News and Analysis
Multi-Location Growth Is Becoming an Operating Platform
When reports surfaced that Inspire Brands had confidentially filed for an initial public offering, much of the attention focused on valuation, revenue, and the scale of a restaurant company operating more than 33,000 locations across Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, SONIC Drive-In, and Baskin-Robbins. The more interesting story, however, is the collection of […]
Hyper-Local Cultural Moments Are Changing Media Strategy
National campaigns are no longer enough to connect with local audiences. As brands shift toward hyper-local media planning, cultural moments like Pride offer a blueprint for how localized execution can drive more authentic engagement and stronger marketing outcomes. National brands have long relied on centralized media strategies to deliver consistent campaigns across every market. But […]
Jersey Mike’s IPO Highlights the Power of Disciplined MULO Growth
Jersey Mike’s decision to file for an initial public offering comes at a time when restaurant operators face a difficult operating environment marked by cautious consumers, higher labor costs, and slowing industry growth. Yet the sandwich chain has continued to expand its footprint while improving profitability, positioning itself as one of the restaurant industry’s strongest […]
Commentary
Why Restaurant PR Matters for Local Growth
A great PR campaign can make or break the future of a restaurant location. But in the case of multi-location restaurant brands, this requires strong collaboration between local or franchise leadership and the overall brand to ensure a consistent, coordinated effort. The unique challenges of restaurant PR Running a PR campaign for a restaurant is […]
Your Locations Show Up in AI – But Are They Recommended?
A consumer asks an AI assistant for a local business recommendation near one of your locations. Your brand location appears in the response. By most current measures, that’s a win — and it is. But for MULO marketers managing local search performance for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of locations, presence in AI-generated responses is […]
“Why Aren’t We in ChatGPT?”: The New Question Agencies Must Answer
A new question is starting to surface in agency client calls: “Why aren’t we showing up in ChatGPT?” At some point recently, you’ve probably gotten this call. A client — one with solid Google Maps rankings, an optimized Google Business Profile, and a steady stream of reviews — asks ChatGPT or Gemini to recommend a […]
Latest Posts
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, […]
“Why Aren’t We in ChatGPT?”: The New Question Agencies Must Answer
A new question is starting to surface in agency client calls: “Why aren’t we showing up in ChatGPT?” At some point recently, you’ve probably gotten this call. A client — one with solid Google Maps rankings, an optimized Google Business Profile, and a steady stream of reviews — asks ChatGPT or Gemini to recommend a […]
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 […]
Why AI Is Forcing Marketing to Move From Channels to Intent
For decades, marketing teams organized their strategies around channels—search, social, email, and paid—each measured and optimized separately. But as AI increasingly mediates how buyers discover, compare, and choose products, that channel-based model is breaking down, forcing marketers to rethink their infrastructure around something far more important: customer intent. That channel-based structure shaped everything from budgets […]
Why a Streaming TV Ad Platform Is Buying Billboards
Out-of-home (OOH) advertising is increasingly becoming a channel for B2B technology companies looking to reach decision-makers in the real world. As SaaS platforms compete for the attention of enterprise marketers, AI founders, and venture capital firms, some are turning to highly targeted billboards and transit campaigns in tech-heavy markets. Streaming ad platform Vibe.co is the […]
The Missing Piece in Multi-Location Marketing: Location-Level Attribution
Multi-location marketing has become dramatically more sophisticated over the past decade. Brands now operate across dozens or hundreds of markets, running paid search, local SEO, social campaigns, listings management, and reputation programs simultaneously. But while marketing execution has scaled, measurement often hasn’t kept up. Multi-location brands often rely on dashboards that show total leads, conversions, […]
Gorilla Property Services Eyes U.S. Franchise Expansion
A leading property maintenance franchise is expanding into the United States, highlighting how home services brands are turning fragmented local trades into scalable franchise platforms. Vancouver-based Gorilla Property Services announced today that it has partnered with Franchise FastLane to accelerate franchise development across the U.S. The move positions the company inside one of the fastest-growing […]
Survey: How Rising Review Expectations Are Reshaping Brand Reputation Strategies
The BrightLocal 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey highlights a major shift for brands operating in local markets. Reviews from the last three months now carry the most influence in consumer decision-making, while rising rating expectations and AI-powered recommendations are redefining how consumers evaluate businesses. For brands with local footprints, maintaining a steady flow of fresh, […]
Gregorys Coffee Franchise Launch Signals Restaurant Expansion Trend
The launch of a franchise program by Gregorys Coffee highlights a broader shift underway across the restaurant industry. Increasingly, emerging concepts are turning to restaurant franchise expansion as a way to scale nationally while maintaining brand identity and operational consistency. Backed by Craveworthy Brands, Gregorys’ move into franchising illustrates how specialty coffee franchise brands are […]
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