News and Analysis
BUST: Clothes & Pizza
Last month, two very different MULO (multi-location) brands, Bob’s Stores and Mod Pizza, had significant financial challenges. MULO retailers and restaurants shuttering their brick-and-mortar operations or restructuring is certainly not major news these days. However, the recent announcements from these two brands prove that just because a consumer category is stable or growing, some businesses […]
Commentary
Leverage a Single View of the Customer in Real Time With Generative AI
It’s been almost two decades since we first heard “data is the new oil” and companies have tapped into that resource ever since, fundamentally changing the way we do business and how we talk to customers on digital channels. Raw data must be refined to realize its full value, but even with limited refining capabilities, […]
The Search Landscape, Humans & AI (& Pasta)!
The New York City landscape has changed, and so has the local search landscape. On November 7th, at Localogy‘s Place23 conference, a range of powerhouse groups and more than 100 senior marketing professionals came together to be the architects of our new future. Two of the panels at the Place event covered the challenges faced […]
5 Generative AI Tools for SMB Marketing
Staying ahead of the curve in SMB marketing is more than just a competitive advantage; it can be the key to survival. As the martech landscape evolves, more business owners are finding themselves dealing with the challenge of producing engaging, relevant, and unique content that can cut through the noise and capture the attention of […]
Latest Posts
BOOM: Shopping Malls are Back!
A new study by Placer.ai confirms that shoppers are returning to malls. That’s great news for legacy MULO (multi-location) brands and new concepts like pickleball, pop-ups, and eatertainment venues, which are filling spaces left vacant by department stores and other big-box retailers. The study reveals five key findings and trends: Visits to malls are getting […]
The MULO Dozen: March Brands in Review
Openings, closings, leadership changes…the MULO (multi-location) beat goes on! Here are some highlights related to the people, technologies, and brands in the MULO ecosystem. Have news? Please e-mail me. And save the date — Street Fight LIVE is coming to Chicago on November 7th! The convenience store (C-store) industry is going through a major transformation and […]
Mediaocean Report: 2024 Has Optimism Written All over It
The Mediaocean 2024 CPG Advertising Outlook Report implies that this year’s ad-marketing landscape calls for optimism. “Our research indicates a wave of optimism sweeping across the CPG industry for 2024,” The report said. “Marketers are gearing up for an active year, with a substantial majority expressing their intent to either maintain or increase their spending […]
The Rise and Role of Temu in Apparel
Can the fast fashion apparel segment grow any faster? It is doing exactly that thanks to Chinese retailer Temu. According to various sources, Temu has spent up to $3 billion in advertising outside of Asia-Pacific since 2022, and its profile and app adoption among American consumers has been turbo-charged by online ad spending across Meta and […]
Acxiom Launches InfoBase UK Purchase Transactions
Understanding consumer behavior is paramount to crafting personalized and impactful customer experiences. Acxiom appears to have taken a significant step forward in this area, with today’s launch of InfoBase UK Purchase Transactions in collaboration with Affinity Solutions. This innovative dataset promises to provided unparalleled insights into consumer spending habits, empowering brands to make informed decisions […]
The Evolving Dayparts
Dayparts no longer apply to when your favorite TV shows are on. In fact, streaming and recording have made that concept outdated. However, dayparts are alive and well when MULO (multi-location) brands try to understand consumer behaviors better. Knowing when people shop and eat can help brands staff, add (or reduce) inventory, and even post […]
Starbucks Stirs Up Leadership Model
Starbucks, a company known for transformation the coffee shop model and introducing a wide range of seasonal beverages and products is now transforming the MULO (multi-location) leadership model. The company announced this week that it is creating a new leadership model. As innovative and unique as its current lavender beverages, the structure is designed to […]
3 Ways to Battle Efficiency Headwinds in 2024
You don’t have to look too deep for significance there: measurement is tough right now (even for measurement companies), and fraud is rampant and stands to get worse as AI governance lags behind AI adoption. No matter how big your brand or what industry you’re in, efficiency is going to be a challenge in 2024. […]
Stepping Up Brand Protection with AI-Powered Risk Monitoring
Maintaining a positive online reputation is extremely important for businesses in our digital world, especially for multi-location brands. With the rise of social media and online review platforms, negative commentary and potential crises can spread rapidly, posing significant threats to a company’s reputation and profitability. In an attempt to help MULO marketers address this challenge, […]
Intent, Context and Attention: 3 Signals Helping Brands See in the Dark