News and Analysis
This Channel Could be Bowling Brands Over
Move over, Ralph Kramden. Bowling is becoming one of the most popular activities in the United States. According to data released last year from Ipsos, it was among the most “played” sports in 2022. Right after Cornhole, which 20% of Americans played, bowling drew 19%. Swimming was third at 18%. Statista posits that about 45 […]
BOOM: The Skinny on FAT Brands
FAT Brands sends us regular news announcements about their growth, menu updates, and company strategies. We’re wowed by their speed of franchise innovation. We reached out to their executive team to get insights into the FAT philosophy and forward-looking path. As a MULO (multi-location) brand, they are clearly one of the gentle yet powerful giants. […]
Technology MULO Brands Need Today, According to RizePoint
Paul Damaren is the Chief Revenue Officer at RizePoint. The company develops technology for the restaurant, hospitality, retail, and processing industries. Although their tool suite helps these MULO brands with compliance, they are also designed to “help brands create a culture of excellence and ensure that every customer experience is as good (and safe) as […]
Commentary
Holiday Marketing Amid Current Supply Chain Disruptions
By using marketing to communicate transparently about potential shortages while at the same time helping shoppers either locate hard-to-find items or come up with alternative gift ideas, companies can overcome the current challenges and actually deepen their relationship with consumers, leaving them well-positioned for when the supply chain does return to something resembling normal.
Latest Posts
Self-Serve Ad Units Level the Playing Field for Emerging CPG Brands
Large CPG brands have traditionally had a leg up over smaller competitors when it comes to shoppable advertising. With the budgets to spend on managed service solutions, global brands like Campari, Heineken, and Chinet have enabled shoppers to add their products directly to retailers’ online carts, efficiently using digital advertising to grow offline sales at the stores of their choosing. Now, the shopping list marketing platform AdAdapted is bringing that same technology to smaller retailers and emerging brands.
Getting Real About Augmented Reality’s Marketing Implications
At CES 2022, Microsoft announced a surprise partnership with chip manufacturer Qualcomm, indicating the potential for the software giant to develop smaller chips and better software for AR glasses or mobile AR applications. Add in the metaverse, and the possibility for further AR growth in advertising is extraordinary. AR experiences like these can move consumers closer to a purchase decision.
Programmatic Best Practices: Dynamic Creative Optimization
As dynamic advertising has become a standard tool for data-driven marketing, dynamic creative optimization (DCO) has become a critical capability to drive higher performance. DCO leverages machine learning for real-time media buying to deliver the best possible creative at the right time. Ads are customized and changed in relation to a user’s past behavior or current situation with individual components of an ad personalized in real-time.
Locally Satisfies Shoppers’ Demand to Find Popular Online Items Near Them
Popular brands with successful online storefronts can integrate Locally’s technology to show shoppers where they can pick up specific product merchandise immediately at retailers in their own neighborhoods. For example, a shopper who clicks on a 30oz Rambler Tumbler on YETI’s website would see a link to purchase the product online, alongside a list of retailers that have the product in-stock nearby.
Third-Party Delivery Apps Are Stealing Your Customers. Here’s How to Regain Control
Think grocery’s biggest problem is inflation? It used to be. These days, it’s third-party vendors like Instacart who impact your results in an already margin-thin business. Add in retail giants like Walmart, who are rolling out their own grocery delivery services as new services continue to pop up, and that impact becomes even greater.
AUDIENCEX Rolls Out DSP Access for Mid-Market Brands
With Admatx, small and mid-size businesses, and middle-market performance brands and agencies, will have access to enterprise-level DSP technology through a self-serve platform, without the constraints of monthly spend minimums. The platform is a strategic complement to AUDIENCEX’s core managed-service offering, providing an enterprise-level tool to drive performance at lower prices than what most category leaders and Fortune 5000 firms are currently paying.
Location-Based Marketing Association: Pinterest’s AR Home Decor Tool
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association discusses Cross River Bank and PayTile teaming up on location-based payments, GeoBroadcast Solutions targeting iHeart in radio, Pinterest releasing an AR home decor tool, and PAR Technology integrating Radius Network’s Flybuy SaaS platform.
Online Reviews and the Problem of Authenticity
Recent developments from the FTC mark a significant moment in the history of online review management. Practices such as review gating have been relatively widespread in the industry for years, despite warnings such as this Help Center update published by Google in 2018: “Don’t discourage or prohibit negative reviews or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers.”
Advertisers Adopt Cross-Channel Strategies for Super Bowl LVI
As major brands put the finishing touches on their Super Bowl LVI strategies, they’re discovering that the biggest plays on game day are happening outside the confines of traditional 30-second spots. Sports fans are increasingly watching live sports on two or more screens at a time, simultaneously engaging with brands and posting on social media while games are going on.



















































Authentic Storytelling: Real-Life Scenarios Showcase Brand Values and Build Trust