Report: Retail Is Robust Again
The fickle finger of fast fashion just got longer in the U.S. market. According to findings from the Consumer Edge Insight Center fast fashion, defined as the reproduction of high-end fashion designs cheaply and selling them at retail for the masses, is even holding its own against luxury fashion. Retailers such as Shein, Temu, The Gap, Zara, Uniqlo, Topshop, […]
The MULO Dozen: December Brands in Review
As MULO (multi-location) brands prepare for the new year, they make bold moves — from new leadership to hot consumer trends we look at December brands in review. Here’s what we saw this month. Have news for 2024? Please e-mail me. Love’s names two new executives. The C-store “experience” is now officially a trend. (LEADERSHIP) 50 […]
Do You Have One of the Most Stressful Jobs?
You may think that managing marketing, business operations, or technology gives you daily headaches. But there are other more stressful jobs. This new “Top 10” report is one that MULO (multi-location) retailers would probably not want to hear about. According to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor, front-line retail management ranks high as […]
Holiday Blur: Retail Merchandise Accelerates
As of this writing, the trees, menorahs, and tinsel are still in living rooms and consumers have barely finished recycling their wrapping boxes, washing dishes from their December feasts, and returning from family visits. The ball in Times Square hasn’t dropped. And yet, retail merchandise for upcoming holidays is already on the shelves at many […]
Ethan Chernofsky of Placer.ai on the Omnichannel Experience
One word we’ve seen non-stop in the MULO (multi-location) space over the past five years is OMNICHANNEL. Smartphones, the pandemic, and Amazon all accelerated this shopping style. The consumer not only decides which brands they like and what products they need (or want) but also how they want to buy them, pick them up, and […]
10 Things We Saw in the Multi-Location Brand Space in 2023
Of course, we’ll be publishing predictions for 2024 and beyond, but here’s a brief recap of some of the major shifts (and tiptoes in new directions) in the MULO (multi-location) brand space in 2023. The pandemic is over…the virus remains…and some shopping and dining trends have forever changed. We’ll detail some of those evolutions (or […]
Study: Higher Allocation to OOH Channel Boosts Performance
It’s time for media buyers to click their heels together three times and repeat: there’s no place like out-of-home (OOH). A study of ad-trends data from 2017-2022, the most recent data available, indicated that brands that re-allocated more of their media spending to the OOH channel saw increased effectiveness of campaign performance. Three verticals in […]
BOOM: Dina Mitchell Launches a Gluten-Free MULO Brand
Dina Mitchell was the brain behind The Tropical Smoothie Café brand in Nevada and Southern California. Starting with only 23 locations, the brand grew to 1,300 and Mitchell’s stores clinched several Franchise of the Year awards and she became the Area Developer of the Year. After fifteen years of growth (including a $22 million year) […]
Digital Advertisers Suit-Up for the Big Game
Is Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas REALLY almost here? Yep. On February 11th, teams (and the digital advertisers that leverage the game) will run onto the field and play to win. As we know, Super Bowl advertising has transformed from the early days of big 60-second TV spots to fully integrated campaigns that are […]
4 Bites of the CosMc’s Launch
Trade and consumer media was buzzing last week with news of the new brand launched by 68-year-old McDonald’s. This new beverage brand, CosMc’s, (that also serves a limited food menu) declares on its website: “At CosMc’s, you’ll find exactly what you need to take you to your happy place. And you’ll feel rejuvenated by more […]
Retail 2024: What’s Hot?
It’s that time of year. The predictions for the next 365 days have started popping up throughout business and consumer media. But what about retail? We’ve seen some major retailers file for bankruptcy this year. Many of them have been covered in the BOOM & BUST series in Street Fight and we’ll continue to analyze these […]
Perion Network Completes Strategic Acquisition of Hivestack, Elevating DOOH
Perion Network Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: PERI) recently finalized its acquisition of Hivestack Inc., a prominent player in the programmatic Digital Out of Home (DOOH) space. Tal Jacobson, CEO of Perion, provided Street Fight with insights into the strategic move and its implications for the company’s growth trajectory. DOOH advertising transforms public spaces into experiences, […]
BOOM: PERi-PERi
Although burgers and pizza remain mainstays of the multi-location (MULO) ecosystem and the fast food chicken market is estimated at more than $59B, new cuisines and variations are coming to the fast casual world. Nando’s PERi-PERi chicken is now a popular alternative. The first Nando’s PERi-PERi opened its doors in 1987 in Johannesburg, South Africa, […]
Broadsign Enters Partnership with Zitcha
Broadsign, a SaaS digital marketing platform, works with retailers globally to plan and deliver content across in-store display screens, including for stores like Auchan, Ahold Delhaize, Coles, and Woolworths. Now, it’s taking its capabilities a step further by entering into a partnership with Zitcha By partnering with Zitcha, a retail media platform, Broadsign will help […]
The Gift of Attention: Mobile Gaming Influence on Holiday Advertising
If advertisers looked inside their ad budget stockings this holiday season, they’d find that Santa left a prime opportunity to capture the attention of their target audiences through mobile gaming. US consumers spend more daily time on mobile games (28 minutes) than any major social network. Overall, people spend about 11% of their mobile time […]
Building MULO Grocery Loyalty via Innovative New Approaches
Consider how YOU shop at your local grocery store (if you visit them yourself versus ordering staples online). Many of us view grocery stores as a commodity. Perhaps we frequent one or two local stores based on proximity, selection, or prices. We get coupons (either in the mail or digitally) and may be swayed to […]
Marketing Innovator Hummingbirds Raises $3.3m
Des Moines, Iowa-based Hummingbirds has successfully raised $3.3 million in a recent venture round, just a year after its initial $1 million funding. CEO Emily Steele, along with COO Charise Flynn, founded Hummingbirds in 2022 with a unique approach to hyperlocal influencer marketing. Unlike traditional influencer marketing platforms, Hummingbirds connects brands with local individuals in […]
Advertisers Can Learn from Political Marketers
Political advertising can be viewed as the north star for B2B and B2C marketers. In politics, voter outreach and paid advertising campaigns are building towards the ultimate one-day sale event – Election Day. From crafting campaigns around tentpole events and timely big moments, to planning ahead from a budgeting perspective, political marketers know how to […]
Adomni, TikTok, and Screen Power
Jonathan Gudai is the co-founder and CEO of Adomni, which has developed a state-of-the-art platform that enables digital marketers at brands and agencies to make smarter and faster media buys on screens in the real world. Adomni has connected 37 screen types ranging from large format digital billboards to digital screens in retail locations, gyms, bars/restaurants, and more. […]
Enhancing Customer Engagement: Vericast and MessageGears Collaborate
Vericast NXTDRIVE and MessageGears have strategically collaborated to redefine customer engagement, promising a seamless solution that delivers scalability, speed, and efficiency. Set to launch early next year, NXTDRIVE represents a customer data marketing platform (CDMP) designed to elevate brand communications through personalized messaging across various channels, including email, short message service (SMS), and push notifications. […]