News and Analysis

OOH Advertising Hits $2.13B in Q3 Revenue

OOH Advertising Hits $2.13B in Q3 Revenue

The advertisers that helped push record-high revenues in the OOH channel in Q3 include digital-first brands such as Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Uber, HBO, FX, and Paramount+.  At $2.13B in Q3 revenues, OOH advertising delivered its strongest third quarter on record, according to new data from the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA). Year-to-date […]

Guideline Unveils Customizable AI Dashboards, Elevating Advertising Data Analysis

Guideline Unveils Customizable AI Dashboards, Elevating Advertising Data Analysis

Guideline has introduced a major enhancement to its AI-driven analytics platform, unveiling Customizable AI Agent Dashboards that convert conversational insights into structured, persistent workspaces. The launch marks a meaningful evolution in AI-powered media analytics, enabling teams to move from natural-language queries to continuous analysis supported by Guideline’s more than $170 billion in verified annual ad-investment […]

Cadent Buys VuePlanner, Expands Total Video Capabilities Across CTV and YouTube Advertising

Cadent Buys VuePlanner, Expands Total Video Capabilities Across YouTube and CTV

Cadent, the predictive advertising platform known for its leadership in cross-screen advertising, announced a significant expansion today with the acquisition of VuePlanner, a company recognized for innovation in YouTube advertising, campaign optimization, and independent measurement. The acquisition strengthens Cadent’s positioning as a converged media platform capable of delivering a single, unified workflow for advertisers across […]

Commentary

The Road Ahead: What Autonomous Cars Teach Us About Marketing Automation

The Road Ahead: What Autonomous Cars Teach Us About Marketing Automation

The race toward fully autonomous cars fascinates me—not just for what it means for transportation, but for the lessons it offers those of us navigating the shifting lanes of marketing automation. Both fields are being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Both promise more efficiency and precision. And both, at their core, remind us that technology shines […]

Streets Ahead: Google’s Knowledge Cleanup, New Profile Signals, and the Page Every Business Needs for AI Search

Streets Ahead: Google’s Big Cleanup, New Profile Signals, and the Page Every Business Needs for AI Search

In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses Google’s Knowledge Graph purge, new user-confirmed attributes in business profiles, and how a “Why Choose Us” page can help your business stand out in AI search. Google Purges 3 Billion Knowledge Graph Entities The News  Google has reportedly removed about 3 billion entities from its Knowledge Graph […]

"Louder" is No Longer a Marketing Strategy, According to new Cordial Study

“Louder” is No Longer a Marketing Strategy, According to new Cordial Study

We all know that AI is having a massive impact on how consumers search for goods and services. A new study by Cordial, a leader in messaging for enterprise retail marketing teams, reveals that brands (including MULO or multi-location companies) are woefully under-prepared to deal with its impact. The Cordial report, combining the survey results […]

Latest Posts

The Road Ahead: What Autonomous Cars Teach Us About Marketing Automation

The Road Ahead: What Autonomous Cars Teach Us About Marketing Automation

The race toward fully autonomous cars fascinates me—not just for what it means for transportation, but for the lessons it offers those of us navigating the shifting lanes of marketing automation. Both fields are being reshaped by artificial intelligence. Both promise more efficiency and precision. And both, at their core, remind us that technology shines […]

Streets Ahead: Google’s Knowledge Cleanup, New Profile Signals, and the Page Every Business Needs for AI Search

Streets Ahead: Google’s Big Cleanup, New Profile Signals, and the Page Every Business Needs for AI Search

In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses Google’s Knowledge Graph purge, new user-confirmed attributes in business profiles, and how a “Why Choose Us” page can help your business stand out in AI search. Google Purges 3 Billion Knowledge Graph Entities The News  Google has reportedly removed about 3 billion entities from its Knowledge Graph […]

For DOOH: Start with Where the Screen Is - AdOmni

For DOOH: Start with Where the Screen Is

Democracy has come to DOOH media. Anyone with a credit card, basic computer skills, and five minutes of free time can set up and run a DOOH campaign thanks to AdOmni’s self-serve ad platform. Jonathan Gudai, CEO of AdOmni, said that for too long the process of planning and executing a campaign has been a mysterious […]

Self-Serve & Marketing Kiosks: The Ultimate in Phygital

Self-Serve & Marketing Kiosks: The Ultimate in Phygital

Multi-location (MULO) brands have long been using various forms of digital advertising and transaction processing. Labor costs and shortages, combined with consumer demand and love of interactive experiences, have given rise to a whole new category of phygital (physical + digital) options and solutions. At the Summer Fancy Food Show, media and big box buyers were […]

"Louder" is No Longer a Marketing Strategy, According to new Cordial Study

“Louder” is No Longer a Marketing Strategy, According to new Cordial Study

We all know that AI is having a massive impact on how consumers search for goods and services. A new study by Cordial, a leader in messaging for enterprise retail marketing teams, reveals that brands (including MULO or multi-location companies) are woefully under-prepared to deal with its impact. The Cordial report, combining the survey results […]

Habit-Forming Content: Real Strategies from Brands Turning Videos Into Revenue

Habit-Forming Content: Real Strategies from Brands Turning Videos Into Revenue

As businesses invest in expanding their social media presence, they should be clear about their purpose. Producing and sharing social media video content, even when that content goes viral, isn’t enough to justify their efforts. Businesses that benefit from social media marketing leverage their content to attract views, gain followers, and acquire leads by creating […]

Streets Ahead: OpenAI User BackLash, Google Preferred Sources

Streets Ahead: OpenAI User BackLash, Google Preferred Sources

In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses OpenAI reinstating GPT-4o following user backlash to GPT-5 rollout and Google personalizing Top Stories with New ‘Preferred Sources’ features. OpenAI Reinstates GPT-4o Following User Backlash to GPT-5 Rollout The News  OpenAI has rolled back part of its highly publicized GPT-5 launch after a wave of criticism from […]

New DoubleVerify Report Should Alarm Advertisers

New DoubleVerify Report Should Alarm Advertisers

Online advertising now represents nearly $800 billion in spending in 2025, up from a $374 billion market size in 2020. What else is up this year? A new report from DoubleVerify confirms the increases in fraud, AI bots, and ad blocking. Among the highlights for the North America market, based on a survey of 400 advertising […]

5 MULO (Multi-Location) Trends We Can't Ignore

5 MULO (Multi-Location) Trends We Can’t Ignore

We’re more than halfway through the year, and the consumer (and its artificial intelligence equivalents) have spoken! The MULO (multi-location) ecosystem is poised for a significant transformation. MULO comprises restaurants, retail, home and personal services businesses, hospitality, convenience stores, groceries, branded housing complexes, and other companies that have multiple brick-and-mortar locations. Here are some of […]

Are Discount Stores and Outlet Malls Still Relevant?

Are Discount Stores and Outlet Malls Still Relevant?

Long before Amazon, consumers would make excursions to factory outlet malls and wander the aisles of stores like Loehmann’s, seeking the ultimate bargain. Bargain shopping remains a great American pastime, and thrifting and upscale second-hand stores have joined the mix, alongside big-box, high-volume membership stores like Costco. Among the MULO (multi-location) discount store brands today […]