As we edge closer to spring and the Performance Marketing Awards 2015, we will be providing a rundown of those nominated for each Industry Choice and the Hotshot Rising Star awards. This week we kicked things off with the Industry Choice of Network/Tech Solution award.

We also brought you our roundup of digital marketing news from Mobile World Congress 2015, with updates from the likes of Facebook, PUSHTech and Tyroo.

As always, PerformanceIN has been graced with expert insights and case studies. Mike Driscoll discussed the digital marketer’s secret weapon, and what the Harvard Business Review has called “the sexiest job of the 21st century”, the data scientist. Driscoll claims that the marketers who intelligently navigated the data challenges of today could  find themselves as the CMOs of tomorrow.

7thingsmedia’s social media guru Daniela Vilu looked at Instagram’s new ad tool which will allow marketers to create a visual storytelling type of ad on Instagram by uploading multiple images, as part of the same sponsored post.

Taken from our travel roundtable supplement, travel marketing specialists from leading agencies, affiliate networks and hotel chains discuss the complexity of analysing the travel consumer’s path to purchase across multiple devices.

And in this week’s masterclass FusePump’s Sam Hodges explores five ways to master your product data

Elsewhere, performance marketing network affilinet unveiled a tool which delivers all the benefits of highly trackable, intelligent digital advertising via Magento Connect.

And UK discount provider Voucherbox.co.uk has found that the amount of Brits that ‘frequently’ seek out money-off tokens has increased from 23% in 2014 to 33% this year.

In other news, ad personalisation specialists Criteo found that the week leading up to Mother’s Day is crucial for UK retailers as they look to capitalise on a greater number of eyes on their sites.

In keeping with the Mother’s Day theme, Rakuten Affiliate Network has released a series of predictions for retailers and affiliate marketers wanting to get involved as an increasing number of people turn to the web for their cards and gifts.