News and Analysis
Survey: Marketers Lean-In to Personalization, Performance
We’re well into H2, and omnichannel ad platform Mediaocean has released its 2025 H2 Market Report, a compilation of responses from a global survey of hundreds of marketing professionals. It looks like experimentation is out, and execution is in when it comes to using AI, advertising on CTV, and verifying identity as the foundations of […]
MULO Brands With Soul August Pick: Raising Cane’s
A “one love” philosophy may sound more like Woodstock, Burning Man, or a spiritual retreat than a MULO (multi-location) food brand with more than 900 locations. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers has become known for its corporate culture, which emphasizes the importance of respect, community, teamwork, and having fun as part of every employee’s daily experience […]
From Data to Dachshunds: Meet Elizabeth Lafontaine of Placer.ai
In the weeks leading up to Street Fight LIVE 2025, we’ll be getting up close and personal with some of our speakers, encouraging them to share stories of how they found themselves in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Elizabeth Lafontaine is the Director of Research at Placer.ai and will share the latest insights on consumer trends, including […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: Instagram AI-Powered Search, TikTok Creator Search Insights
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi covers Instagram’s new AI-driven search feature and TikTok Creator Search Insights Instagram’s AI-Powered Search The News Instagram is testing an AI-powered search feature within the comments section, according to AdWeek. This new tool automatically generates AI-driven search summaries, offering users relevant context as they engage with posts. 🔹 […]
Why Q5 Signals a Shift for Ecommerce in 2025
The start of a new year always marks the end of the holiday season, and as the frenzy of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day subsides, many retailers shift their focus away from advertising, assuming that consumer interest and spending have peaked. But in reality, a lucrative Ecommerce opportunity remains hidden in plain sight: […]
Streets Ahead: Google Traffic Surges and AI Mode Launches
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the 2024 surge in Google search traffic and the Google launch of AI Mode as a search alternative. Google Search Traffic Surges 22% in 2024 The News A new study from Rand Fishkin at Sparktoro reveals an eye-opening trend: Google search traffic surged by 21.64% in 2024 […]
Latest Posts
Innovid Report: CTV Ad Spend Should Be Higher
Ad spending in CTV is not near what it should be given its potential and sophisticated targeting, reach, and ad formats, according to a report by Innovid, which recently released its 2025 CTV Advertising Insights Report. Citing data from eMarketer, the Innovid report noted that while eyeballs and time spent on streaming content among viewers […]
95% of Your Customers Do This with AI and Humans, According to SOCi
“AI Suggests, Humans Decide!” That’s the bold statement that emerged from the SOCi 2025 Consumer Behavior Index (CBI). The company warns Brands to “embrace” human validation or get left behind. The study validated the importance of TikTok, Instagram, and real human experiences to determine spending choices. Although 19% of consumers are using AI tools themselves […]
Perion Acquires AI Platform Greenbids
When Perion Network Ltd., wanted to take the next step in expanding its offering and fueling potential growth, it decided to acquire Greenbids, an AI platform that can optimize campaigns at scale inside walled gardens such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and leading DSPs such as Google DV360 and The Trade Desk. The transaction terms […]
The MULO Dozen: May in Review
Perhaps the biggest news of May is the announcement of some of our amazing and visionary speakers for Street Fight LIVE 2025. However, we’re biased. That said, you won’t find this much diverse and forward-thinking insight anywhere else this fall. The lines have blurred between digital and conventional media, marketers, influencers, and retail, restaurant, and […]
Streets Ahead: Microsoft New Agentic Tools, Apple Maps Recommendations
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses Microsoft unveiling over 50 new AI agentic web tools and Apple Maps adding curated recommendations. Microsoft Adds New AI Agentic Web Tools The News At its Build 2025 conference, Microsoft outlined a sweeping strategy to lead the evolution of the “open agentic web,” unveiling more than 50 […]
Shopping Distraction or Enhancement? Study Shows In-Store DOOH Really Works
Vistar Media, the leading global provider of technology solutions for digital-out-of-home (DOOH) media, partnered with consumer research company MFour to better understand how consumers view retail media ads. A relatively new frontier for MULO (multi-location) advertisers, these messages target customers from the parking lot through checkout. But do they impact consumer shopping behavior? The study […]
Meet the Street Fight LIVE 2025 Speakers: Part 1
Street Fight LIVE was resurrected last year, after pausing for the pandemic. This “un-conference” thought leadership conference is the first of its kind because it brings together C-level executives and decision-makers across MULO (multi-location) retailers, restaurants, convenience stores, service businesses, eatertainment/sportainment concepts, and hospitality brands. They are joined by the agencies and technology companies (with […]
Scalable Reviews and Reputation Management for Multi-Location Brands
It’s no secret that customer reviews makes or breaks a brand. Reputation management influences buying decisions, impacts local search rankings, and—let’s be honest—shapes how people feel about doing business with you. For multi-location brands, though, reputation management isn’t just about responding to a few Google reviews. It’s about scaling trust across dozens, hundreds, or even […]
“Wegmaniacs” Rejoice as Wegmans Opens Restaurants
Industry crossovers are nothing new. Tommy Bahama has restaurants, a retail operation, and now a hotel. Fitness retailers like Athleta offer in-store workout classes. And now Wegmans , an iconic grocery store with more than 110 locations , is opening a restaurant to appeal to its Wegmaniacs fan base! Tastings is opening in Rochester, New […]
Spaceback Introduces CTV Launchpad Platform
Spaceback, which bills itself as a pioneer of social CTV, has released a new platform called CTV Launchpad that enables advertisers to produce hundreds of creative options that include local elements like business addresses for some multilocation brands or a QR code that can scan to a local office or store. “It used to be […]
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