder's Bonus" pays $50 for every five travel savings membership packages purchased by an affiliate's downline, capped at $1000. Bronze or higher ranked affiliates receive $100 per five packages, capped at $4000. Residual commissions are paid through a unilevel compensation structure, extending up to ten levels deep, depending on an affiliate's rank. Level 1 affiliates earn $5 per package, levels 2 to 9 earn $2, and level 10 earns $4.
A "CRP Bonus" pools $15 from each company-wide membership package purchase. Bronze and higher-ranked affiliates receive a share of this bonus, with potential earnings ranging from $550 for Bronze to $37,500 for Diamond. Advancing to a new rank immediately ends eligibility for the CRP Bonus at the previous rank.
Affiliate membership for 888 Travel For Less is free for the first year, then costs $79.95 annually. The core compliance issue for 888 Travel For Less centers on its revenue structure, where 100% of income relies on affiliate fees and purchases.