News and Analysis
The Adult Arcade: Two Trends Converging
We’ve covered the rise of eatertainment. Multi-location (MULO) brands have discovered that incorporating entertainment, sports challenges (sportainment), and activities into their converging retail and restaurant models enables them to appeal to a vast and growing segment of the market. Add to that model the newstalgia trend (a mash-up of new and nostalgia). Brands are combining […]
The MULO Dozen: July Brands in Review
Some things slow down over the summer, but this July the MULO ecosystem continues to heat up phygital enhancements, leadership changes, and creative new marketing approaches. Hot dogs are not just for family BBQs this summer! Wienerschnitzel is making a bold new leap, with the hot dog chain announcing its expansion to the East Coast, aiming to solidify […]
MULO Brands With Soul July Pick: NIKE
“Just Do It” is the NIKE tagline. It’s been around since 1988, and it also captures the brand’s view toward giving back and building a positive company culture. The brand is our July choice for a Brand with Soul. Or, perhaps it should be Brand with Sole, although the footwear manufacturer has expanded to include […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: Tiktok Ban Deadline, Meta Moderation Shift
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the approaching TikTok ban deadline and the shift in moderation strategy by Meta TikTok’s Fate Hangs in the Balance as Ban Deadline Approaches The News The future of TikTok in the United States hangs in the balance as lawmakers and courts wrestle with a TikTok ban and […]
Adjusting Tone and Language While Building the Perfect Target Audience
To streamline the pitching process, many public relations professionals will work from a pitch template that gives them a structure they can easily update with the information pertinent to any particular pitch. In addition to cutting down on the time it takes to prepare a pitch, templates also help to ensure important information for the […]
Streets Ahead: Tiktok to Supreme Court, ChatGPT Search Sources
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses TikTok taking its battle to the Supreme Court and the sources that support ChatGPT in the search landscape TikTok Appeals to Supreme Court in Fight Against Ban The News TikTok is taking its battle to the Supreme Court following the passage of a U.S. law requiring its […]
Latest Posts
Finance Is Questioning Your Marketing Value: Can You Prove Your Worth?
Marketers today are facing an overwhelming number of challenges. Too many channels, each claiming to be the key to driving performance. Finance teams are questioning whether marketing investments are truly profitable. As a result of this pressure, many brands have shifted their budgets toward performance-driven digital channels, prioritizing conversion metrics that validate their short-term decision-making. […]
Monday Morning Quarterbacking: Super Bowl Ad Review
If we didn’t do our gameplay replay of Super Bowl ad trends, we would be derelict as business media covering the media landscape. At $7-8M for a 30-second spot, big brands (and well-funded scaling brands) continue investing in this aspect of their media mixes. That’s a hefty spend, and unless it’s tied to other media […]
Unlocking Local Consumer Behavior: Foot Traffic Data Reshaping Fast-Food Strategies
Understanding consumer movement patterns is key to staying ahead. Foot traffic — the measurement of consumer visits to physical locations—provides critical insights into customer behavior, revealing trends in brand popularity, regional loyalty, and competitive positioning. dataplor, a leader in global location intelligence, has released a foot traffic analysis showcasing how these patterns shape fast-food preferences […]
SMBs versus Giants: The Street Fight Escalates
When Street Fight was founded about 12 years ago, the fight was defined as the battle between small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) and big multi-location (MULO) brands. Technology and location finding were still in their early stages, and consumers were just beginning to use their smartphones to find “near me” businesses at which to spend. […]
When a $7 Million Super Bowl Ad Isn’t Enough
The Super Bowl still represents the most premium of premium ad buys. However, the ROI of such a premium spot—regardless of its creative execution—has everything to do with the omnichannel strategy that surrounds it. More than ever, live sports advertising needs to reflect a community-driven mindset. As a result of the unique way in which […]
Skai Reveals New Report on the State of Retail Media
Retail media has become critically important in the marketing mix and is now a part of the plans for 92% of consumer products companies, according to Skai’s just-published 2025 State of Retail Media report. Brands are Focused on ROI Despite the massive investment in this channel, marketers are still unsure how to measure it. A […]
Fragmented Future: How the Loss of Net Neutrality Threatens Innovation and Equity
The internet has long been hailed as a great equalizer, a space where anyone with an idea can reach a global audience. However, the erosion of net neutrality principles threatens to undermine this fundamental characteristic, creating a fragmented and unequal online landscape. Without strong safeguards, the internet could transform from a platform for innovation and […]
The MULO Dozen: January in Review
January, the first month of 2025, was jam-packed with announcements of leadership changes, innovative new store designs and menu items, and game-changing technologies. Brands are suiting up for the Super Bowl. The TikTok “pause” created mass panic among influencers and agencies. As the 2025 progresses, watch this space for the trends, perspectives, and data that […]
Streets Ahead: Optimizing for Instagram, Local Level Marketing
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the Instagram 4:5 layout and algorithm secrets and Bright Local’s views on the future of local marketing. Instagram – Optimizing Your Strategy and Feed The News Instagram recently announced several updates aimed at enhancing user experience and content visibility. a) Profile Grid Enhancements: Adam Mosseri, the head […]
Consumers Do This 69% of the Time
Do what? A new study by Salsify revealed that 69% of consumers now make purchases while doing other things — scrolling through social media, browsing YouTube, or even watching shows on Netflix. The days of someone saying, “Let’s go shopping” still exist, but multitasking is now the norm for close to 70% of the population, […]
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