News and Analysis
BOOM: This MULO Diner Chain is Roaring
The diner as a concept seems to be timeless. Back in 1913, the first stationary diner was established and ultimately grew to 6,000 privately owned locations nationally. That’s a giant MULO (multi-location) venture! Fast forward to today. Although foodies have a wide range of options for where to eat — from single-unit locations to specific […]
BOOM: Retail Media According to Skai
We often use “BOOM” to identify a category or store brand that’s thriving. But BOOMing can also apply to trends in media buying and creative. So, for 2024 we’ve expanded the term to cover that as well, so MULO (multi-location) brands and the agencies that work with them can identify how to better reach consumers […]
‘Judge Beauty’ Wants this e.l.f. on Your Shelf
And the award for best non-sequitur in a Super Bowl ad this year goes to the TV personality known as Judge Judy: “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining,” Judge Beauty said when learning a “defendant” claimed she needed to spend $92 on makeup products. The 30-second spot, “Judge Beauty,” was from […]
Commentary
Digital Advertising Has a Promising 2022 in Store — for Those Who Get Ready for It
The industry is moving away from third-party cookies, toward VR/AR experiences, and into a rebounding economy. We’ll see more things transform in 2022 — and here are some trends that I see accelerating, which advertisers, agencies, and publishers need to watch.
LBMA: Google Maps Goes Head to Head with Instacart
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association covers SPREE Interactive taking its VR platform global, a Robot mixologist serving drinks and collecting data, Google Maps going head to head with Instacart, and Square launching a Photo Studio app.
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
Putting Power Back in the Hands of Advertisers This Year
The time is ripe for advertisers to take control of their data to make more powerful connections with consumers while improving transparency, engagement, and ROI. As advertising decision makers demand more, the ecosystem is ready to challenge outdated approaches to data and attribution, a groundswell that is certain to achieve positive outcomes in the year to come.
“Returnless” Refund and Automatic Return Approval: Should Sellers Embrace Them?
ALL online merchants—not just those in the Amazon Marketplace—need to look at simplifying customer-facing processes like returns. An easier return process means happier customers, reduced friction, and fewer chargebacks.
Reputation Lands $150 Million to Power Reputation Experience Management
Reputation announced Tuesday morning that it has raised $150 million in fresh funding to power what it calls reputation experience management, or RXM.
The 4 Ad Tech Trends Mobile Marketers Need to Understand In 2022
2022 will be a year for the mobile advertising industry to find its footing again — and an opportunity for fast-moving players to stake new claims. The momentum these trends — contextual advertising, machine learning, consolidation, and bidding in lieu of the waterfall — have accrued over the past few months suggests there are ways to prepare yourself for what’s coming, whatever that may be.
Report: Retail Lags in Omnichannel Customer Service
Retailers around the globe learned to adapt during the pandemic, quickly pivoting to offer curbside pickup, mobile payments, and online storefronts. Despite making strides in digital adoption, a new report finds that many retailers are still missing the mark on omnichannel customer service.
Location-Based Marketing Association: Vendasta Acquires MatchCraft
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association discusses Catalina partnering with Place IQ, Japanese dating agency Matching Advisor Press using vending machines to find matches, Seattle launching an NFT Museum, and Here Technologies launching Indoor Map as a service.
Here’s What Happens When Brands Start Micro-Communities for Digital Engagement
“[Micro-communities] foster a collaborative relationship between brands and customers. So instead of spying on consumers through cookies, brands can simply ask consumers for feedback and offer them recommendations based on their likes and dislikes,” says Philip Smolin, chief platform officer at 100.co, an AI-powered consumer brand group that works in the CPG space.



















































Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem