News and Analysis
Netflix Takes on YouTube. Should Podcasters and Advertisers Rejoice?
If we’re “Netflix and Chillin,’” consuming movies, streaming series, and other entertaining and inspiring content, why don’t we listen, watch and learn from podcast content creators too? Now we can. Netflix is entering the podcast market, leveraging its massive database of more than 300M subscribers (and growing). Podcasts also show no sign of slowing down […]
Church’s Wants to Make Your Day
A new female buddy comedy is playing in theaters, and Church’s Texas Chicken not only has a cameo role, but a marketing tie-in. “One of Them Days” stars SZA, who had her own star turn in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl half-time show earlier this month, and Keke Palmer (“Akeelah and the Bee)” playing roommates who […]
5 Reasons the Media Ignores (or Trashes) Your Brand
As someone who has sat on “both sides of the desk” (as a marketer and now a research analyst, trend spotter, and content creator), I have a unique perspective on media exposure. The right press — online, conventional, or some combination — feeds your public image when consumers search for your brand. What MULO (multi-location) […]
Commentary
How AI Is Transforming Phone Calls Into Data
“This call may be recorded for training and quality purposes” We’ve all heard a version of this ubiquitous message a thousand times. Chances are we don’t even notice it any more due to a form of audio “ad blindness”. Still, if we stop and think about it, interesting questions arise. What are these recordings actually […]
Investing in AI Tools Leads to Better Outcomes for Marketers
The hype for AI has reached a crescendo, with companies across all industries introducing AI tools and endless amounts of news coverage touting its potential as a game-changer. While it has mostly remained a buzzword for many industries, it has already become a difference maker for marketers. According to a recent study, 41% of marketers […]
Why the Annual Planning Process is Behind Before it Starts
From advancements in campaign measurement to performance and optimization, the digital advertising industry has consolidated decades worth of transformation to a matter of years. And while the pace of advertising investments has shifted and performance data becomes available more regularly across channels, the annual planning process for all media expenditures has remained, well, annual. In […]
Latest Posts
How to Score a MULO Touchdown: 7 Winning Points
Multi-location retailers, restaurants, and even service businesses (the MULO ecosystem) stand to benefit from football season — if they have the right marketing and sales playbook! Applebee’s (a 42-year-old brand with 1,600+ locations) forged a deal with the NFL. But even those brands who are late to the game this football season can profit from […]
Small Brands are Crushing Big Brands on Local Search
As we know, most consumers use their devices to find dining, retail, and other MULO (multi-location) options that are convenient to them and have the products and services they want (as well as the consumer reviews, directions, and specials they seek). However, larger brands (who can afford to invest in mobile local search optimization) often […]
The MULO Hotel is Alive and Well
Summer vacations have ended but millions of people are still traveling for both work and play. Business travel is almost back to its pre-pandemic level, with close to 500M trips taking place this year and the global business traveler market estimated to reach $2.1T by 2031. Despite the popularity surge for alternative lodgings like Airbnb and […]
UGC: A Conversation With Roee Zelcer, CEO of Humanz US
MULO (multi-location) brands and agencies have long used word-of-mouth marketing to build traffic and sales. But UGC (user-generated content) as marketing is clearly having a moment. Brands’ fans are taking to TikTok, IG, digital billboards, and streaming TV ads to promote products and places. Agencies are making bold moves to incorporate UGC in their media […]
Sneak Preview: A Chat With Steph Hadas About the New PR
Steph Hadas is a Vice President at 5WPR, one of the largest independently owned public relations firms in the U.S., and will be one of our featured speakers at Street Fight LIVE on November 7th at Meta’s Chicago headquarters. The firm was founded in 2003 and has an incredible roster of clients — from major […]
The MULO Dozen: August Brands in Review
Who says summer is slow? Not brands. So much is happening this August in the MULO (multi-location) brand and agency ecosystem that stopping at 12 was tough! Have news to share? Please reach out and we may include your MULO brand, agency, or tech company in our round-up or a feature article! Like pizza toppings […]
LG Ad Solutions Proves Screensaver Ads Drive Brand Engagement
LG Ad Solutions, a leader in Connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising, has unveiled a new ad format called Native Screensaver Ads. Available on LG Smart TVs, these full-screen ads appear during periods of inactivity across the Home Screen, LG Channels, and the Content Store. By capitalizing on idle screen time, these ads transform what […]
The C-Store Five: Consumers Love These Convenience Store Brands
As we’ve covered in Street Fight, the C-store (convenience store) is a MULO (multi-location) category that is having a moment—a huge moment. Formerly viewed as the corner bodega or the highway stop for gas, smokes, emergency items, a beverage, and a bathroom break, C-stores are starting to play a more prominent role in the retail […]
Franchise Marketing Needs a New Playbook for the Post-Promo Era