News and Analysis
57% of Consumers Want Brands to “Get Personal” on Streaming Media
Despite the often negative buzz about consumer privacy and the ubiquity of shopping and dining data, a new study revealed that most U.S. consumers (57%) prefer personalized ads to mass marketing when they’re watching streaming media. The study was done by Moloco, a machine-learning company. As advertising on streaming media has become more common, opportunities […]
The MULO Dozen: June Brands in Review
In addition to our ongoing reporting about technology, creative innovations, and openings/closings in the MULO (multi-location) brand space, we publish this monthly quick-read summary of some of the developments at retailers, restaurants, and service brands. Whether you have just a few minutes or a few hours each month to track MULO trends for brands, Street […]
BUST: Why Do So Many Sports Stores Declare Bankruptcy?
Among the MULO (multi-location) sporting goods stores that filed for Chapter 11 during the past decade are: Mountain Sports (50 sporting goods and apparel stores in seven states under Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob’s Stores brands) Olympic Sports (70 stores) Modell’s (153 stores) Sport Chalet (47 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah) Sports Authority […]
Commentary
The Future of Personalization Requires Direct Engagement with Consumers
We can probably all agree that to attempt personalization and get it wrong is worse than not doing it at all. No one wants to invest significant money into data collection to not see the ROI, and consumers don’t want to see irrelevant messaging from brands. So, how can marketers effectively personalize their communications and understand the human they are trying to reach behind the screen?
Mixing the Right Ingredients for Powerful, Clickable Content
In the age of social media and incessant scrolling, marketers can easily lose prospective customers’ attention. How can one create Instagram or Twitter-worthy content that not only draws eyeballs but also compels shoppers to make a purchase? By laying the proper groundwork, striking the right emotional chord, and getting creative, business can create powerful, clickable content.
Refocusing the Contextual Advertising Conversation on Outcomes
It’s time to stop getting hung up in the jargon. Instead, let’s talk about what really matters to marketers: outcomes and how to secure them.
Latest Posts
The Best Marketing Tactics Can’t Be Measured
If some marketing tactics are more measurable than others and you place all the emphasis on readily available metrics, you are just going to turn your marketing program into a click machine.
6 Omnichannel Loyalty Platforms for Multi-Location Retailers
In 2022, shoppers want more. The most effective loyalty platforms are going beyond transactional rewards to create unique cross-channel experiences that keep customers coming back for more.
Influencers Struggle with Measurement as Channel Evolves
Many marketers still think of influencers as nascent affiliate partners. But as the channel evolves, influencers are seeking more sophisticated tools to assess their value and substantiate their impact as a marketing channel.
Retailers Shift Back-to-School Strategies
The marketing promotions most likely to win over back-to-school shoppers in 2022 differ from those of the past two years. Competitive pricing is an area where retailers can stand out.
Audigent and Epsilon Bring Custom Audiences to Private Marketplaces
The partnership with Epsilon is expected to give Audigent a significant boost in the data identity, curation, and activation space, where a number of platforms are currently competing to position themselves for a future without third-party cookies.
Looking Into the Future of Cashierless Retail
Are the perceived privacy issues that go along with shopping in a cashierless environment causing retailers to hold back on adopting smart checkout technology?
Closing the Attribution Loop
While marketers cannot speak with every customer to learn about their journey, they can access those insights using the correct data. And that process starts with a fully closed attribution loop.
Chatbots Get Faster and Supply Helpful Data
Deploying chatbots effectively will require smarter, faster-learning chatbots. And that’s what Botco.ai is bringing to market with Instachat Builder, “a new product that accelerates AI chat deployment by allowing Botco.ai customers to directly train Botco.ai’s chatbot on any type of text information.”


















































Why Restaurant PR Matters for Local Growth