News and Analysis
NBCUniversal Taps Guideline for Smarter, Data-Driven Advertising
Guideline and NBCUniversal have announced the expansion of their partnership to bolster NBCUniversal’s data-driven strategies across ad sales. The collaboration highlights how major media companies are leaning into predictive analytics to stay competitive in a fragmented advertising marketplace. Navigating a Fragmented Market The advertising ecosystem continues to be reshaped by cross-platform consumption, shifting budgets, and […]
The Skinny on FAT Brands with Elaine Patel
We all know that the relationship between a corporate MULO (multi-location) brand and its local operators can sometimes be challenging. How do you keep the integrity of your brand whole while supporting the entrepreneurial people who run your day-to-day and regional operations? Elaine Patel is one woman who has many of those answers. Elaine Patel […]
Flamel.ai Expands Suite of AI Tools to Power Franchise Growth
Flamel.ai announced a new suite of product capabilities that bring advanced content creation, cross-platform scheduling, and localized advertising to every customer touchpoint. The updates extend Flamel.ai’s mission to help franchisors scale marketing while maintaining local authenticity and brand consistency. The September product release includes: Social Ad Playbooks — automated Meta campaign templates that franchisors can […]
Commentary
Addressing Advertising’s Overreliance on the Open Web
In recent years, the allocation of advertising spend has failed to keep pace with rapid shifts in consumer behavior and technology capabilities. As a result, many brands are pouring tremendous spend into the open web, neglecting the fact that targeting capabilities and consumer attention aren’t what they used to be. At the same time, brand […]
Latest Posts
Turning Digital Signage into Responsive Retail Experiences
In a move set to redefine in-store engagement, Spectrio has unveiled Smart Content Triggering, a new suite of capabilities that brings real-time intelligence to digital signage in retail and food service environments. By enabling displays to respond dynamically to real-world inputs—from customer behavior to weather conditions—Spectrio’s platform aims to make physical spaces as personalized and […]
What are You Doing on September 30th?
As a consumer, you likely shop, dine, and consume services at a combination of big-box and mom-and-pop establishments. As a MULO (multi-location) executive, agency, or tech company, you probably attend several industry-specific (retail, restaurant, service) conferences in your sector. So, what’s the deal with an event like Street Fight LIVE 2025 that cuts across multiple […]
BOOM: The Extended Stay Hotel
Street Fight is always looking out for MULO (multi-location) categories on the upswing. The hospitality industry is now complex and growing. Currently projected to reach $443 billion worldwide this year, it comprises every variation of places to sleep and play — from the luxury hotel and resort to the trusted roadside motel brand. One category […]
MULO Brands With Soul: KINDR
This month, our “brand with soul” is not a MULO brand at all. It’s KindR, an organization committed to making workplaces kinder, which attracts the best talent and ensures retention and growth. The war for talent at MULO (multi-location) restaurant, retail, and service brands does not have to be a bloody battle. In fact, by […]
The MULO Dozen: March in Review
As we closed out March and the first quarter of 2025, here’s what CEOs were searching for: Although these vast critical issues are top-of-mind for business leaders, March as well as the first three months of the year were filled with strategies and decisions in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. AI, tariffs, and hiring freezes are […]
The Robot is Carrying Your Pizza: Timothy Tanksley Predicts the Future of MULO Serving
One of the biggest challenges bars and restaurants face today is finding skilled labor. Add to that the cost of overserving expensive cocktail ingredients (both in terms of product expense and product quality). Timothy Tanksley is the Director of Marketing at Richtech Robotics. At the Bar & Restaurant Expo, one of the company’s robots served us a […]
Scott Sutton Advises Advertisers on How to Avoid “Mis-Targeting”
Mis-targeting can not only waste ad dollars but can also damage brands reputations. Consumers like personalization provided the information being used is relevant to them. A new report shows that digital ads fail to meet their target promises. One study reported that “when brands run digital ads aimed at parents…67% don’t even have children” and […]
Report: Consumers Have Mixed Feelings on Spending
When it comes to spring spending in 2025, consumers plan to keep the home fires burning, as the British sang during World War I. In 21st century America, however, nothing spells patriotism like consumerism. Although consumer confidence has been taking a dive this year, falling to a 12-year low in March. With inflation persistent and […]
Skai Says “Yes!” Celeste Has the Answers for Commerce Media
U.S. ad spending on commerce media will surpass $100B by 2028. What is commerce media? Marketers use data from consumer purchases and browsing habits to improve targeting, personalization, and overall campaign effectiveness. After all, if someone is looking for baby clothes, they may also shop for diapers, cribs, and bottles. Leveraging behaviors to boost same-category […]



















































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