News and Analysis
C-Store – Stop…Charge…Drink…Earn…Repeat
What’s new at the C-store (convenience store)? The lowly truck stop is now tech-powered, innovative, and a model for other MULO (multi-location) brands to learn from. Among the seven big trends we’ll see along the road at at the corner store in the months ahead are: EV chargers. Forecasters believe these necessary roadside amenities will […]
420 Goes Digital With the Help of Vistar Media
The cannabis industry is unique in that it was one of the first major sectors to benefit from technology from its inception. A highly-regulated space, marketing cannabis (like the financial, liquor, and pharmaceutical industries) is filled with regulations. That’s where digital media comes into play, keeping major cannabis brands from “going up in smoke.” April 20th […]
Check Out What’s New at the Grocery Store
Walk into any MULO (multi-location) grocery store today, and you’ll likely find far more than what you might have experienced 20 years ago. In fact, the most popular grocery store in the U.S. today is not even an actual grocery store. According to this recent study, 7-Eleven ranks highest, which is proof positive of the […]
Commentary
Streets Ahead: Google Monopoly Ruling, AIO Declines
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at what’s next after the Google monopoly ruling as well as the continued decline in Google AI Overviews (AIO). Google Monopoly Ruling: What’s Next After the DOJ’s Landmark Decision? The News Last week, we reported on a significant development in the lawsuit filed against Google by the […]
What’s Old was New at This Year’s Upfronts
This year’s Upfronts mirrored the changes taking place in the industry as there was a greater focus on streamers, with Netflix, Amazon and YouTube dominating headlines and generating more buzz than their broadcast and cable counterparts. Despite the industry’s desire to embrace new technologies and fully enter the streaming era, progress from years past appears […]
Streets Ahead: Google DOJ Ruling and Google’s Search Dominance
In this week’s Streets Ahead update from SOCi, we learn about the Google DOJ ruling and AI’s effect on Google’s search dominance Google Ruled a Monopoly in DOJ Case In a 2020 lawsuit, the Department of Justice and several state attorneys general accused Google of maintaining a monopoly, leading to a ruling by federal judge […]
Latest Posts
Holidays 2024 Installment 5: Elizabeth Lafontaine Predicts the Spending Future
Elizabeth Lafontaine, Director of Research at Placer.ai, is joining the virtual panel of MULO (multi-location) experts who are discussing consumer shopping behavior and marketing trends for this holiday season. Please contact me if you have predictions for this holiday season or 2025! What is your #1 prediction for holiday shopping season? “One prediction for the […]
Streets Ahead: Meta’s Threads and Instagram Video Quality
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the continued growth of the Meta’s Threads platform and the Instagram move to adjust video quality based on popularity Threads Rapid Rise: 275M Users and Counting The News Meta’s Threads app, emerging as a competitor to X (formerly Twitter), has rapidly grown, now boasting 275 million monthly […]
That Damn Retail Music May Actually Boost Sales!
As the holiday season approaches, we can expect to hear Mariah Carey blasting from speakers at many MULO (multi-location) businesses. A new study reveals that holiday music does impact spending. In fact, it can boost retail ticket size by as much as 42%! Mood Media found that: 41% of shoppers feel nostalgic, and 29% feel relaxed […]
Street Fight LIVE Insights: Are you Experienced?
For those OGs and rock fans, the title of this post pays homage to Jimi Hendrix. (It was the name of his award-winning album back in 1967!). And, like a great Hendrix guitar solo, the notion of experiences is timeless. That concept was reinforced at our opening session at Street Fight LIVE, led by Nick […]
From Pumpkin Spice to Prime Days: The Erosion of the Traditional Shopping Calendar
For years, shopping seasons were predictable. Black Friday, Back to School, and the holiday season provided distinct markers for consumers and retailers alike. Today, these events have blurred, creating an “always-on” shopping environment. Seasonal promotions now begin months ahead – Pumpkin Spice Lattes in August, Christmas decorations in September, and multiple annual Prime Days. This […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 4: Megan Hastings Predicts the Spending Future
Megan Hastings is Head of Customer Insight Strategy at Quantum Metric. The company specializes in analyzing the customer journey. And, as we know, that journey includes lots of retail visits for holiday gifting this time of year! And, according to Hastings, lots of visits to that mobile screen! Here’s the latest in our Holiday Predictions […]
Streets Ahead: ChatGPT and the Rise of AI Overviews
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the newly launched search feature in ChatGPT and the rise of AI Overviews for Google local search results. OpenAI’s New Search Feature Transforms ChatGPT The News OpenAI has introduced a new feature that brings real-time web search capabilities to ChatGPT, marking a significant upgrade from its previous reliance […]
A View From the Stage: 10 Takeaways from StreetFight LIVE
I had the pleasure of chairing the re-boot of StreetFight LIVE, the first gathering of its kind since 2018. StreetFight Live events are back! And, as one of our panels reinforced, people today are looking for inspiring, fun, and memorable experiences that engage them and keep them coming back. More than 30 professionals — across […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 3: Mike Debnar Predicts the Spending Future
As we continue with our Holiday 2024 trends and forecast countdown, we asked Mike Debnar what stars will be shining bright this season. Debnar is the VP Retail Executive Advisor at Medallia. He focuses on creating innovative customer experience programs for brands utilizing his extensive background in CRM and CX. Mike holds a degree in management information […]
Will the Election Affect Holiday Shopping?
Presidential election years tend to boost holiday-season spending, regardless of who wins the most votes, according to Experian plc, a global data analytics and consumer credit reporting company. Experian has released its 2024 Holiday Spending Trends and Insights report, and with it, the launch of contextually-Indexed Audiences. Advertisers can use this new offering to blend […]
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