News and Analysis
Weather Is Reshaping Marketing – How Brands Are Turning Storms Into Sales
When weather shifts, consumer intent spikes and brands that adapt messaging in real time are capturing the most valuable moments to drive action. Spring is trying to spring in the Northeast but so far, the vibes have been reluctant. But that doesn’t hinder weather-reactive marketing; it presents new opportunities for warm-weather retail activities and products. […]
AI Is Rewriting Media Planning – Basis’ Compass Turns Briefs Into Campaigns in Minutes
Media planning is entering its fastest transformation in decades. What once took days (or weeks) of assembling briefs, analyzing data, and building presentations is now being compressed into minutes as agentic AI in advertising automates the core of AI media planning. That shift is now operational. With Compass, Basis has introduced an AI advertising platform that […]
Klaviyo’s New AI Agent Builds Full Campaigns From a Single Prompt
AI is rapidly changing how marketing gets done and Klaviyo is pushing that shift further by introducing tools that can generate and execute entire campaigns from a single prompt. With its new Composer feature and expanded AI agents, the company is moving toward a model where marketers define outcomes and software handles the execution. Klaviyo’s […]
Commentary
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, […]
Streets Ahead: TikTok News, Google Reviews, and the New Rules of Local Visibility
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses TikTok emerging as the top news platform, evidence that service areas don’t influence Local Rankings and Google now moderating review responses. TikTok Emerges as the Top News Platform for Young Adults The News New survey data from the Pew Research Center indicates that TikTok has overtaken long-standing social […]
The “Future of TV” Is Here: 4 Video Shifts That Will Define 2026
For the past decade, ad tech has talked about the “future of TV.” In 2026, that future stops being hypothetical. The infrastructure is in place, streaming is now the primary viewing mode for many audiences, and measurement is finally tying exposure to outcomes. The result is a decisive turning point for video: CTV advertising shifts […]
Latest Posts
2026 Predictions: Where Multi-Location Brands Win Next
As we head into 2026, multi-location (MULO) and franchise brands are walking into one of the biggest opportunities we’ve seen in years. Not because there’s a shiny new channel that suddenly solves everything, but because Paid, Earned, and Owned Media are finally starting to work together in a way that rewards brands who think locally […]
Turning Reviews Into Intelligence: How Agencies Can Unlock Multi-Location Insights
For agencies managing multi-location businesses, reviews are no longer just a ranking factor or a measure of reputation. In today’s AI-driven local search ecosystem, reviews have evolved into a rich source of actionable intelligence — a tool that agencies can use to uncover operational issues, inform marketing strategies, and fine-tune brand messaging across locations. Treating […]
Short-Form Video Surges Beyond Social, Study Finds
Pity Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Hollywood mogul whose Quibi, a mobile-first video service, was way ahead of its time. The idea was to serve short-form video less than 10 minutes in duration to people as they were waiting at the bank, the post office, the doctor’s office or anywhere else where they might have a few […]
Streets Ahead: Google Core Update, IG Search, Review Delays
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the Google December 20025 Core Update, Instagram search traffic and Google Review appeals delay. Google Rolls Out December 2025 Core Update The News Google has launched its December 2025 Core Update, marking the third broad algorithm change this year following major releases in March and June. The […]
Dave’s Hot Chicken Tops Yelp’s Most Loved Brands
Consumers are cautious, still spending, and they love what they love. Yelp Most Loved Brands of 2025 report provides a snapshot of loyalty to certain brands and why and where enthusiasm is strongest. Dave’s Hot Chicken is the Nashville-style spicy chicken QSR that began in a Los Angeles parking lot and has since drawn a […]
Intentional Marketing in the Age of AI: Smarter Strategy Choices for 2026
If 2025 has taught me one thing about AI, it’s that success won’t be about who uses the most. It will be about who uses it most intentionally. That’s why I want to take a step back from the marketing buzzwords. Before you jump into implementing any new AI solution in 2026, it’s vital to […]
Smarter Screens, Smarter Campaigns: How DOOH and Video Will Reshape 2026
As we head into 2026, the media landscape is reaching a distinct convergence point. Digital out-of-home (DOOH) is no longer an emerging channel. It’s the connective tissue between online intent and real-world decision-making. Video is no longer just a content format. It’s the operating system of modern influence. The smartest marketing and political campaigns in 2026 […]
Innovid Offers Reliable Measurement for Live Content
As live content continues its migration to streaming, marketers are demanding the same trust and precision they expect from traditional broadcast. Innovid, the independent software platform specializing in ad creation, delivery, measurement, and optimization, is stepping up to meet that challenge. The company recently unveiled its Live Content Certification Program, an initiative designed to ensure […]
Google AdX Agency Deals Shift Programmatic Dynamics – But Not Enough
Do Google’s recent concessions to agencies signal a new era of transparency in the programmatic ecosystem? After years of operating as a near-impenetrable fortress, Google’s AdX has begun offering direct discount deals with media agencies, signaling a willingness to change its traditionally rigid programmatic marketplace. Agencies have long sought to improve their relationships with supply-side platforms […]
OOH Advertising Hits $2.13B in Q3 Revenue
The advertisers that helped push record-high revenues in the OOH channel in Q3 include digital-first brands such as Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Uber, HBO, FX, and Paramount+. At $2.13B in Q3 revenues, OOH advertising delivered its strongest third quarter on record, according to new data from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA). Year-to-date […]
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