News and Analysis
“Wegmaniacs” Rejoice as Wegmans Opens Restaurants
Industry crossovers are nothing new. Tommy Bahama has restaurants, a retail operation, and now a hotel. Fitness retailers like Athleta offer in-store workout classes. And now Wegmans , an iconic grocery store with more than 110 locations , is opening a restaurant to appeal to its Wegmaniacs fan base! Tastings is opening in Rochester, New […]
Spaceback Introduces CTV Launchpad Platform
Spaceback, which bills itself as a pioneer of social CTV, has released a new platform called CTV Launchpad that enables advertisers to produce hundreds of creative options that include local elements like business addresses for some multilocation brands or a QR code that can scan to a local office or store. “It used to be […]
BOOM: The Hard War in Hardware
You may occasionally find an independent hardware store in your neighborhood. However, they are becoming rare as “the big five” dominate. They are (in no particular order): Home Depot Lowe’s Menard Ace True Value Over the next five years, the total hardware industry revenue is projected to grow from $59B to $75B. Home Depot and […]
Commentary
Identify Relevant News Outlets and Publications
When brands engage with PR, they typically look for more than just media exposure. Their goal is to secure meaningful media exposure that boosts their brand authority. PR is only valuable if it gets a brand’s story in outlets and publications that connect with its target audience. To help their clients reach that goal, publicists […]
Sick of MFA sites? Protect Your Brand and Ad Dollars
Ever since the ANA put real numbers around the scope of the problem with “made-for-advertising” or MFA sites, advertisers have been up in arms—and understandably so. The idea that these essentially worthless ad placements represent 21 percent of impressions and 15 percent of overall ad spend is unacceptable. And yet our industry has accepted it—and […]
Streets Ahead: Tiktok Ban Looming, Trial Reels
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the looming TikTok ban and the Instagram roll out of Trial Reels. TikTok Ban Looming The News The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled on Friday in favor of the government, affirming that TikTok must divest from its parent company, ByteDance, by January […]
Latest Posts
3 Trends & Stats from Pew Research Center Every MULO Marketer Needs to Know
Pew Research is one of my favorite sources of detailed and reliable consumer trends. (Unlike some media, Street Fight actually DOES fact-check! 🙂 ). New data released by the company has implications for all brands, but especially for MULO (multi-location) operators and agencies as we head into the new year. here are the trends that […]
Streets Ahead: TikTok Past the Ban, Global AI Adoption
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the current status of TikTok and global AI adoption trends TikTok Past the Ban The News TikTok went offline for U.S. users on the evening of Saturday, January 18, shortly before a 2024 law’s deadline took effect on Sunday. Sixteen hours later, on the morning of January […]
Screenverse President Assesses the RMN, DOOH, Programmatic Landscape
Adam Malone, co-Founder and President of Screenverse, predicts that retailers will all want to own and operate their own ad networks. Outside of the top 5-8 retailers, however, the vast majority of retailers would be best served teaming up and supporting third-party networks. This scenario may not become a reality in 2025, but Malone says […]
The Last 2025 Predictions Article You Need to Read
Admit it… We’re all getting a little tired of seeing the “Greatest Hits & Stats of 2024” and the “Predictions for 2025” articles that are proliferating throughout the media. And, most of us are now scrolling and scanning rather than spending massive amounts of time reading and ruminating. So here, in snackable form, is the […]
Beyond Burgers & Fries: 10 Fast Food Trends for 2025
Fast food and fast casual dining are massive categories within the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Although they are related, fast casual dining usually entails sit-down service and more menu options, whereas fast food usually entails a smaller list of choices and different ambiance. Options for hamburgers, pizza, wings, tacos, and other “grab and go” foods exist […]
Global Brands, Local Strategies: How Retail Media is Catering to Diverse Markets
As performance media and retail media converge, advertisers stand at a pivotal juncture to redefine consumer engagement within an increasingly complex shopping ecosystem. This convergence underscores the critical balance between maintaining a global brand identity and achieving regional relevance, highlighting the necessity for strategic collaboration between local and global teams. Breaking Down Silos: Redefining a […]
Let’s Get Phygital in 2025
Phygital is hardly a new word. The term was first coined in 2007 by Chris Weil, former chairman and CEO of Momentum Worldwide. Like many concepts, many marketing professionals take credit for coming up with the term, but ownership doesn’t matter here. What’s meaningful is that the term is having a huge resurgence — almost […]
TikTok & the Future of Social Media Marketing
As the Supreme Court’s Friday decision to uphold the “divest or die” congressional act looms large over TikTok, the app’s fate in the United States remains uncertain. This past weekend marked a whirlwind of developments: the app went dark on Saturday, only to reemerge on Sunday after President Trump announced his intention to issue an […]
Scaling MULO Social Media Management
Managing social media for franchises presents a lucrative opportunity for agencies and franchise brand managers. However, scaling and maintaining consistency across multiple locations can seem daunting. Fortunately, the right tools and strategies can simplify the management of franchise social media accounts, ensuring consistency and local customization. The Challenges of Franchise Social Media Management Businesses face […]
Navigating the US TikTok Ban: Strategic Insights for CMOs and Agency Executives
As the January 19th deadline for the US TikTok ban approaches, the marketing world is abuzz with speculation and urgency. With news breaking that TikTok may shut down its app entirely in the US and the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the proposed ban, brands are left scrambling to adjust their social media strategies. For […]
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