News and Analysis
Programmatic DOOH Spend Set to Surge 49% as U.S. Marketers Shift Budgets
Programmatic digital out-of-home is entering a new phase of maturity in the U.S., shifting from an emerging test channel into a core component of digital media strategy. New research from VIOOH suggests that marketers are not only increasing investment sharply, but also rethinking how DOOH fits within broader programmatic and performance-driven planning. The headline number […]
Digital Remedy Takes on the Biggest Pain in Ad Performance
Advertising performance is becoming harder—not easier—to measure, especially for agencies managing campaigns across multiple channels and markets. A new platform from Digital Remedy aims to simplify that complexity, giving marketers a unified view of ad performance across CTV, display, audio, and more—and changing how they understand what actually drives results. The new Digital Remedy platform, […]
TikTok and iHeartMedia Bring Social Discovery to Audio
TikTok is expanding beyond short-form video and into the audio world with the launch of TikTok Radio, a new collaboration with iHeartMedia that blends trending TikTok music, creator commentary, and viral culture into a broadcast and streaming format. Debuting during SXSW and now available on the iHeartRadio app and dozens of U.S. broadcast stations, the […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: Google, Apple, and Siri Signal a New Era for AI, Search, and Commerce
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi examines how Google is rapidly consolidating its role as the underlying infrastructure powering the next phase of AI-driven discovery, decision-making, and commerce. From a multi-year partnership with Apple to power Apple Intelligence and Siri with Gemini, to growing adoption of Gemini across Search and Android, and now the […]
Why Trust Is Now the Strongest Brand Growth Lever
For brands, growth is no longer won by louder marketing or faster product launches. Brand growth is earned through trust. As buyers become more self-directed, AI reshapes discovery, and confidence replaces claims as the deciding factor, brands are being judged on how clearly, consistently, and humanly they show up across every interaction. In 2026, winning […]
Why 2026 Will Finally Change How Advertising Works
For years, the advertising industry has talked about transformation. In 2026, it stops being a discussion and starts becoming operational reality. Agentic AI, collapsing silos between creative and media, and accelerating consolidation are no longer emerging trends—they’re actively reshaping how campaigns are built, activated, and staffed. The biggest shift won’t be that AI is involved, […]
Latest Posts
How Brands Can Influence AI Search Results—Not Just Rank in Them
As AI answers increasingly replace traditional search results, local and regional brands are facing a new visibility challenge: how to show up when consumers never click a link at all. In an AI search environment where recommendations are surfaced instantly—and often without a website visit—being included in the answer matters more than driving traffic. A […]
Google Anonymous Reviews Reshaping Visibility for Sensitive-Industry Brands
Amid AI Overviews, AI Mode, and a steady drumbeat of core updates, Google quietly introduced a change with outsized implications for certain businesses: Google anonymous reviews. By allowing users to leave reviews under a pseudonym rather than their real name, Google has lowered a long-standing barrier for customers in privacy-sensitive industries. For multi-location brands in […]
Paycom Taps NBA Star Jalen Williams to Put AI Answers Front and Center
B2B tech brands are increasingly turning to familiar faces to humanize complex software — and Paycom is leaning into that strategy with its latest campaign. The Oklahoma City–based HR and payroll platform has tapped Jalen Williams, an All-Star guard for the Oklahoma City Thunder, to headline its new “Answers” campaign, spotlighting how its IWant™ AI […]
The Biggest Risks Facing Influencer Marketing in 2026
Influencer marketing is entering a more fragile phase. As AI-generated content proliferates, trust in online creators erodes, governments introduce tighter social media regulations, and creator burnout accelerates, brands face a more complex and risk-laden landscape heading into 2026. While influencer marketing remains big business, shifts in authenticity, transparency, platform access, and audience behavior are forcing […]
VIOOH and Atmosphere TV Expand Programmatic Place-Based Streaming
Programmatic video advertising is moving beyond traditional digital boundaries and deeper into the physical world. With a newly announced partnership, VIOOH, the global digital out-of-home (DOOH) supply-side platform, is teaming up with Atmosphere TV to unlock programmatic access to the largest place-based streaming TV network built specifically for businesses. The partnership expands access to more […]
Neuro-Contextual Advertising Signals the Post-Cookie Future of Attention
As cookies and identifiers continue to fade, a new frontier is emerging in digital advertising—one powered not by who users are, but by how they feel. New research from Seedtag suggests that neuro-contextual advertising, which aligns ads with emotional context and intent rather than personal data, is driving significantly higher attention and engagement across CTV […]
Streets Ahead: Google, Apple, and Siri Signal a New Era for AI, Search, and Commerce
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi examines how Google is rapidly consolidating its role as the underlying infrastructure powering the next phase of AI-driven discovery, decision-making, and commerce. From a multi-year partnership with Apple to power Apple Intelligence and Siri with Gemini, to growing adoption of Gemini across Search and Android, and now the […]
Why Trust Is Now the Strongest Brand Growth Lever
For brands, growth is no longer won by louder marketing or faster product launches. Brand growth is earned through trust. As buyers become more self-directed, AI reshapes discovery, and confidence replaces claims as the deciding factor, brands are being judged on how clearly, consistently, and humanly they show up across every interaction. In 2026, winning […]
Voters Prioritize Safety and Economic Relief as Election Takes Shape
As economic anxiety and public safety concerns rise heading into the 2026 election cycle, the implications extend well beyond politics. New data from Resonate’s “First 2026 Election Cycle Outlook” shows that voters’ top priorities … affordability, personal security, and economic stability … are reshaping how trust is formed at the community level. For local media, […]
App Science Audiences Deliver Higher Attention Than CTV Averages, Study Finds
As connected TV shifts from a reach-first channel to a performance-driven medium, attention … not impressions … is emerging as the metric advertisers care about most. New research from TVision suggests that CTV effectiveness is increasingly shaped by audience strategy, not just premium inventory labels. The study found that campaigns using App Science audience segments […]
Street Fight’s Big 3
Street Fight Columns
Street Fight Categories
Why AI Describes Locations Differently