Sep 2, 2026
Written by
CJ
Whether you've been to every CJU since year one or you're still deciding whether to book your seat, this guide walks through what to expect and how to make the most of our 25th ever CJU.
CJU is CJ's annual client conference, bringing together 1,000+ advertisers, agencies, publishers, and CJ staff for a few supercharged days of networking, content and learning. This year we're celebrating our 25th CJU anniversary, which gives us even more reason to celebrate across all our iconic dinners, events and socials.
On the learning front, CJU is the place to be if you want to get to grips with the topics and trends facing the affiliate industry in 2026 and beyond. Right now, that means helping you show up across the three main consumer paths to purchase: brand-led, social-led, and AI-led discovery and shopping. For the future, CJU is where you’ll likely meet the network that will strengthen your position no matter your goals.
Good question, and we've actually got a number for you. Data science analysis found that CJU 2025 attendees grew faster than comparable non-attendees in the 13 weeks after the event: publishers saw 10% faster growth, advertisers saw 8%, and the findings hold up at a 99%+ level of confidence. Turns out three days by the ocean with the right people in the room does more for your Q4 than another round of emails ever could.
Plus, there’s something indescribably magical about Santa Barbara that you just have to experience for yourself.
Somehow still on the fence? Grab our ‘Convince your boss’ letter and let us help make the case for you:
CJU takes place September 14-17, 2026, at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. There’s so much to see and do, we suggest building your own agenda on our app, CJ Universe, but you can expect:
Check the full CJU 2026 agenda for exact times, locations and session details.
Standard CJU registration is priced at $1,995 per person. If you’re bringing the team, groups of 5 or more registering together under one primary registrant get an additional 10% off per person. But remember, CJU is an invitation-only event for active CJ clients, so make sure you register using the CJ account email tied to your invitation.
Our beautiful host hotel, the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, is officially sold out for 2026. You can join the waitlist, but we recommend sourcing accommodation as soon as possible to guarantee a hotel within easy distance of all our events. Check out our lineup of recommended alternate hotels nearby, listed by distance to the venue. Too far to walk? We run a free shuttle every 20 minutes between partner hotels and the Hilton all day long, so you can get back and forth with ease.
Once you register, you'll get access to CJ Universe, your one-stop shop for everything happening at CJU. Don't wait until you land in Santa Barbara to open the app – you can start planning your agenda now to make the most of your time with us.
With CJ Universe, you can:
Attendees who set up their CJ Universe profiles early start networking with the right people, secure the best meeting times and spaces before they even arrive in Santa Barbara.
After 25 years of facilitating conversation, we’ve figured that most meetings fall into one of two camps:
Meet and greet – a short, informal introduction or quick catch-up. Our communal spaces work great here: areas like the hotel lobby, our patio spaces, CJU bar and coffee shop are flexible and relaxed for impromptu connections. You can book these spaces in CJ Universe – if the space you want to use isn’t listed, you can add it in the meeting description.
Deep dive – for longer, focused conversations, sharing challenges, or new opportunities, book at least 30 minutes in The Zone or one of our dedicated meeting spaces through CJ Universe. There are lots of spaces across the host hotel venue for groups of 2 – 10+ but they must be booked ahead of time. Made or received a meeting invite? Don’t forget to confirm it to make sure your room has been booked.
30 minutes is usually the perfect amount of time, our rule of thumb to keep things on track is:
Wednesday is when the fun really kicks into high gear. Festivities start with Cocktail Hour & ½ on the front lawn, then head into Plaza del Sol for the CJ Excellence Awards dinner, where we'll toast the advertisers, publishers, and agencies who raised the bar this year, and mark a full 25 years of CJU while we're at it. There’s also a raffle for all dinner attendees, so bring along the raffle tickets hidden in your CJU badge to find out if you’ve won an all-inclusive trip to Mexico. After that, it's your call: dance the night away at The After Party downtown, or try your luck at the CJU Casino. Either way, there's a late-night food court standing by if you need fuel before you call it a night.
September in Santa Barbara means sunny days and cool evenings, so pack in layers:
Don’t forget: laptop or tablet and charger, notebook and pens, business cards, meeting notes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and shoes that can handle a lot of walking.
We can’t wait to see you in September! If you have any questions before then, get in touch with us at cju@cj.com. If you’ve not already, it’s not too late to join us – simply register and we’ll be in touch!
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