News and Analysis
SOCi, Dominating the CoMarketing Cloud Revolution
SOCi, Inc., the CoMarketing Cloud tailored for multi-location enterprises, has reached a significant milestone: $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). This achievement places SOCi among the exclusive ranks of global centaur companies, a status that is seven times rarer than the coveted unicorn status. Unlike unicorns, which are often valued based on speculative projections, […]
Hallmark Launches its Own Media Channel
In the MULO (multi-location) retail world, Hallmark is one brand that has consistently been able to flex and scale — beyond the brick-and-mortar card store. Now, Hallmark is “joining the streaming fray.” The new media channel will (of course) be called Hallmark+, and it will make its debut in September. Hallmark has been way ahead of […]
Who Owns What in the MULO World?
Darden recently made a huge acquisition in the MULO (multi-location) food world, gobbling up Chuy’s fast-casual Mexican locations (100+) in a $605M deal. According to FSR Magazine, the holding company has also made some major acquisitions over the last decade. “Chuy’s marks Darden’s sixth acquisition in 15 years. In 2007, the company acquired RARE Hospitality […]
Commentary
The Middle Ground on Personalization
What is the most viable critique of personalization, and what form should personalization take to provide real value to marketers and consumers?
To Crack Open CTV’s Data Issue, Give Publishers the Benefit of the Doubt
There is an opportunity to take some of the best strategies from decades of linear TV buying and selling and bring that forward. Adding intelligence on the supply side for CTV, while at the same time empowering the buy side to use that data to deliver scale, ensures that video has the breadth to do what it does best: power awareness and build brands.
Combating Ad Fraud with Machine Learning and Human Supervision
While machine learning and artificial intelligence are on the rise within ad fraud prevention efforts, it’s becoming clear that machines, despite their competence for processing knowledge, can’t fight the battle alone. Ultimately, humans are much more adept at understanding and applying logic. That’s why a combination of machine learning and manual, human intervention is crucial in the fight against ad fraud.
Latest Posts
Brand Advertisers Say CTV Likely to Overtake Mobile
According to a new report on connected TV trends by AppsFlyer, 98% of brands believe CTV advertising has the potential to be bigger than mobile, but just 64% of businesses are currently running direct response campaigns on CTV.
Open-Source Data Is a Risky Gamble for Businesses
While open-source data is free, it can cost a great deal of capital in the long run. For some companies, especially those with robust engineering teams, these costs might be acceptable. For others, however, it might be wiser to dedicate spend to an initial data purchase to avoid ROI headaches down the line.
Study: Multi-Location Businesses Underestimate Power of Local Digital Strategy
Marketing technology has changed the way consumers find, choose, and return to businesses. While the majority of multi-location businesses have successfully implemented broad strategies to be discovered by consumers, research shows many are failing to fully leverage the latest tools for local discovery, engagement, and conversion.
AnyRoad Enables Brands to Close First-Party Data Gap
AnyRoad’s new solution, which debuted last month, enables brands to collect first-party data and feedback from every guest that attends an experiential activation or event — not just the primary reservation holder.
Machine Learning Transforms Local TV into a Modern Advertising Channel
Kalyan Lanka, VP of product management at Ampersand, argues that the same pairing of creative and targeting potential celebrated in CTV is hitting local TV. Here’s how marketers can take advantage of the opportunity.
Where Will the Latest Economic Slump Take Technology?
Are we on the cusp of the next technological revolution that will come to define our globalized planet in the next few decades or more? From the printing press to the telephone and the electric light bulb, to the television and personal computer, each of these paradigm-shifting inventions took hold during economic depressions or deep recessions.
Keen Brings SaaS to Marketing Mix Modeling
Keen believes it can offer a version of MMM updated for the 2020s in the form of a SaaS-based platform (with some degree of managed services).
AI Can Bring the Fun Back to Advertising
Long ago, the advertising industry lost its key ingredient — fun. With an overabundance of campaigns to optimize and oversee, marketers have no time to tap into the creativity or strategic thinking that persuaded many to pursue a career in the industry in the first place.
Survey: 59% of Retailers and Restaurant Chains Plan to Increase Investment in Location Tech
The group found an industry on the precipice of major change. While most restaurant chains and retailers aren’t currently leveraging location data enterprise-wide, the survey found that executives are increasing their investments in location technology and expect to see the benefits of those efforts within months.
Thanx Expands Access to Enterprise-Grade Loyalty Programs
Bespoke loyalty programs used to be reserved for the largest national brands. Restaurant chains like Pizza Hut, Chili’s, and Starbucks generated massive success as some of the first players in the industry to let customers earn and redeem rewards from their mobile phones. Now, the loyalty, CRM, and guest engagement platform Thanx is looking to bring those same high-end features to the broader business market.
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